We are now examining the more northern reaches of Leo and its NGC objects. Observations date from 2015-2016, using a 12" Dob. Images are from Nasa.gov.
eg 2862: 2'.5 x 0'.3: Vis.12.9; SB 13: This galaxy was seen at 100x and viewed well as high as 200x. It is an impressive and thin needle, with a stellar core. A.v. shows a long, very thin slash, and it is quite bright. 187x and 200x were best, due to an 8.6 mag. star just S. Recommended for thin galaxy fans!
eg 2893: 1.'1 x 1': Vis./SB 13.2: This galaxy took awhile to track down. Once the correct nearby bright star was finally located, it showed up easily at 125x. It sits SP a mag. 9.5 star, only 3' away. The galaxy is round, pretty bright, and has a stellar core. Good views were had up to 200x.
eg 2885: 1' x 0'.5: Vis. 13.9; SB 12.4: This faint galaxy was spotted at 125x and viewed up to 200x with a.v. It appears round, so I was likely only seeing the central area.
eg 2896: 0'.9 x 0'.9: Vis. 13.9; SB 13.5: Picked off at 100x. Viewed also at 125x and 150x, it was round, not small, and not difficult to view. It resembles a faint, ghostly planetary nebula.
eg 2903: 12'.6 x 6': Vis 9; SB 13.6: Easily observed t 60x, it looks like a mini-Andromeda! Superb views were had in all ranges up to 250x. There is a very faint star F, and another one just S of the core, and yet another N of it. The core area is very bright and stellar, surrounded by a slightly less bright region, then another layer, still bright but less so. Finally the hazy envelope extensions on either end can be seen. The galaxy is a very long, wide oval, all of it pretty bright in the 12" scope. One of Leo's gems!
eg 2916: 2'.6 x 1'.9: Vis. 12; SB 13.5: Two decent galaxies in a row! This one is pretty large, though only 1/4 the size of 2903. It was pretty bright, including a middle area much brighter than the surrounding envelope. Flaring resolution makes it difficult to see the true shape. It does make a good comparison object with nearby 2903. It is easy to sweep back and forth between them.
eg 2927: 1'.3 x 1': Vis. 12.9; SB 13: Viewed at 100x and 136x, it was oval, not hard to find,and pretty big. No significant stars are nearby. Though it had a bright centre, views were still best with a.v.
eg 2929: 1'.2 x 0'.3: Vis. 13.8; SB 12.5. A triplet with eg 2930 and 2931 (see below). 29 was located at 136x, where it appears very elongated, and showing a bright centre. At 187x and 200x all 3 galaxies are seen, stacked N to S. 30 is quite small, with 31 appearing notably larger and better with a.v. Visually this is not a remarkable trio in a 12", though it's always fun to see 3 galaxies at a time.
eg 2930: 0'.7 x 0'.4: Vis. 14.2; SB 12.7: A trio with 2929 and 2931. See above.
eg 2931: 0'. 8 x 0'.6: Vis. 14.2; SB 13.2: A trio with 2929 and 2930. See above.
eg 2988: 0'.8 x 0'.3: Vis. 14.6; SB 12.9: A pair with 2991, below. 91 was easy to see at 136x, and shows a stellar core. In this range it appeared oval and hazy. At 187x, 200x, and 250x an elongated extension could be glimpsed with a.v., preceding the main galaxy. The extension was very faint, though 91 remains bright. This extension is 2988.
eg 2991: 1'.4 x 1'.1: Vis.12.6; SB 13: A pair with 2988, above.
eg 2994 is at upper left.
eg 2994: 1'.3 x 1'.1: Vis. 13.1; SB 13.2: Observed easily at 100x, 136x and 187x,the galaxy appears round and evenly bright. Located between two pairs of stars F, it was best viewed using a.v. Afterwards it could be seen even at 60x. 1991 and 1988 are SP. See photo, above.
eg 3026: 2'.7 x 0'.8: Vis. 12.9; SB 13.6: I had hopes for this one; alas, mostly unfulfilled. The galaxy was small, really faint, and though it was pretty large, it was not close to being 2'.7.
eg 3032: 1'.7 x 1'.3: Vis. 12.5' SB 13.2: Located at 100x, it looks like a bright, fuzzy star. It is located midway between 2 brighter stars, slightly F a line between them. At 200x the galaxy shows a stellar core, being right and slightly oval overall.
eg 3068: 1'.1 x 0'.9: Vis. 14.3; SB14.2: I managed to find this one without aid of a diagram! The conditions were splendid. The galaxy was small, round, and at threshold with a.v. at 136x. At 187x and 200x it was still visible. Good luck with this one!
eg 3088A: 0'.5 x 0'.3: Vis. 13.8; SB 11.6: A pair with 3088B. See below. Though an interacting pair of galaxies, only one ghostly object can be discerned. No doubt I saw both, or part of both. Perhaps a 16" can tell them apart. It was a threshold object at 136x, 187x, 200x, 250x, and 375x. There is a stellar core, but quite dim. It is small and extremely faint.
eg 3088B: 0'.5 x 0'.5: Vis. 15.4; SB 12: A pair with 3088A, above and below.
They look like one object in my 12" mirror.
eg 3098: 1'.4 x 0'.4: Vis.?SB 12: Located at 60x. At 100x it appeared to be involved with a bright star, and was quite elongated though pretty small. At 136x, 187x, and 200x there were 2 stars, or perhaps just one sitting near a bright stellar core. Overall it is a bright galaxy, and very elongated, though not large.
Onward to Chart 73...
Mapman Mike
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