I observed Aquila over many nights in the summer of 2014. These blogs mostly concern deep sky objects in that constellation, as observed with a 12" reflector. Following on the heels of oc 6775 (see Part 2), the next night of observing saw me go after five planetary nebulae in a row! Here they are, the good and the bad, from July 31st:
pn 6790: 10"; V. 10.5 mag.; Cent. * 11.1: Essentially a bright star that becomes somewhat brighter at high power with the Skyglow filter on, as seen at 187x and 200x. The nebula very closely follows a very faint star.
pn 6807: 8"; V. 12 mag.; Cent. * 16.3: Though virtually impossible to confirm visually, the object was stellar. At 250x with the filter a tiny bluish haze surrounded the target area. It was like a tiny, unfocused spot.
pn 6781: 114"; V. 11.4 mag.; Cent. * 16.7: There is no mistaking this very, very large nebula at 60x. It brightened a lot at 60x with the Skyglow filter. I enjoyed great views at 150x, 187x and 200x, with and without the filter. It was round, of even brightness, and there were several faint stars in the field. Recommended for its size.
pn 6804: 66"; V. 12 mag.; Cent. * 14.3: Another minor showpiece, this one is fainter than 6781 and about half its size. Good views were had at 60x and 120x with filter. 187x and no filter shows a brighter star (mag 13?) on one edge of the nebula, as well as the central star. Averted vision shows the star best. It is easier to see at 250x, where four stars can be seen as well. Ragged sides are also evident, and a brighter middle area. Recommended paired with 6781.
pn 6803: 10"; V. 11.4 mag.; Cent * 16.7: Two stars are apparent in the exact area. However, one gets brighter with the filter on, and slightly expands. Bright.
Three small clusters finished off that evening in Aquila, as follows:
oc Do 35: 7'; 10 *s: 125x is high enough for me to block out star 31 from the field, In this range, about 20 stars were counted. A faint, very close double star was noted just south of the 9.5 mag. star at the cluster's center.
oc Be 43: 5'; 35 *s; Br. * 15 mag: This was difficult to locate in tonight's sky. I saw about 6 very faint stars at 187x and 200x. No doubt this would improve in a darker, drier sky.
oc King 25: 5'; 40 *s: Several tiny, faint stars were seen near a much brighter white star.
The following section of Aquila objects was observed on August 15th. They consist of 7 open clusters:
oc Be 45: 2'; 20 *s; Br. * 15 mag: Located at 60x (!), it was viewed up to 250x. The cluster is mostly haze between and surrounding two faint stars (mag. 10.5?).
There is a close double star just south. The cluster lies amidst a rich star field. Some resolution was obtained at 200x and 250x with averted vision, though only a very few stars were seen.
There is a close double star just south. The cluster lies amidst a rich star field. Some resolution was obtained at 200x and 250x with averted vision, though only a very few stars were seen.
oc King 26: 2'; 15 *s: It was spotted at 60x as a haze surrounding a mag. 12 (?) star. At 100x a small line of faint stars resolves, following the brighter star. Up to 250x resolves a dozen stars, mag. 14 and fainter.
oc 6837: 3'; V 12 mag.; 20 *s: The first of four new (to me) NGC clusters in Aquila. Needless to say, I was excited to see them! Located at 60x and resolved at 150x, 18 stars were counted at 200x, including a dense, faint section north of a mini Orion's Belt!
oc 6840: 4'; 20 *s; Br. * 10 mag: Faint but impressive at 60x, it reminded me of a mini M 50 at 100x! It is mostly resolved at this range, with many of the stars being of a similar magnitude. 187x shows 20 stars in the main group, with another 15 preceding it. The cluster is oval. it makes a double cluster with 6843!
oc 6843: 4'; 20 *s; Br. * 10 mag: A double cluster with 6840 when viewed up to 125x, where all members are resolved. The stars are fainter than 6840, and more scattered. 25 stars were counted at 187x, including a south extension.
oc 6858: 10'; 12 *s; Br. * 10 mag: Located at 60x, preceding a pale orange star. 100x shows the cluster well. It consists of curving, arcing lines of stars, all faint, with 125x resolving several very faint ones, too. 187x shows 30 stars in the crescent shaped object.
My next to final night observing in Aquila (August 20th) saw me locate one more pn and several galaxies. The planetary nebula was a new one for me, and quite lovely.
pn 6852 (28"; V. 12.6 mag.; Cent * 17.9: is an interesting object, with good views at 187x with a filter and averted vision. It is elongated, or possibly rectangular. A very faint star is north preceding. Though best with a filter, it was later seen at 100x without it. 200x shows the faint star north as a double, and a 3rd star is at the south end of the nebula.
