Ever have one of those nights... where the object just isn't there and it should be!

NGC 7479 & NGC 7814

I was out observing two nights ago, and for some reason I just could not find these two. I know I was star hopping to the right place. I knew these were not really challenge objects like the Cocoon Nebula was earlier that night. I knew the conditions were good (for summer in Alabama). I had a gorgeous view of the Rosette earlier.

But for the life of me, just couldn't find these two stinkers. In my defense it was getting late.... I know that is no defense :rolleyes: :D

I bagged 11 of my 14 Caldwells for the night, only other was the Cocoon nebula which I knew was going to be hard. But there is always next time.

Hi Preston, I looked for EGB6 a planetary nebula in Leo, for 4 years, before I got a glimpse of it. I knew I was in the right spot because of the starfield confirmed in sky safari,but it took a night of exceptional seeing to finally see it and even then it was really dim with a filter, but nevertheless I never gave up hope of seeing it! Here is my sketch:Attachment 5201

I had a similar experience in the same part of the sky with NGC 7448 and 7454 last year. They should have been fairly easy in my 13.1 inch scope, but it took forever to verify them because of intermittent fog and condensation on my eyepiece. The place where I observe is near wetlands and prone to fog in the late summer and early autumn, so observing galaxies in Pegasus, etc can be a challenge, as fog is yet another pesky form of water vapor akin to clouds that inhibits the joy of the visual astronomer. I went back a few weeks later and looked again and they were much easier, as conditions were drier/clearer.

This happened to me with M 71 in Sagitta. For years I searched for it with my 6" Newt on an equatorial mount from a dark enough location. I was 100% sure that I was in the right place but the cluster just wasn't there. Finally I realized that I went WEST from 9 Sagittae instead of EAST. Once I realized that, the cluster was easily found!