This was a very successful session! There were a total of 67 NEW NGC/IC objects observed!! Though many were faint galaxies in Leo and Bootes, several were pretty impressive in the 12". I also observed 5 UGC galaxies, along with 6 previously viewed NGC objects, all galaxies except for one planetary nebula. If that sounds like a lot of objects, and that I might have been rushing, consider that I observed over 8 beautifully clear nights, and logged nearly 31 hours of observing time at the eyepiece! That's just a little more than 2 objects per hour. Though I did not sketch every object, I did do many sketches, especially when multiple galaxies were observed in one view.
In an earlier post I talked in detail about my observations in Abell 1367, a highlight to date of my work in Leo. Rather than talk about each and every galaxy observed last month (too many!), I will only mention the highlights.
LEO
eg 3862: 1'.6 x 1'.6: V. 12.7; sb 13.7: In Abell 1367. Large, with a bright middle. Easily noticed at 100x, with good views up to 200x, where I. 2955 was also spotted, almost adjacent.
eg 3886: 1'.2 x 0'.9: V. 13.2; sb 13.4: Easy to spot at 100x, and still bright up to 200x. Just north preceding 2 faint stars, it was easy to observe with direct vision. Somewhat oval with averted vision. Within Abell 1367.
eg 3910: 1'.6 x 1'.2: V. 13.1; sb 13.9: Another easy object to spot at 100x, it also had a very faint star near it. Up to 200x was used to see the oval shape. Bright, with a bright center. Easy to find between two brighter stars.
UGC 6697: 1'.5 x 0'.3: V.13.6; sb 19.6: Not far preceding eg 3842. Oval, and easily located. A rich section of Abell 1367.
UGC 6719: 1'.1 x 0'.7: V. 13.6; sb 13.2: Located easily at 100x; bright and oval at 125x. Within Abell 1367.
UGC 6725: 1'.2 x 0'.7: V. 12.9; sb 12.6: Oval and not so bright. Confirmed as a galaxy at 125x, it was best seen with averted vision within a dim but busy star field. Oval with a bright center. Within Abell 1367.
UGC 6770: 2'.8 x 0'.8: V. 12.9; sb 13.6: Located at 100s, south of Abell 1367, and viewed well up to 200x. Very oval, bright and large. Lies between two 11 mag. stars.
BOOTES
This constellation offers the owner of a 12" telescope many fine galaxies that are relatively bright. The constellation is high enough for northern viewers, and seems to last well into early July.
eg 5517: 1' x 0'.8: V. 13.9; sb 13.5: Located at 100x, with a close mag. 8 star. Seen well at 125x, and still quite good at 150x. Round, or perhaps flaring slightly oval with averted vision. Not difficult in superior skies.
eg 5553: 1'.3 x 0'.3: V. 14; sb 12.8: Noticed at 100x and 125x, it was a classic cigar-shaped galaxy. Relatively bright, just following a triangle of stars. Several IC galaxies nearby.
NGC 5589: 1'.1 x 1'.1: V. 13.2; sb 13.4: These two galaxies have three other close NGC
NGC 5590: 1'.8 x 1'.8: V. 12.3; sb 13.5) companions, so it is worth getting familiar with the area. 90 spotted at 60x, easily located near a bright star. Large and round, with good views up to 100x, where it is now a double galaxy with 89. At 200x it had a very bright middle. With both objects similarly shaped, they make a good comparison for size and brightness.
eg 5623: 1'.6 x 1'.1: V. 12.5; sb 12.8: Seen well at 60x, and all the way up to 200x. A fine galaxy, elliptical and easy to find. Very bright middle with haze extending all around.
eg 5629: 1'.8 x 1'.8: Along with I. 1017, a fine pair of galaxies. The main one was bright and easy at 100x, but looked like a pair at 125x. Both seen easily at 200x. The main galaxy is round, and the tiny one is oval (I.1017: 1' x 0'.5: V 13.7; sb 12.8).
eg 5635: 2'.3 x 1'.1: V. 12.9; sb 13.8: Spotted easily at 60x, even with a rising moon. Large and oval, remaining bright up to 200x. Bright center.
eg 5639: 1'.4 x 0'.9: V 13.7; sb 13.8: Very elliptical with a bright middle.Best with averted vision at 187x. Just N of a dim star.