All of the galaxies viewed tonight in Aquila were new to me. I may have even discovered a new open cluster near one of them. I cannot find any info on it anywhere.
eg 6901: 1'.4 x 0'.5: V 13.7; SB 13.1: Located at 125x, made difficult by numerous bright stars near it. It is not large, but it is elongated. It appears faint, and is not an easy object to find.
eg 6906: 1'.7 x 0'.8: V. 12.3; SB 12.5: Lying just 2' following 6901, it was spotted easily at 100x. It was large, bright and elongated, giving good views up to 187x.
eg 6915: 1'.4 x 1': V. 12.2; SB 12.4: Located easily at 100x, it was bright and oval. Even at 200x it was big and bright, with a bright middle. It is nestled in a busy star field.
eg 6922: 1'.3 x 1': V. 13.5; SB 13.7: Observed at 150x, 187x and 200x, it was extremely faint and round. Of interest is an unidentified open cluster or asterism just south of the galaxy. For now I am calling it Mapman Mike oc 1. The cluster consists of about a dozen stars, all below mag. 9.7 (none shown on Uranometria). I am in the process of trying to get this group identified or named. Stay tuned to this blog for further updates.
eg 6926: 1'.3 x 1': V. 12.4; SB 13.3: A double with nearby 6929, 26 was observed at 100x, where it was seen to be quite large and very oval. Both galaxies were seen together at 150x.
eg 6929: 0'.9 x 0'.7: V. 13.4; SB 12.8: This one is much more elusive, being very small and round. It is faint, and involved with a tiny, faint cluster or asterism, just following 6926. Both can be glimpsed at 150x in the same field.
eg 6941: 2' x 1'.4: V. 12.8; SB 13.8: My final object in Aquila, this galaxy was located at 125x. It was very faint and small. However, 187x and averted vision gives glimpses of a much larger, elongated object. It was too faint for 200x. Located south following a bright star field.
On the night of August 26th I completed observations of Aquila with 3 new objects.
eg 6900: 0'.8 x 0'.6: V. 13.5; SB 12.6: Spotted at 125x and also viewed up to 200x, it was seen but at the high power only, and with averted vision, where it began to appear oval. It was round and small at lower power, and very faint overall.
eg I. 1317: 0'.6 x 0'.5: V. 13.8; SB 12.5: Located at 100x, it was bright, fairly large, and much easier to see than 6900. Up to 200x gave good views of the round galaxy.
eg 6865: 0'.8 x 0'.6: V. 15; SB 14: Since it was at -9 degrees I had little hope of finding this object, as it becomes involved with light pollution from a nearby city. However, it was located at 125x, very tiny, faint and round. It was best seen at 200x using averted vision, where it was similar to 6900, though considerably fainter. This is one of the faintest objects I have yet located!
Mapman Mike
My next to final night observing in Aquila (August 20th) saw me locate one more pn and several galaxies. The planetary nebula was a new one for me, and quite lovely.
pn 6852 (28"; V. 12.6 mag.; Cent * 17.9: is an interesting object, with good views at 187x with a filter and averted vision. It is elongated, or possibly rectangular. A very faint star is north preceding. Though best with a filter, it was later seen at 100x without it. 200x shows the faint star north as a double, and a 3rd star is at the south end of the nebula.
All of the galaxies viewed tonight in Aquila were new to me. I may have even discovered a new open cluster near one of them. I cannot find any info on it anywhere.
eg 6901: 1'.4 x 0'.5: V 13.7; SB 13.1: Located at 125x, made difficult by numerous bright stars near it. It is not large, but it is elongated. It appears faint, and is not an easy object to find.
eg 6906: 1'.7 x 0'.8: V. 12.3; SB 12.5: Lying just 2' following 6901, it was spotted easily at 100x. It was large, bright and elongated, giving good views up to 187x.
eg 6915: 1'.4 x 1': V. 12.2; SB 12.4: Located easily at 100x, it was bright and oval. Even at 200x it was big and bright, with a bright middle. It is nestled in a busy star field.
eg 6922: 1'.3 x 1': V. 13.5; SB 13.7: Observed at 150x, 187x and 200x, it was extremely faint and round. Of interest is an unidentified open cluster or asterism just south of the galaxy. For now I am calling it Mapman Mike oc 1. The cluster consists of about a dozen stars, all below mag. 9.7 (none shown on Uranometria). I am in the process of trying to get this group identified or named. Stay tuned to this blog for further updates.
eg 6926: 1'.3 x 1': V. 12.4; SB 13.3: A double with nearby 6929, 26 was observed at 100x, where it was seen to be quite large and very oval. Both galaxies were seen together at 150x.
eg 6929: 0'.9 x 0'.7: V. 13.4; SB 12.8: This one is much more elusive, being very small and round. It is faint, and involved with a tiny, faint cluster or asterism, just following 6926. Both can be glimpsed at 150x in the same field.
eg 6941: 2' x 1'.4: V. 12.8; SB 13.8: My final object in Aquila, this galaxy was located at 125x. It was very faint and small. However, 187x and averted vision gives glimpses of a much larger, elongated object. It was too faint for 200x. Located south following a bright star field.
On the night of August 26th I completed observations of Aquila with 3 new objects.
eg 6900: 0'.8 x 0'.6: V. 13.5; SB 12.6: Spotted at 125x and also viewed up to 200x, it was seen but at the high power only, and with averted vision, where it began to appear oval. It was round and small at lower power, and very faint overall.
eg I. 1317: 0'.6 x 0'.5: V. 13.8; SB 12.5: Located at 100x, it was bright, fairly large, and much easier to see than 6900. Up to 200x gave good views of the round galaxy.
eg 6865: 0'.8 x 0'.6: V. 15; SB 14: Since it was at -9 degrees I had little hope of finding this object, as it becomes involved with light pollution from a nearby city. However, it was located at 125x, very tiny, faint and round. It was best seen at 200x using averted vision, where it was similar to 6900, though considerably fainter. This is one of the faintest objects I have yet located!
Mapman Mike
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