When to photograph NGC 6914
NGC 6914 is a reflection nebula in Cygnus, 3′ across.
When to photograph it
From 45° N the best months are August to October, with up to 6.7 hours of astronomical darkness above 30° in September. It reaches 87° at its highest.
From 35° S it never climbs above 30°. It peaks at 13° when it crosses the meridian, low enough that haze and light pollution soften it. It is possible with a clear northern horizon, but hard.
Framing
At 3′ it is small. Even 4000 mm of focal length leaves it filling less than a third of an APS-C frame, so it suits long focal lengths, small pixels and good seeing.
Filters and the moon
Reflection and dark nebulae are broadband targets. They need dark, moon-free nights and plenty of integration time. The dark sky calendar shows which nights this month are moon-free where you are.
Plan it for tonight
Dates and times depend on your exact location. The imaging planner shows NGC 6914's altitude through tonight, its transit time and its distance from the moon. For sub length, use the exposure calculator.
Nearby targets
- IC 1318 Sadr region 2.3° away
- M 29 4.0° away
- NGC 6888 Crescent Nebula 4.8° away
- IC 5070 Pelican Nebula 5.1° away
- NGC 7000 North America Nebula 6.6° away
- NGC 6826 Blinking Planetary 10.6° away
Gear that suits NGC 6914
NGC 6914 is only 3.0′ across, so it stays small in any amateur telescope. The longest focal length gives it the most pixels.
- Celestron C8 OTA 2032 mm f/10: fills 11% of an APS-C frame's short side View at High Point Scientific
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