NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 1952 = M 1 = The Crab Nebula. This is the prototypical supernova remnant (from SN 1054), and is now a large, bright nebula. I have adopted the position of the pulsar near its center as the nebula's position as well. The pulsar, by the way, is the southern of the two stars of similar brightness near the nebula's center. There is evidence, however, that in this case at least, the star has a large proper motion -- it is no longer at the center of the nebulosity implied by the measured expansion of the knots and filaments, but is several arcsec to the northwest. This is taken as evidence for an asymmetric supernova explosion which gave the star a powerful kick and set it off at high velocity. In spite of all this, I'm sticking with the position of the pulsar as the center of the nebula for the time being. Perhaps I'll change my mind in a few thousand years when the star is well away from the center of the expanding gas cloud that Messier placed first in his famous list.

===== NGC 1952 48" (10/23/14): remarkable intricate filamentary structure at 488x using a DGM Optics OIII filter. I didn't try to take detailed notes, but the entire surface of M1, which filled over half the field, was resolved into an intertwined maze of thin, twisting filaments. This complex structure was more evident than the view I had a year ago at 287x. 48" (11/2/13): using 488x I immediately focused in on a close unequal mag double star (roughly mag 16/16.5) that was visible near the center but a bit offset from the geometric center towards the SE side of the nebula. The fainter southwest component (CM Tau) is the famous pulsar (rotating neutron star) at the heart of the Crab Nebula, which was discovered in 1968 and pulses 30 times/sec! Although this observation was exciting (first definite view of the pulsar), the real jaw-dropping sight was at 287x using a DGM Optics OIII filter, which lit up the interior filaments! The two bright filaments that meander E-W through the nebula (dipping just south of the pulsar) were very prominent with slightly fainter side filaments extending south and north. Scanning with averted vision, numerous additional very faint, thin radial filaments extending outward were evident throughout the nebula. In addition, the periphery had a ragged or curdled appearance, particularly along the northern edge. The eypiece view approached the iconic HST image of the Crab Nebula ! 18" (11/14/09): at 175x and OIII filter an obvious brighter filament is visible that begins just south of center and extends WNW towards the west end. This filament is brightest (or has a brighter knot) at its eastern end near the center. A fainter filament begins near the same point south of center and extends towards the NE. The two filaments, if joined as one, extend nearly from the west end of the Crab Nebula to the east. 18" (2/23/06): at 225x the shape was quite elongated and irregular and the interior had a turbulent appearance due to a very irregular surface brightness. The periphery has a tattered or ragged edge and changes shape somewhat with averted vision. With a UHC filter, there is a brighter knot (sometimes appears as an extended, elongated feature) near the SW edge. 17.5" (2/8/86): very bright, unusual potato shape with an irregular surface brightness, 6'x4', broad concentration towards center. Very irregular elongated shape with extensions or "arms" towards the NW and SE, ragged edges at periphery. A large dark indentation or "bay" intrudes on the NE side of the SE extension, so this end is thinner and less prominent. A few faint stars are superimposed. Using an OIII filter, the overall structure is muted but a bright inner streak is visible in the SW quadrant (oriented ~E-W) and this streak is not noticeable without the filter. 13.1" (1/18/85): large, bright, irregular potato shape, large indentation on following end. Easy in 16x80 finder. 8" (10/4/80): moderately bright, irregular shape, fairly large, indentation on the NW and SE ends. 15x50mm IS binoculars (2/23/06): easily visible as a faint, oval patch.