I took a look at the Hardcastle Nebula from the Arizona desert two nights ago. Thankfully, it rises high enough to not need to find gaps between Saguaro cactii along the horizon like I had to with some of the more southern objects.

In my 18" f/4.5 using an 18mm Baader Classic Ortho:

"Edge-on with extent a bit longer than the star pair due west of it (i.e. > 1'46"). 90% holding with averted vision. Wow if this was a visual discovery."
Clearly, it wasn't a visual discovery.

Clear Skies
Akarsh