I began my intense study of this fabulous constellation with my 12" scope in late August of 2014, nearly completing it before the eternal clouds of November and December descended upon us. I was able to complete it using part of one additional night in July of 2015. Cepheus is one of those constellations that is filled with wonderful deep sky treasures, but contains no Messier objects. I had been through the constellation years ago with my Edmund 8". Using Uranometria 2000 this time around enabled me to add several NGC objects not listed on my earlier maps, as well as a lot of objects from other catalogues.
Cepheus has 33 NGC objects, and 10 of them were new to me. I also observed 6 objects from the IC list, and 24 from other catalogues. Of course I also re-observed all objects seen with the 8". It's fun comparing notes from earlier days when I used the smaller scope. This entry will focus on the NGC list, as observed through the 12" scope.
NGC OBJECTS
pn 40: 74"; Vis. mag. 12.3; Cent. * 11.5: The nebula is pretty large and very bright at 60x. With the Skyglow filter the actual nebulosity is easier to see. Without it, the bright central star takes away some of it. Up to 300x was used, with and without the filter. Even at this range it is still a very bright object and has become very large. At 300x without the filter a very, very faint star was noted between the nebula and the more commonly observed faint star to the south.
oc 188: 15'; Mag. 8.1; Br. * mag. 10; 550 *s: This is one of the gems of the constellation, at least in a 12" scope. Perhaps the estimated star count from Uranometria is a bit on the high side, however. Located at 60x, I first saw a large, faint hazy patch in behind several bright stars. Up to 200x resolves well over 100 stars, with some haze still in behind. It is fun to gaze here using averted vision, watching stars pop into view. Also viewed in Deb's 6", some resolution was apparent at 125x. Don't miss.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/dss_ngc.asp
eg 1184: 2'.8 x 0'.6: Vis. 12.6; SB 12.9: Quite a wonderful galaxy in a 12" scope! Located at 60x, this edge-on beauty was quite large and moderately bright at 100x. 150x shows a stellar core. It is still pretty bright at 200x and 250x. It is visible at 8" of aperture. Recommended.
eg 1544: 1'.3 x 0'.9: Vis. 13.3; SB 13.3: Located at 100x, good views were also had at 125x and 150x. It was noticeably oval. A threshold star is involved, along with another one just north.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/dss_ngc.asp
eg 2276: 2'.3 x 1'.9: Vis. 11.4; SB 12.9: Both galaxies were spotted at 60x, already looking large
eg 2300: 2'8 x 2': Vis. 11; SB 12.7: and splendid! 2300 is way brighter than 2276, much more than the numbers would indicate. I enjoyed my best view of both together at 187x, with 2276 appearing very large, and 2300 slightly smaller and more concentrated. The pair make for a great comparison, with 2276 held back somewhat by its proximity to a bright star.
NGC 2276, 2300
http://cseligman.com/text/atlas/ngc00.htm
oc 6939: 10'; Vis. 7.8; Br. * 11.9; 300 *s: Rediscovered during the summer of 2013 during studies of Cygnus, this has become a favourite object of mine in the 12". I wrote my first newsletter article for our local astronomy club about this cluster, and a nearby showpiece galaxy. Again, the official star count seems a bit on the high side, but this is a stunning cluster! Though nicely resolved at 60x, each increase (up to 250x) takes the viewer into the very dense core, which itself is like a globular cluster, albeit a well-resolved one. Though excellent viewing is had at all magnifications, it is truly heavenly at 125x! Several of the stars do resolve in Deb's 6" scope, too.
A beautiful shot of oc 6939 and eg 6939.
http://darkhorseobservatory.org/index.php
eg 6951
eg 6949: 1'.4 x 1'.2: V. 13.6; SB 14: Spotted at 150x, it was very faint, quite large, and round. 187x and 200x also gave decent views with averted vision.
eg 6951: 3'.9 x 3'.2: Vis. 10.7; SB 13.2: Seen from northern Ontario back in the day with my 8". This time I saw it at 60x, and it was already big and bright, right near a faint star. Good views were had at 100x and 150x. At 187x and 200x, the galaxy was oval, with a stellar core. It was still bright. Recommended.
http://cseligman.com/text/atlas/ngc00.htm
gn 7023: 10' x 18'; Reflection: Not a lot to see here, though oc Cr. 427 is involved (see entry on objects from other catalogues). The nebula surrounds a 7.5 mag. star, seeming stronger south preceding it. Filters do not help.
oc 7055: 10 *s; cluster?: Located at 60x, it was very faint, showing some resolution and some background haze. It is a small object (3' to 4'?). I resolved 10 faint stars at 187x and 200x. Seems like a cluster to me, but a very minor one.
