The Abell Planetaries

- Deutsche Version?

Already in the year 1966 Geoge Abell arranged a list of 86 planetary nebulas, which he had discoverd on the photographic plates of the large 48" Schmidt Telescope on Mount Palomar. Two of these planetary nebulas are registered in the well-known NGC catalogue (Abell 50 = NGC 6742, Abell 75 = 7076) and two in the IC catalogue (Abell 37 = IC 972, Abell 81 = IC 1454). Four of these objects were not confirmed as PN (Abell 11, 32, 76, 85) and three were not taken up in the SEC (Abell 9, 17, 64). A very informative and complete compilation of all Abells which shows several observations with different apertures, you can find on the page of Stathis Kafalis. The Abell PN applies as notorious, but very interesting deep-sky-objects. That's because of the visuell challenge to detect as many as possible faint surface brightness Abell planetaries. Apart from patience and observation experience, most Abells need very good sky conditions. The use of [OIII] filter is also important than dark skies.
Inspired by Stathis Kafalis and Martin Schoenball, I would like to present my observations of these interesting PN. The observations were accomplished to the largest part with a 16" Dobson (others with apertures from 2" to 24") under good to very good sky conditions.

Object (DSS) Aperture, Magnification, Filter, Faintest Star - Description
Abell 1

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 51-129x, [OIII], fst 7m0
not visible

27", 172x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
difficult star field; E faint star group; no sure observation
 

Abell 2

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 300x, [OIII], fst 7m0
bright, circular, can hold PN with direct vision, faint star at the SW edge, fainter to the middle

27", 419x, o.F. + [OIII], fst 7m+
easy and direct vision Abell; already visible with 113x as a small patch of light; with 419x and without filter two faint stars at the SW edge of the PN; with [OIII] the ring structure is visible - the middle of the PN seems to be much darker; no CS visible
 

Abell 3

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m0
only with [OIII], round disc, double star at the edge of the PN, sharply defined

16", 180x, [OIII], fst 7m+
faint PN, not visible without filter, near 13mag DS, W of the DS faint, round nebula, 1' diameter, structureless, can hold PN with averted vision
sketch
 

Abell 4

DSS 5' x 5'

5" Bino, 98x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
surprisingly easy with that aperture, round laminar spot, can hold it with averted vision

16", 257x, [OIII], fst 6m4
[OIII] shows no big improvement, small, round disc, cannot see the faint edge-on galaxy PGC 10427 (16,59 bmag), PGC 2816330 is visible as a faint glow

27", 419x, without filter, fst 7m+
bright PN even without filter; darker to its middle; round; PGC 2816330 (16,9bmag) 1,9' N easy with direct vision; 2:3 N-S elongated; fainter PGC 2201333 (17,1bmag) 45" NW; can hold it with averted vision; 3:1 NW-SO elongated
 

Abell 5

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 100x, [OIII], fst 7m0
hardly noticable PN, after 30 minutes of observing I notice a faint hint of light, NE of the 14,1mag CS, not round, unsure observation

27", 113x-172x, UHC, [OIII], fst 6m5+
very difficult; with 113x and UHC a very faint disc popping out in and out of view around a 14mag star, can not hold it steadily; with higher magnification (172x) and [OIII] the round disc disappears and a faint spot get into the view SE of the star; but could not hold it again
 

Abell 6

DSS 10' x 10'

14", 80x, [OIII], fst 7m0
faint, perfectly circular disc, sharply defined, can not hold steadily with averted vision, sure observation, disturbing star group SE

27", 172x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
6,6mag star 7' SW disturbs observation of the faint PN; PN itself is easy to detect, can hold glow with averted vision; exactly round with good defined edges

Abell 7

DSS 30' x 30'

16", 51x, [OIII], fst 7m1
only with max. AP and [OIII], large, round PN, faint but can hold PN with averted vision, some faint structure, fainter to its middle, dark wedge from the west, PGC 16611 easy to detect, 10' NW of the PN, elongated 1:2
 
Abell 8

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m2
only with [OIII], very faint, round disk, double star NW
 
Abell 9

DSS 5' x 5'

14", 200x, [OIII], fst 7m5
also under perfect skies not observable, difficult star field with many dangerous faint stars, other observer and I only suspect faint glow, but could not hold or confirm the glow