eg 5672: 0'.8 x 0'.5: V. 13.4; sb 12.3: Located north following a mag. 9 star, which is actually a close, fairly even double, coloured yellow and pale blue. The double points to the galaxy, which was spotted at 100x and gave good views up to 200x. Slightly oval.
eg 5677: 0'.9 x 0'.7: V. 13.9; sb 13.2: Easily spotted at 100x, and quite good at 125x. Oval at 187x.
eg 5706: 0'.4 x 0'.3: V. 14.8; sb 12.3: Both galaxies seen at 125x, though 09 was spotted at 60x.
eg 5709: 1'.6 x 0'.4: V. 13.6; sb 12.3) 09 was remarkably elongated, whereas tiny 06 was oval. Both seen best with averted vision at 187x.
eg 5737: 1'.3 x 0'.8: V. 13.7; sb 13.6: Spotted at 60x, and an elongated shape noted at 100x. Faint at 125x, but not small. 187x with averted vision gives a fair view, large but not bright.
eg 5760: 1'.5 x 0'.7: V. 13.3; sb 13.2: Located at 60x, faint but oval. 100x shows it well, and 187x gives it a bright middle. Very elongated now using averted vision. It is pretty large and somewhat bright.
eg 5798: 1'.4 x 0'.9: V. 13; sb 13.3: Brighter than 5827, which should be brighter. Anyway, it is oval and located at 100x. It is bright and easy to view. Faint star adjacent. Best at 187x, where it had a stellar core.
eg 5857: 1'.2 x 0'.6: V. 13; sb 12.5: 59 is bigger, but either galaxy alone would make a fine sight.
eg 5859: 3' x 0'.8: V. 12.5; sb 13.3) Seen together at 150x they are quite splendid! Both seen at 60x. Fun to compare size difference and brightness. Shape is similar, and with almost the same position angles.
HERCULES
I am doing some work in Abell 2197 and 2199.
eg 6146: 1'.3 x 1': V. 12.5; sb 12.8: Easy to view at 100x, preceding a faint star. Oval, and bright even at 200x. Many bright stars are in the field, as well as eg 6145 (not difficult) and eg 6147 (extremely difficult).
AQUILA
One of three summer constellations I am reviewing with the 12", having done them with the 8" in previous years.
pn 6751: 26": V. 11.9: Located at 100x between two faint stars, and viewed well up to 300x. It has a very bright middle, likely the central star, with occasional hint of a dark center. Small, but very bright.
Other objects seen this past month but not reported above are listed below. If you want any further details on them, just send me a message. Some were easy, some were very difficult. Unless the sky has great transparency, I don't even try for the hard ones.
3602, 3834, 3840, 3844, 3845, 3851, 3857, 3859, 3864, 3867, 3868, 3883, 5249, 5293, 5332, 5512, 5532, 5559, 5567, 5568, 5579, 5594, 5609, 5611, 5613, 5642, 5657, 5659, 5685, 5735, 5748, 5771, 5773, 5778, 5780, 5827, 5829, 5842, 6145, 6147, I. 984, I. 2955, I. 4447.
Mapman Mike
UGC 6697: 1'.5 x 0'.3: V.13.6; sb 19.6: Not far preceding eg 3842. Oval, and easily located. A rich section of Abell 1367.
UGC 6719: 1'.1 x 0'.7: V. 13.6; sb 13.2: Located easily at 100x; bright and oval at 125x. Within Abell 1367.
UGC 6725: 1'.2 x 0'.7: V. 12.9; sb 12.6: Oval and not so bright. Confirmed as a galaxy at 125x, it was best seen with averted vision within a dim but busy star field. Oval with a bright center. Within Abell 1367.
UGC 6770: 2'.8 x 0'.8: V. 12.9; sb 13.6: Located at 100s, south of Abell 1367, and viewed well up to 200x. Very oval, bright and large. Lies between two 11 mag. stars.
BOOTES
This constellation offers the owner of a 12" telescope many fine galaxies that are relatively bright. The constellation is high enough for northern viewers, and seems to last well into early July.
eg 5517: 1' x 0'.8: V. 13.9; sb 13.5: Located at 100x, with a close mag. 8 star. Seen well at 125x, and still quite good at 150x. Round, or perhaps flaring slightly oval with averted vision. Not difficult in superior skies.
eg 5553: 1'.3 x 0'.3: V. 14; sb 12.8: Noticed at 100x and 125x, it was a classic cigar-shaped galaxy. Relatively bright, just following a triangle of stars. Several IC galaxies nearby.
