M 78

Date: 07 March 2007 U.T.
Time: 2:34 - 2:54 U.T.
Telescope: 30cm Newtonian
Magnification: 90x
Seeing: Good
NELM: 6.5
Temperature: +43 F (+6 C)

M78 is a bright patch of nebulosity in Orion. Two bright stars and one fainter star were seen within the nebulosity. A fourth star was briefly suspected, but not recorded. The northwestern edge of the nebula was brightest and best defined. The rest of the nebula fanned out south-southeastward like a short, but very wide cometary tail.

Nearby, just northwest of M78 was a fainter, elongated patch of nebulosity, NGC 2067. Oddly enough, I noticed a dark lane between the two nebulous patches before I realized that there had to be a second patch of nebulosity to complete the appearance of a dark lane. This nebula came as a surprise to me. If I had seen it before I had forgotten about it.

A third patch of nebulosity, NGC 2071 was easily seen surrounding a bright star in the same field of view north-northeast of M78.

After looking up M78 in various books and atlases I noted a fourth patch of nebulosity, NGC 2064 southwest of M78. I failed to notice this patch at the telescope; but now that I know it's there I can look for it next time.