16", 225-360x, [OIII], fst 6,5
now with [OIII] from Lumicon and Astronomic, again nothing to see

16", 51x-225x, fst 7m2
at the north edge of M 38, not visible without filter

27", 293x, [OIII], fst 7m+
only assumed; N of a faint DS, which is visible even through the filter; can not definitely hold the faint glow; unsure observation

 

Abell 10

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 360x, UHC, fst 7m2
bright, also without filter, round disc, [OIII] shows no big improvement, best view with high power and UHC, faint structure, can not hold the structure

4", 63x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
not visible without filter, with [OIII] and 44x small spot of light, with 63x more easy and laminar, can hold PN with averted vision, 2' SW very faint star
 

Abell 11

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x-225x, fst 6m5
reflection nebula?, not visible

27", 419x, without filter, fst 7m+
faint reflection nebula; with higher magnification a faint but sure observable glow; can hold the glow with averted vision; round without any detail; smaller than on the blue POSS plates
 

Abell 12

DSS 5' x 5'

4", 154x, [OIII], fst 7m+
with higher magnification the small round disk is easily visible and can seperate easily from the glow of mu Ori, no ring structure visible

4,5", 110x, [OIII], fst 6,4
amazingly easy with [OIII] and higher power, round, structureless

16", 230x, [OIII], fst 6m6
positioned in the direct neighbourhood of the 4mag star mu Ori, only with [OIII], round disc, difficult ring structure

16", 450x, [OIII], fst 6m8
min. UHC filter, better view with [OIII], sharply defined, SW part little brighter
sketch
 

Abell 13

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 6m8
NW-part of the PN popping out in and out of view, can not hold it with averted vision, unsure observation

20", 62x - 121x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
very difficult observation, nothing to see with lower magnification, with 121x and [OIII] a saw very faint nebula the position of the brighter NW part, without filter there are a few 15mag stars exactly at this position, with filter I'm not sure whether stars or nebula
 

Abell 14

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 225x, [OIII], fst 6m5
close star group of faint stars at the position of the PN, with [OIII] faint glow, difficult to decide, but I think the glow shows the stars and not the PN
 
Abell 15

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 225x, [OIII], fst 6m5
with [OIII] and higher power very faint nebula, can not hold it with averted vision, I'm sure that the glow shows the PN, no CS visible
 
Abell 16

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 6m7
not visible

16", 100x, [OIII], fst 6,9
with [OIII] round disc, 3' glow with sharp edges, best AP around 4mm, difficult PN, pops in and out of view with averted vision
sketch
 

Abell 18

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 6m7
PN more simply than I expected, can hold the PN with averted vision, round disc without structure
 
Abell 19

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 6m4
remarkably CS without filter, 2-3 very faint stars around CS, with [OIII] a faint halo around CS, can hold halo with averted vision
 
Abell 20

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 6m7
1' north of a small triangle, faint without filter, with [OIII] faint, round disc, structureless
 
Abell 21

DSS 20' x 20'

3", 14x, [OIII], fst 7m2
nebula also visible with 3" and [OIII] under perfect sky conditions, can hold PN with averted vision, round, structureless

4,5", 31x, [OIII], fst 6m4
SW-NE elongated disc with [OIII] and 14x, faint crescent shape with 31x

16", 100x, [OIII], fst 6m4
famous Medusanebula, large, crescent-shaped nebula, shape open to the W, brighter condensations SW and NE, many structures, difficult to hold, best view with AP 4mm and [OIII]-filter, faint view without filter
sketch
 

Abell 22

DSS 5' x 5'

20", 155x, [OIII], fst 6m5
faint 3:2 SW-NE elongated disk SW a 13 mag star, difficult to see, can hold it with averted vision, faint knots at the SW and NW end
sketch
 
Abell 23

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 100x-129x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
PN because low declination (-35° DEC) only 5 minutes of observing window, during short time not visible

12", 94x, [OIII], fst 7m+ (Namibia)
no sure observation, difficult star field arround, negative observation

17", 140x, [OIII], fst 7m+ (Namibia)
now with 17" apperture, now the faint star can also be seen through the filter, NO an faint, 1' round glow, can hold it with averted vision
 

Abell 24

DSS 10' x 10'

20", 66x, [OIII], fst 6m5
very faint round disk, hardly noticable only with max. AP, not sharply defined, structureless
 