NGC 5589: 1'.1 x 1'.1: V. 13.2; sb 13.4: These two galaxies have three other close NGC
NGC 5590: 1'.8 x 1'.8: V. 12.3; sb 13.5) companions, so it is worth getting familiar with the area. 90 spotted at 60x, easily located near a bright star. Large and round, with good views up to 100x, where it is now a double galaxy with 89. At 200x it had a very bright middle. With both objects similarly shaped, they make a good comparison for size and brightness.
eg 5623: 1'.6 x 1'.1: V. 12.5; sb 12.8: Seen well at 60x, and all the way up to 200x. A fine galaxy, elliptical and easy to find. Very bright middle with haze extending all around.
eg 5629: 1'.8 x 1'.8: Along with I. 1017, a fine pair of galaxies. The main one was bright and easy at 100x, but looked like a pair at 125x. Both seen easily at 200x. The main galaxy is round, and the tiny one is oval (I.1017: 1' x 0'.5: V 13.7; sb 12.8).
eg 5635: 2'.3 x 1'.1: V. 12.9; sb 13.8: Spotted easily at 60x, even with a rising moon. Large and oval, remaining bright up to 200x. Bright center.
eg 5639: 1'.4 x 0'.9: V 13.7; sb 13.8: Very elliptical with a bright middle.Best with averted vision at 187x. Just N of a dim star.
eg 5672: 0'.8 x 0'.5: V. 13.4; sb 12.3: Located north following a mag. 9 star, which is actually a close, fairly even double, coloured yellow and pale blue. The double points to the galaxy, which was spotted at 100x and gave good views up to 200x. Slightly oval.
eg 5677: 0'.9 x 0'.7: V. 13.9; sb 13.2: Easily spotted at 100x, and quite good at 125x. Oval at 187x.
eg 5706: 0'.4 x 0'.3: V. 14.8; sb 12.3: Both galaxies seen at 125x, though 09 was spotted at 60x.
eg 5709: 1'.6 x 0'.4: V. 13.6; sb 12.3) 09 was remarkably elongated, whereas tiny 06 was oval. Both seen best with averted vision at 187x.
eg 5737: 1'.3 x 0'.8: V. 13.7; sb 13.6: Spotted at 60x, and an elongated shape noted at 100x. Faint at 125x, but not small. 187x with averted vision gives a fair view, large but not bright.
eg 5760: 1'.5 x 0'.7: V. 13.3; sb 13.2: Located at 60x, faint but oval. 100x shows it well, and 187x gives it a bright middle. Very elongated now using averted vision. It is pretty large and somewhat bright.
eg 5798: 1'.4 x 0'.9: V. 13; sb 13.3: Brighter than 5827, which should be brighter. Anyway, it is oval and located at 100x. It is bright and easy to view. Faint star adjacent. Best at 187x, where it had a stellar core.
eg 5857: 1'.2 x 0'.6: V. 13; sb 12.5: 59 is bigger, but either galaxy alone would make a fine sight.
eg 5859: 3' x 0'.8: V. 12.5; sb 13.3) Seen together at 150x they are quite splendid! Both seen at 60x. Fun to compare size difference and brightness. Shape is similar, and with almost the same position angles.
HERCULES
I am doing some work in Abell 2197 and 2199.
eg 6146: 1'.3 x 1': V. 12.5; sb 12.8: Easy to view at 100x, preceding a faint star. Oval, and bright even at 200x. Many bright stars are in the field, as well as eg 6145 (not difficult) and eg 6147 (extremely difficult).
AQUILA
One of three summer constellations I am reviewing with the 12", having done them with the 8" in previous years.
pn 6751: 26": V. 11.9: Located at 100x between two faint stars, and viewed well up to 300x. It has a very bright middle, likely the central star, with occasional hint of a dark center. Small, but very bright.
Other objects seen this past month but not reported above are listed below. If you want any further details on them, just send me a message. Some were easy, some were very difficult. Unless the sky has great transparency, I don't even try for the hard ones.
3602, 3834, 3840, 3844, 3845, 3851, 3857, 3859, 3864, 3867, 3868, 3883, 5249, 5293, 5332, 5512, 5532, 5559, 5567, 5568, 5579, 5594, 5609, 5611, 5613, 5642, 5657, 5659, 5685, 5735, 5748, 5771, 5773, 5778, 5780, 5827, 5829, 5842, 6145, 6147, I. 984, I. 2955, I. 4447.
Mapman Mike
