[AZ-Observing] Sharpless 2-1 in the head of Scorpius

Hello folks;
If you are looking for a challenge object, I can supply a beauty, Sharpless 2-1 
is an emission nebula in the head of Scorpius.

This observation is from last weekend, an excellent night at 5 mile meadow,  
about 7000 feet (2300 meters) altitude in the Rim country of central Arizona.

This observation is with my new scope, a 4" f/6 Orion RFT refractor.  I also 
used an OIII filter that I just purchased, a Riverside bargain.

Sharpless 2-1  22mm Panoptic--just barely detectable to the south of Pi Sco.
Extremely faint, large, elongated 1.8X1.  Averted vision helps the view, but 
this is a very low contrast object.  

Adding the UHC filter helps, the view of the nebula is much better and higher 
contrast.  The nebula is brightest to the south of Pi Sco, it is extremely 
faint around the stars 1,2 and 3 Sco, just a very faint mist around those stars.
Trying my new OIII filter shows the nebula with a little better contrast than 
the UHC, but not much.  

The best view is with either of the two filters installed and a cloth hood in 
place over my head.  This allows me to get very well dark adapted and 
concentrate on the view in the eyepiece.

Does anyone have a link to a photo of this faint, large nebula?

Take Care;
Steve Coe

Author "Deep Sky Observing--The Astronomical Tourist"
Saguaro Astronomy Club website
www.saguaroastro.org
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