Abell 25

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 6m5
very faint PN, SE part popping out in and out of view, can not hold PN with averted vision
 
Abell 26

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 100x-129x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
PN because low declination (-33° DEC) only a few minutes of observing window, during short time not visible

12", 150x, [OIII], fst 7m+ (Namibia)
small and round, difficult, also with averted vision, no structure
 

Abell 27

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 100x-129x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
PN because low declination (-32° DEC) only a few minutes of observing window, during short time only a very faint hint of light, could not hold it, uncertain observation

12", 63x, [OIII], fst 7m+ (Namibia)
no exact map to search PN (only Uranometria), at the exaxt position a very faint glow, can not hold it, the reinforcement shows, that I was at the right position
 

Abell 28

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 51x, [OIII], fst 6m5
not visible

27", 113x-172x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
more simply than expacted; round, large glow at the exactly PN position; can not hold glow, but it plobs in and out of view always at the same place; movement of telescope helps; edges are diffus; no other detail
 

Abell 29

DSS 10' x 10'

16", 69x, [OIII], fst 6m8
very difficult PN, observation together with another observer, can not hold PN with averted vision, round without defined edges, only with max. AP and [OIII], observed disk is only the SW part of the ring structured PN
sketch
 
Abell 30

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 51x, [OIII], fst 6m5
faint PN, can hold it with averted vision, best with max. AP, not sharply defined
sketch
 

27", 172x, [OIII], fst 6m5+, Seeing IV
with 4mm AP + [OIII] PN disk itself can hold steadily with averted vision; sharply defined; around CS brighter but small 15" Halo; only visible with filter; CS Halo without structure
 

Abell 31

DSS 30' x 30'

16", 51x, [OIII], fst 6m5
moderately bright PN with max. AP and [OIII], around 10 mag star, some structures, brightest part W and SW of the star, diffus end, NE second part, smaller
sketch
 
Abell 33

DSS 10' x 10'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 6m4
also noticable without filter, with [OIII] and 129x a large, round glow, can hold it with direct vision, no structure within the glow, sharply defined
sketch
 
Abell 34

DSS 10' x 10'

16", 51x, [OIII], fst 6m4
very faint round glow with max. AP, not sharply defined, can not detect the ring structure

16", 75x - 180x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
best with higher AP, at 75x 2:3 N-S elongated, W side better defined, no ring structure, without filter and with higher magnification faint galaxy PGC 3081651 at the W edge, very faint, can not hold it steadily
sketch
 

Abell 35

DSS 10' x 10'

16", 51x-100x, [OIII], fst 6m4
faint, large PN around 9,5mag CS LW Hyd, visually much smaller than photographically, at the south edge brighter 1:2 E-W elongated part
sketch
 
Abell 36

DSS 10' x 10'

16", 51x-100x, [OIII], fst 6m4
easy Abell PN, can hold it with direct vision, with max. AP 2:3 N-S elongated disk around 11,8mag CS, with AP 4mm southern part much brighter

16", 75x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
easy, can already see the PN without filter, 2:3 E-W elongated PN, disk is shifted to the S side, flatly N side, S of the CS faint dark hole, brightest part at the W side, very faint outer parts at the NW
sketch
 

Abell 37 - IC 972

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 6m4
small planetary, best with 129x (AP 3mm), can hold it with averted vision, structureless, no CS

20", 450x, UHC, fst 7m+
without filter bright, round glow with brighter edges; no CS; good reaction to [OIII], best view with UHC; ring breaks at the E edge; brightest part at the SE; ring seems to be open to the N; W edge is better defined; stellar spot (star) at the NW
Zeichnung

 

Abell 38

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 100x, [OIII], fst 7m5
extremly faint PN, the faint, round glow sits directly south on a 11mag star, difficult to estimate the size and structure, the two 14mag neighbour stars are visible trough the [OIII]
sketch
 
Abell 39

DSS 5' x 5'

4", 31x, [OIII], fst 6m2
extreme PN with 4" , PN is popping in and out of view at the right position with 3,5mm AP and [OIII], can not hold it with averted vision, no CS without filter, structureless round glow

16", 129x, [OIII]
large, round disc with [OIII], can hold PN with averted vision

20", 121x, [OIII], fst 6m3
faint glow without filter and max. AP, with 4mm AP round, bright disk, darker to its middle, CS without filter
sketch
 