pn 7076: 56"; V. 13.5; Cent. * mag. 18: Noted at 43x with an O3 filter, it resembled a faint, round galaxy. Though eventually seen at all magnifications, for the longest time I could not find it with other eyepieces. It was finally pinpointed, large and very faint, best seen with averted vision. A fun challenge!
oc 7129: 8'; Vis. 11.5: Though a relatively poor cluster, it is a conspicuous one, as is the nebula.
gn 7129: 7' x 7': Reflection: While the object is attractive at all powers, the nebula comes out really well at 187x. Worth a visit. oc 7142 is in the same low power field.
pn 7139: 77"; Vis. 13.3; Cent. * mag. 18.7: First spotted at 60x and then 120x, using the Sky Glow filter. It was large, round, very faint and ghostly. Without the filter it was seen well at 100x, 150x, 187x and 200x. A very faint star (mag. 14?) is immediately south following. A busy but faint star field is also further south following. I actually managed to see this with the 8" years ago!
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/dss_ngc.asp
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/dss_ngc.asp
oc 7129: 8'; Vis. 11.5: Though a relatively poor cluster, it is a conspicuous one, as is the nebula.
gn 7129: 7' x 7': Reflection: While the object is attractive at all powers, the nebula comes out really well at 187x. Worth a visit. oc 7142 is in the same low power field.
oc/gn 7129, bottom right; oc 7142 top left
pn 7139: 77"; Vis. 13.3; Cent. * mag. 18.7: First spotted at 60x and then 120x, using the Sky Glow filter. It was large, round, very faint and ghostly. Without the filter it was seen well at 100x, 150x, 187x and 200x. A very faint star (mag. 14?) is immediately south following. A busy but faint star field is also further south following. I actually managed to see this with the 8" years ago!
oc 7142: 12'; Vis. 9.3; Br. * mag. 11; 186 *s: At 60x a rich sprinkling of faint stars lies behind 3 bright foreground stars, part of something I have dubbed "Mapman's Cascade" (with apologies to Kemble). This is a chain of about 15 stars, mostly following the cluster, though a pair precedes it. oc/gn 7129 is in the same low power field, and an unnamed "cluster X" also, just south preceding 7142. The main cluster appears large and very rich. At 100x many stars resolve. 200x resolves over 100 faint stars, with the main group preceding 2 of the 3 brighter stars, the south one of these being a double star. Another star group lies between the 2 stars. We also viewed 7142 in the 6", with good resolution at 125x. Using the 2" eyepiece with the 12" (43x) shows a large, round haze with resolution just beginning to occur. This is a very fine object!
oc 7160: 5'; Vis 6.1; Br. * mag. 7; 61 *s: Noted at 60x, it was an elongated group of 6 bright stars, with a few fainter ones sprinkled in. There was better resolution of faint stars at 100x. About 25 stars were counted at 125x and 150x. The official star count is way too high.
oc 7226: 2'; vis. 9.6; Br. * 10.8; 83 *s: This very faint, tiny cluster is near 2 bright stars. 100x resolves a few faint ones. Up to 200x was used to resolve perhaps 20 stars. A rich star group, faint, follows the NGC cluster.
oc 7234: 3'.5; 8 *s: cluster?: Several websites say that this cluster is a duplicate of more interesting nearby oc 7235. Others say it is non-existent, and still others claim it to be an asterism (a chance grouping of stars at different distances, thus not a true cluster). At 100x, exactly where Uranometria says, is a very faint and tiny smudge showing 2 or 3 stars. At 200x 8-10 stars show up using averted vision, not all showing at once. Much smaller than 3'.5; perhaps 2'?
oc 7235: 6'; Vis. 7.7; Br. * 8.8; 98 *s: At 60x this is a minor though somewhat attractive cluster, containing several bright stars and many fainter ones. 100x resolves the group well, even when stopping the aperture down to 8". 200x shows about 35 stars. A recommended stopover.
oc 7261: 6'; Vis. 8.4; Br. * 9.6; 62 *s: At 100x a bright yellow star (a double) is involved (mag. 9.6), with most of the cluster just north of it, and much fainter. At 150x the cluster is medium rich, and at 200x it is well resolved and pretty bright. There are about 25 stars, 6 of them being quite bright.
oc 7281: 12'; 20 *s: At 100x a line of 3 bright stars mark the cluster's north preceding end. A bright gold star (mag. 8.5) is preceding the cluster's center. At 125x I counted about 30 stars, including an attachment immediately following the main group. The cluster is large and pretty scattered, with many brighter stars.
