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What kind of telescope would you need to see a nebula?
Could an amateur portable telescope do it? Do you need a camera run overnight to see a nebula?
Seen with color.
There are a lot of different answers here. Some seem to focus on what you need to see color in a nebula. Others are on how big or what kind of telescope, etc.
Let's sort it all out.
First of all, there are a number of nebulae that can be seen with binoculars. M8, M11, M17, M42, for starters, and the famous N. America nebula NGC 7000. In the summer months you can pick these off by "cruising the milky way" starting at the horizon (due south) and just moving up and around and taking it in.
Planetary nebulae like M27 and M57 are also visible. M27 I think is fairly easy to pick out. M57 is a little pin prick on a clear night but once you know what you're looking for, it's not hard.
One person suggests that you not use a refractor. Actually refractors are recommended for some nebulae. For example, an excellent five inch refractor will offer the best view of the California Nebula, where you want a large field of view and as much light as you can to see this dark nebula.
Other nebulae also require a large field of view, like the Veil Nebula. On the other hand, with a larger telescope the Veil nebula is so complex and fascinating that just looking at the parts is interesting. Certainly the most cost effective way to get started in Astronomy is with a small reflector (Newtonian) telescope, and it will offer good views of nebulae.
Although nebulae don't "show color" with the "Hubble palette" which was invented by NASA to show case objects to the public, they are among the most lovely things you can look at, whether with binoculars or a telescope (of any design). They are lovely even when they don't show color.
So the short answer is you can see all kinds of nebulae, and almost any telescope of four inches or 100mm in diameter on up is going to open this kind of viewing to you. The views get increasingly impressive with larger scopes and in some cases with precision optics.
Photographing nebulae is a great pastime because they are beautiful. But the length of the exposure is a function of the size of the telescope, the sensitivity of the camera (ccd vs DSLR camera, etc.), the focal length of the telescope, and other things. You can get a basic picture of a nebula like M27 in two or three minutes. If you want to snazz it up and make it look amazing you might work on it for many nights, and use different filters. You do need tracking for that kind of work.
Anyhow I regularly enjoy looking at many different nebulae in anything from my 10x40 binoculars to my own telescopes and even larger telescopes that belong to my friends. What we need to see color at the eyepiece is really a separate topic (for starters, some people can't see color at all, others have different sensitivities, and some optics add and their own color which is not native to the object).
Someone may try to sell you on binoculars as "the way to go" for getting to know the night sky. Because they are so heavy, I would not get anything larger than a 40mm. I think you'll be better off with a small telescope with a stand that keeps it stable. You can typically get started for around $200 new prices, but there are deals on Craig's list--if you know what to buy. I would look for an Orion XT on the used market. The small models sell for as little as $100 on Craigs list.
If you go to a local star party almost anyone with a telescope, of any kind, could show you half a dozen nebulae in very short order. And they can do so with any of the common designs of telescopes.
hope that helps,
GN
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Portable 8x21 Monocular Optical Lens Telescope Outdoor Birding Sport Viewfinder US $1.04
|
HI POWER PORTABLE TELESCOPE US $70.00
|
BUSHNELL VOYAGER PORTABLE TELESCOPE US $1.50
|
|
Mini 15x32 Focus Adjustable Portable Monocular Telescopes Compact Outdoor Sports US $8.55
|
Hi Power Portable Telescope US $82.57
|
Portable 15x32 Monocular Telescope For Hunting Camping US $9.52
|
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