Abell 40

DSS 5' x 5'

16", [OIII], fst 6m4
not visible

12", 150x, [OIII], fst 7m+ (Namibia)
can hold PN with averted vision, round and laminar, faint star in the neighbourhood (without filter)
 

Abell 41

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 225x, UHC, fst 6m4
faint Abell despite bright POSS-images (blue and red), could not see the PN without filter, best view with 225x and UHC, small, round, not sharply defined, structureless, could hold PN with averted vision
sketch
 
Abell 42

DSS 5' x 5'

20", [OIII], fst 6m3
not visible

16", 100x, [OIII], fst 7m5
extremly faint spot of light, only visible with AP 4mm, PN is popping in and out of view with averted vision, round, without any structure, faint stars near the PN on the E and W side could be detect through [OIII]
sketch
 

Abell 43

DSS 5' x 5'

20", 155x, [OIII], fst 6m3
with [OIII] and 155x round glow, can hold it with averted vision, some difficult structure, could not hold it, 3 stars within the PN without filter
sketch
 
Abell 44

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 225x, [OIII], fst 6m5
best view with 225x + [OIII], can hold PN with averted vision, round glow without sharp edges, faint 12,5mag star at the SE edge
sketch
 
Abell 45

DSS 10' x 10'

16", 51x, [OIII], fst 6m5
extreme PN, 3' NW of 12,5mag GSC 56983731 3' x 2' E-W elongated glow, can not hold it with averted vision, unsure observation
 
Abell 46

DSS 5' x 5'

20", 206x, [OIII], fst 6m6
faint glow around CS even without filter, with [OIII] and 206x the PN is round with diffus border, 1,5' large around CS, can hold PN with averted vision
 
Abell 47

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m2
extreme object, very hard to detect, popping in and out of view on the right position, round, diffus spot of light, can not hold it with averted vision
 
Abell 48

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m+
difficult PN, can not hold PN with averted vision, round with diffus edges

16", 150x, [OIII], fst 7m+
also under very good alpine skies difficult PN, can not hold steadily with averted vision, round, small, obersvation together with another observer
sketch
 

Abell 49

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 225x, [OIII], fst 7m3
very faint PN, small spot of light without structure, can not hold it with averted vision
sketch
 
Abell 50 - NGC 6742

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 51x-450x, [OIII], fst 6m4
bright, also visible without filter, round, sharply defined, structureless

4", 55x, UHC, fst 6m5+
visible even without filter, with 55x small and round, best view with UHC, can hold PN easily with averted vision
 

Abell 51

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m3
large , round disc, sharply defined, can hold PN with direct vision, no ring or other structure
sketch
 
Abell 52

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 225x, [OIII], fst 6m7
extremly faint PN, can not hold it with averted vision, after intensiv observation with 225x and [OIII] the PN is popping in and out of view

27", 172x, [OIII], fst 7m0+
not visible without filter; with [OIII] round disk with sharp edges; can hold disk with averted vision; NE part brighter
 

Abell 53

DSS 5' x 5'

14", 200x, [OIII], fst 7m3
faint, round disc, can not hold it with averted vision, typical Abell
 
Abell 54

DSS 5' x 5'

16", [OIII], fst 7m+ (21,50)
not visible

27", 172x, [OIII], fst 7m+
compact star group 1,2 NW (can be seen also with filter), PN not difficult, can hold it with averted vision, round with soft edges, 1' diameter, structureless
 

Abell 55

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 180x, [OIII], fst 7m+ (21,50)
easy Abell PN, very faint glow even without filter, with [OIII] PN can hold with direct vision, with AP of 2mm PN the PN is round with structureless disc
sketch
 
Abell 56

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m+ (21,50)
extreme PN, together with another observer I see a large, extremly faint nebula, can not hold the exact position and size

27", 122x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
very difficult PN, with max. AP very faint, round 3' large disk, darker in the middle, brightest part 1,5 SW from 11,2mag GSC 4672006, similar fragment on the other side, faint star groups make the observation not sure, brighter on the red POSS plate
 

Abell 57

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 225x, [OIII], fst 6m8
round, can hold PN with averted vision, diffus, brighter to its middle, like a faint GC
sketch
 
Abell 58

DSS 5' x 5'

16", [OIII], fst 7m+ (21,50)
not visible

27", 172x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
difficult but sure positive identification, 1' NW from a faint 13mag parallelogram, compact but with 172x small disk, with 0,5' smaller than on the POSS, brighter on the red POSS plate
 

Abell 59

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 225x, [OIII], fst 6m7
very faint PN, disturbing 6m5 star 3' NE, can hold PN with averted vison for 2-3 seconds, best view with 225x, [OIII] and the star outside the field, I saw the PN as a round glow with little brighter central part?
 