oc 7352: 5'; cluster?: Viewed at length at 60x, 100x, and 125x. Two groups of stars were near 2 bright stars (mag. 8.5 and 9.5). The main cluster is preceding, where about 25 stars were counted at 125x. A smaller group of 10 stars lay on the north side. The two bright stars were white and orange, with a fainter one between them and closer to the 9.5.
pn 7354: 36"; Vis. 12.2; Cent. * 16.2: This was a decent object, a nice break from so many clusters! It is large, bright and distinct at 60x and 100x. A faint star is nearly attached, preceding. At 200x and 250x the nebula is still bright, large and round, but appears to be flaring with averted vision and seeming to glow from within. The faint star near it is now a double star. Quite a lovely object.
oc 7380: 20'; Vis. 7.2; Br. * mag 10; 125 *s: Located at 60x, a lovely double star is attached, preceding, yellow and lavender. A fainter pair (DH) lies amidst 20 stars. DH is split at 100x, where the group is rich and mostly resolved. 125x shows the cluster as large in size, scattered but rich, with many faint stars near the very center. The cluster is now triangular in shape, with the bright double preceding at the apex. 200x continues to resolve tiny, faints stars, all adding up to about 100. Recommended! The surrounding emission nebula is virtually invisible and does not affect viewing the cluster.
oc 7419: 6'; Vis. mag. 13; Br. * mag. 10; 40 *s: At 60x an elliptical cloud was noted, with a somewhat bright star resolved at each end. It was located near a bright yellow star. 100x, 125x and 150x resolves the cloud with averted vision. 187x and 200x resolves all the members more easily. At 250x one of the brighter end stars is doubled. 25-30 cluster stars were counted.
oc 7423: 5'; Br. * mag. 15; 40 *s: Located at 60x as a hazy patch behind 2 bright stars (mag. 9.5 and 9.7). The main cluster is preceding this pair. Resolution remains poor at 150x. At 250x and 300x a cloud of tiny, faint stars is resolved. It is a dense cluster.
oc 7429: 15'; Br. * mag. 11; 15 *s: 18 stars were counted here at 60x, with a lovely double star following the group. V456 is yellow and lilac at 100x. The cluster is pretty big and loose. It is not rich, even at 187x. A very very faint double star is in the south, close to a bright star.
oc 7510: 7'; Vis. 7.9; Br. * mag. 10; 75 *s: Noted at 60x, it was very conspicuous. Two lines of bright stars, one side longer by a star, point to a 9.7 mag. star. There are 8 bright stars altogether. At 100x many fainter stars were noted surrounding the 9.7 mag. one. There is good resolution of these fainter ones with averted vision. The cluster appears rectangular, very tight, and quite lovely at 125x and 150x. At 187x and 200x 35 stars were counted, with 25 of them found south of the 9.7 mag. star and 10 of them north of it.
oc 7708: 30': Br. * 7.3; 25 *s: Best viewed at 43x and 60x, this is a big, widely scattered cluster of 50+ stars, with many of them bright. 6 are plotted on Uranometria, including 4 preceding the center and 2 following, though all within the boundary. The most interesting section is around and south of the brightest star (mag. 7). This area contains a zigzag of stars.
oc 7762: 15'; Mag. 10; Br. * mag. 11; 40 *s: Located at 60x, this is a large, dense group, with good resolution despite a 5 mag. star very close to it, along with an 8.5 mag. star adjacent. At 100x the 5 mag. star can be placed out of the field. There are still patches of haze in the central area. At 125x and 150x the cluster is bright and still resolving. Strings of close stars run through it. At 187x and 200x there is still a stubborn knot, sometimes briefly resolving with averted vision. Finally, at 375x, it resolves into stars of 15 and 16 mag., 4 or 5 of them. A challenge to resolve fully in a 12", there are interesting strings of stars throughout. The cluster is now quite scattered, with some central density.
oc 7234: 3'.5; 8 *s: cluster?: Several websites say that this cluster is a duplicate of more interesting nearby oc 7235. Others say it is non-existent, and still others claim it to be an asterism (a chance grouping of stars at different distances, thus not a true cluster). At 100x, exactly where Uranometria says, is a very faint and tiny smudge showing 2 or 3 stars. At 200x 8-10 stars show up using averted vision, not all showing at once. Much smaller than 3'.5; perhaps 2'?
oc 7235: 6'; Vis. 7.7; Br. * 8.8; 98 *s: At 60x this is a minor though somewhat attractive cluster, containing several bright stars and many fainter ones. 100x resolves the group well, even when stopping the aperture down to 8". 200x shows about 35 stars. A recommended stopover.
