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Object of the Week - November 12th, 2023: Neckel-Staude 2
Apologies for posting a few days late, as I did not return home from a trip to French Alps until Sunday night.
Pictures or it didn't happen:
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Conditions weren't great and allowed for only two decent observing runs. But I did manage to squeeze in an observation for this week's OotW.
The celestial Queen packs a bunch of nebulae, and many are in reach of moderate amateur aperture. Recently, I completed guides for nebula, hidden in several historical catalogs, that reside within Cassiopeia's boundaries. While updating my guides for NGC281 - the "Pacman Nebula", I stumbled upon a nice little reflection nebula that can by all means be considered to be off the beaten path. Yet, it's not terribly faint.
It goes by Neckel-Staude 2 and it's flanked by the small, dark nebula Lynds 1299. Position is 00:44:58 +55:45:30. The nebulosity is split int(w)o a northeastern (A) and a southwestern (B) part, with dark lanes running through. Neckel & Staude added it to their 1984 paper "A survey of bipolar and cometary nebulae".
15' DSS POSS2 Blue
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Their catalog description:
The main components of this complex are two pairs of nebulous patches. The two western patches as well as the two eastern patches are separated by dark lanes. In both objects the northern patch is the brighter one, and a bright star is located at its vertex. According to the UBC data both stars are of spectral type B5 and are located at d ~ 1.7 kpc, assuming luminosity class V.
A Google search tells us that a different designation for this nebula is Markarian 13. That, however, is not a proper designation; it is merely the 13th entry in Tigran Magakian's Merged Catalogue of Reflection Nebulae. Dorschner-Gürtler 4 is another designation that is often used. That, too, is incorrect. The B1950 position for DG 4 is 00:30:54 +55:32:00 (00:33:41.4 +55:48:32.1 J2000.0). Typo by Dorschner & Gürtler..? That is likely, as their declination is an almost perfect match at only 2 minutes of arc too far north, but their R.A. is 1.6 degrees too far west. Therefor, as far as I can tell, DG 4 ought to be considered non-existent and the primary designation for the nebula should be Neckel-Staude 2.
Using a guide similar to the one below (click here to download), I centered the position in my 17mm. Nagler, just before midnight on 6 November. Combined with my 14" SCT that made the view 168x / 29' (237x / 21' using 12mm.).
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My observation notes:
17mm Nagler T4: The nebula is not very bright but is clearly visible. The northern nebula is most prominent, north of a faint star, approximately mag. 14 (4UCAC729-007154) a small, faint glow is visible without using AV. Comparable stars in the FoV do not show nebulosity. To the ESE is a mag. 11.5 star (TYC3659-02105-1), no nebulosity is visible surrounding that star.
SSW of the nebulosity surrounding the mag. 14 star is a mag. 13 star (4UCAC729-007153) with a mag. 12.5 star (4UCAC729-007145) to its WSW. NW of the mag. 12.5 star is a faint glow, other stars in the FoV do not show such a glow. Fainter but slightly larger than the nebulosity to the NE and just visible without AV.
12mm Nagler T4: Using this magnification the northern nebula, to the north of the mag. 14 star, is at the limit of visibility without AV, clearer with AV and clearer than it was with 17mm. The SW nebula, NW of the mag. 12.5 star, is faintly visible with AV but appears clearer compared to 17mm. The easternmost nebulosity is not visible.
The NW part of Neckel-Staude 2A and the NW part of 2B observed. The easternmost, southernmost and the small, east-west elongated central part of the nebula not observed.
Immediately after, astrobuddy David Daelman - my company for the trip - swung his 18" dob to the nebula, too. Compared to the view in my 14", the southwestern nebula appeared more prominent.
To find Neckel-Staude 2, just center Alpha Cassiopeia. Pull out the eyepiece that gives you a 1 degree true field of view and proceed exactly one field of view due southeast. That's it, the nebula is now in your field of view. Easy does it.
In the vicinity
Like double stars? Look 8' east-southeast for faint Stein 1426, or half a degree south for brighter Burnham 492.
As noted, NGC281 is close, too. Only a degree and a half to the northeast.
Well, you know what to do... Give it a go, and let us know!