Abell 60

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m0
medium sized Abell PN, round, only with [OIII], can hold PN with averted vision, PN is mottled, fore ground stars?
 
Abell 61

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 75x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
rich star field, best view with 75x (AP 5,3mm) and [OIII], easy to hold with averted vision, no sign without filter, circular with better defined W side
sketch

20", 62-155x, [OIII], fst 6m5
beautiful PN, not visible without filter, with [OIII] large, round planetary, can hold it with averted vision, perfectly circular, NW-edge a little brighter

27", 113x, [OIII], fst 7m0+
PN could be seen even without fiklter as a very faint glow; with [OIII] bright, exactly round with nebula inside the PN; NW a little bit brighter; good defined edges; with 586x and without filter CS can be seen
 

Abell 62

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 100x, [OIII], fst 7m3
best view with 4mm AP, faint glow around star group, 2:3 E-W elongated, S is brighter and better defined, faint but can hold it with averted vision
 
Abell 63

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 180x, [OIII], fst 7m+ (21,50)
typical Abell PN, with [OIII] small, round disk, faint star on the W border of the PN which is visible through the [OIII]
sketch
 
Abell 64

DSS 5' x 5'

10", without Filter, fst 7m1
faint, round mark, can hold it with averted vision, no reaction to filters

14", without Filter, fst 7m1
bright, no elongation, faint star near the middle

16", 225x, without Filter, fst 7m0
bright, 1:2 elongated, faint star near the middle, not visible with filter
 

Abell 65

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m2
brighter PN, oval shaped
sketch
 
Abell 66

DSS 10' x 10'

16", 51x, [OIII], fst 7m2
faint, only with max. AP and [OIII], large, round, structureless
sketch
 
Abell 67

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m2
only with [OIII], medium sized round disc, easy to hold with averted vision, structureless
 
Abell 68

DSS 5' x 5'

16", [OIII], fst 6m2
1° south of M 27, not visible

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m0
now successfully with better scaled star plot, with [OIII] small, faint, round, double star in the east
sketch
 

Abell 69

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 225x, [OIII], fst 7m2
extreme PN, very small, very faint, star chain in the east, hardly noticable, can hold PN with high power for seconds

27", 293x, [OIII], fst 7m0+
extremly difficult Abell; without filter near PN position 16mag star, can hold star with averted vision; with Astronomik [OIII] I could detect a very faint glow at the posion of the PN, could also be the star through the filter; Lumicon [OIII] shows less stars, but the glow stay at the detected post; exremly faint, could not hold the faint glow
 

Abell 70

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 360x, fst 7m0
with [OIII] faint ring structure, very faint without filter, elongated spot in the ring
sketch

20", fst 7m2
with [OIII] beautiful ring structure,  1:3 elongated galaxy easy to detect without filter

24", fst 7m0
galaxie easy to detect, elongated 1:3 - 1:4, easy ring structure with [OIII], no CS

27", 172x, fst 7m+
without filter PN looks bright, round with darker central region, can hold with direct vision, galaxy 1:3 elongated, fantastic object!
 

Abell 71

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 51x, [OIII], fst 6m8
confound by a faint star group 10' north, accurate star plot very important

20", 155x, [OIII], fst 6m5
now successfully, PN hard to detect even with 20", faint, round disc between many faint stars of the Milky Way
 

Abell 72

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 6m3
PN faint also without filter, 8 mag star in the west, with [OIII] large, round, structureless
sketch

27", 244x, [OIII], fst 7m0+
PN could be seen even without filter; with 293x the galaxy PGC 65491 S of the PN could be seen as a small glow; with [OIII] the PN could be detected with direct vision as a bright, round glow with better defined E and W edges; bright CS is visible even through filter
 

Abell 73

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m0
very faint PN, only with [OIII] and AP 3mm, can hold it with averted vision
 
