Emission nebula, NGC 281, located in Cassiopeia is an early to late fall object that you don’t want to miss.  It can be glimpsed through an 8 x 50 finder, however, an 8-inch with an O-III filter is required to see the unique shape.  When you see this nebula for the first time…you’ll know why it’s called the “Pacman Nebula.”  

Click on the Orion Telescope and Binoculars link below for the full article.  

http://www.telescope.com/October-Deep-Sky-Challenge-NGC-281-The-Pacman-Nebula/p/103501.uts

Pencil sketch using a No. 2 pencil and a blank 5 x 8 notecard

Image by Dr. James Dire using an Orion 190 mm Maksutov-Newtonian Telescope.

To read what others say about this most interesting object, click on the Las Vegas Astronomical Society link:

NOVEMBER 2011 OBSERVERS CHALLENGE – NGC-281