oc 7261: 6'; Vis. 8.4; Br. * 9.6; 62 *s: At 100x a bright yellow star (a double) is involved (mag. 9.6), with most of the cluster just north of it, and much fainter. At 150x the cluster is medium rich, and at 200x it is well resolved and pretty bright. There are about 25 stars, 6 of them being quite bright.
oc 7281: 12'; 20 *s: At 100x a line of 3 bright stars mark the cluster's north preceding end. A bright gold star (mag. 8.5) is preceding the cluster's center. At 125x I counted about 30 stars, including an attachment immediately following the main group. The cluster is large and pretty scattered, with many brighter stars.
oc 7352: 5'; cluster?: Viewed at length at 60x, 100x, and 125x. Two groups of stars were near 2 bright stars (mag. 8.5 and 9.5). The main cluster is preceding, where about 25 stars were counted at 125x. A smaller group of 10 stars lay on the north side. The two bright stars were white and orange, with a fainter one between them and closer to the 9.5.
pn 7354: 36"; Vis. 12.2; Cent. * 16.2: This was a decent object, a nice break from so many clusters! It is large, bright and distinct at 60x and 100x. A faint star is nearly attached, preceding. At 200x and 250x the nebula is still bright, large and round, but appears to be flaring with averted vision and seeming to glow from within. The faint star near it is now a double star. Quite a lovely object.
oc 7380: 20'; Vis. 7.2; Br. * mag 10; 125 *s: Located at 60x, a lovely double star is attached, preceding, yellow and lavender. A fainter pair (DH) lies amidst 20 stars. DH is split at 100x, where the group is rich and mostly resolved. 125x shows the cluster as large in size, scattered but rich, with many faint stars near the very center. The cluster is now triangular in shape, with the bright double preceding at the apex. 200x continues to resolve tiny, faints stars, all adding up to about 100. Recommended! The surrounding emission nebula is virtually invisible and does not affect viewing the cluster.
oc 7419: 6'; Vis. mag. 13; Br. * mag. 10; 40 *s: At 60x an elliptical cloud was noted, with a somewhat bright star resolved at each end. It was located near a bright yellow star. 100x, 125x and 150x resolves the cloud with averted vision. 187x and 200x resolves all the members more easily. At 250x one of the brighter end stars is doubled. 25-30 cluster stars were counted.
oc 7423: 5'; Br. * mag. 15; 40 *s: Located at 60x as a hazy patch behind 2 bright stars (mag. 9.5 and 9.7). The main cluster is preceding this pair. Resolution remains poor at 150x. At 250x and 300x a cloud of tiny, faint stars is resolved. It is a dense cluster.
oc 7429: 15'; Br. * mag. 11; 15 *s: 18 stars were counted here at 60x, with a lovely double star following the group. V456 is yellow and lilac at 100x. The cluster is pretty big and loose. It is not rich, even at 187x. A very very faint double star is in the south, close to a bright star.
oc 7510: 7'; Vis. 7.9; Br. * mag. 10; 75 *s: Noted at 60x, it was very conspicuous. Two lines of bright stars, one side longer by a star, point to a 9.7 mag. star. There are 8 bright stars altogether. At 100x many fainter stars were noted surrounding the 9.7 mag. one. There is good resolution of these fainter ones with averted vision. The cluster appears rectangular, very tight, and quite lovely at 125x and 150x. At 187x and 200x 35 stars were counted, with 25 of them found south of the 9.7 mag. star and 10 of them north of it.
oc 7510 is a very pretty sight in a 12" scope.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/dss_ngc.asp
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/dss_ngc.asp
gn 7538: 9' x 6'; Emission: The nebula is large and bright, immersed in two mag. 11 stars which are 36" apart. The nebula appears involved more with one of the stars than the other. Good views were had with the Sky Glow filter. The nebula shows well at all powers up to 200x. Recommended.
gn 7538
oc 7762: 15'; Mag. 10; Br. * mag. 11; 40 *s: Located at 60x, this is a large, dense group, with good resolution despite a 5 mag. star very close to it, along with an 8.5 mag. star adjacent. At 100x the 5 mag. star can be placed out of the field. There are still patches of haze in the central area. At 125x and 150x the cluster is bright and still resolving. Strings of close stars run through it. At 187x and 200x there is still a stubborn knot, sometimes briefly resolving with averted vision. Finally, at 375x, it resolves into stars of 15 and 16 mag., 4 or 5 of them. A challenge to resolve fully in a 12", there are interesting strings of stars throughout. The cluster is now quite scattered, with some central density.
oc 7762
gn 7822: 65' x 20': Emission: Located north following oc 7762, the nebula is subtle, wispy and patchy. It could be seen at 60x, 100x and 120x, with and without a Skyglow filter. Stronger clumps were seen better with the filter. There is an orange star near the center.
Mapman Mike
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