Abell 74

DSS 30' x 30'

16", 51x, [OIII], fst 7m2
very faint and large PN, only with [OIII] and max. AP (7mm), round, 3 stars + faint galaxy PGC 66471 (15 bmag) are superimposed on the large disc (without filter)
sketch
 
Abell 75 - NGC 7076

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 330x, [OIII], fst 7m0
faint, small, oval shaped PN, only with [OIII], a little bit brighter at the NE, dark wedge from the west, 2 stars are superimposed
sketch

4", fst 6m5+
not visible
 

Abell 76

DSS 5' x 5'

No PN - Ringgalaxy PGC 85185

14", 200x, fst 7m+
small, exactly round, without any structure, no reaction with filter, very similar to a PN
 
Abell 77

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 6m8
faint, round disc around the CS without filter, with [OIII] faint, round disc without structure
 
Abell 78

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 225x, [OIII], fst 7m1
only with [OIII], large, round disc, somewhat mottled (Ring?), bright CS

16", 180x, [OIII], fst 6m+
brighter PN with [OIII], 1:2 E-W elongated, somewhat brighter at the N and NE, bright CS, no ring structure
sketch
 

Abell 79

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 225x, [OIII], fst 7m1
bright, also visible without filter, 1:2 elongated disc with [OIII], faint star at the south edge

4", 44x-88x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
not visible
 

Abell 80

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 51x, [OIII], fst 7m2
not visible

16", 100x, [OIII], fst 7m2
faint PN very hard to detect, only with AP 4mm and [OIII], medium sized, round disc, can not hold PN with averted vision
sketch

27", 172x, [OIII], fst 7m0+
nothing without filter; with [OIII] PN easy visible as a faint, round glow; sharply defined edges; could hold glow easy with averted vision; structureless
 

Abell 81 - IC 1454

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 51x-450x, [OIII], fst 6m5
bright, also visible without filter, round, circular disc, sharply defined, faint double star at the NE

16", 250x, [OIII], fst 6m8
PN with faint ring structure, thick ring

4", 55x, UHC, fst 6m5+
visible even without filter, with 55x small and round, UHC filter with hardly improvements, best view without filter
 

Abell 82

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 150x, [OIII], fst 7m0
small planetary with structure, best view with AP 2,7mm (150x) and [OIII], a little bit brighter at the NW, 4 stars are superimposed on the disc
sketch
 
Abell 83

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m0
only with [OIII], can hold PN with averted vision, trapezoid of stars at the east

16", 180x, [OIII], fst 7m+
typical PN, not visible without filter, with [OIII] faint, round light 1,5' SW of a trapezoid of 15mag stars, 1' diameter, can hold PN with averted vision
sketch
 

Abell 84

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 6m8
very faint without filter, better view with [OIII], dark lane dividing PN from the north to the south, eastern part a little bit brighter, 11mag star at the eastern edge
sketch
 
Abell 85

DSS 45' x 45'

No PN - Supernova Remnant CTB 1

16", 110x, [OIII], fst 7m+
no sign of SNR, difficult star field with star chains

27", 113x-172x, [OIII], fst 7m+
brightest [OIII] part east of the 9,5mag "starting star" GSC 42853095, extremly difficult and rich star field with many star chains, best view with 172x (AP 4mm), nebula can only detect indirectly as a step in brightness, the GSC forms a 5'x3' N-S oval, which is seperated in an brighter and less brighter part, brighter in the east, another similar step can be found 7,5' S from the GSC star, otherwise no other part could be detect
 

Abell 86

DSS 5' x 5'

16", 129x, [OIII], fst 7m2
very hard to detect, only with [OIII] and AP 3mm, can not hold PN with averted vision, visible only 20% of the time
sketch

20", 128x, [OIII], fst 6m5+
E of an faint 14mag star group, PN itself is very faint, round, can not hold it with averted vision

27", 172x, [OIII], fst 7m0+
difficult Abell even with 27" aperture; with [OIII] a very faint, round glow can be seen; can not hold glow steadily with averted vison; position is ok; pops in and out of view always for a few seconds
 

© DSS Bilder: Space Telescope Science Institute (California Institute of Technology, National Science Foundation, the National Geographic Society, the Sloan Foundation, the Samuel Oschin Foundation, Eastman Kodak Corporation)

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