What is the best viewed nebula(e) through a telescope?

Question

I have a 4.5in reflector telescope, and I wanted to know what Nebula I could best observe with it. I live in Pennsylvania, so you know what i am capable of seeing.

Answer 1

The Orion Nebula is a very easy nebula to observe. People say it's located in the belt of Orion but it's actually in his sword. This area of the sky isn't visible at the moment.

You will also be able to see the ring nebula (I recommend using a 2x barlow with a 25mm eyepeice). It is visible at this time of the year. First find Vega, the brightest star in the sky at the moment. You will see stars in the shape of a parallelogram to the lower right of the star (looking somewhat eastward). The ring nebula is right between the two stars on the right side of the parallelogram.


I recommend buying filters especially for nebulas if you plan on viewing them often, and if you don't have a barlow, buy one, they're completely worth it and will make your viewing experience hundreds of times better. Also, if you ever do astrophotogrphy, you'd be surprised the quality of images you can get from even a 4.5".

Answer 2

The closest Nebula to Us if im correct, and the brightest is the Orion Nebula, Located on the "sword" in the constolation of Orion. Its a nebula the stars form in, like our sun (though it didn't emerge from there.)

Answer 3

Depends on the telescope, the magnification, the brightness of the nebula or galaxy, sky clarity. Generally, though, color is not seen except with photography.

Answer 4

The Orion Nebula, possibly. It's the easiest to find anyway, since the constellation of Orion is easy to identify. I'm in PA, too...although my town sees alot of pollution from factories. I wish all of PA had views like Arizona or New Mexico!

Answer 5

Pennsylvania WOW umm you probaly wouldnt get any good views from there. But um keep looking you never know you look hard enough you could discover something bigger than a nebula

Answer 6

go to space.com