#49 Summary # 5: June 2014

The hazy skies of June were not just in our area of the Great Lakes, but were reported far and wide.  Despite forecasts of "mainly clear" and "clear," high, thick hazy clouds hampered many a night.  More than a few 90 minute return drives to the observatory were either mostly wasted or completely wasted.  We managed to snag a few objects here and there, until finally our big break came.  Not until the moon was just approaching first quarter did we get a pair of very fine nights in a row.  Luckily we were able to stay late those nights, watching the moon set after midnight both nights.  Without those two nights it would have been a slim report.

I am happy to report, however, that 12.5 hours of observing were logged in June (and very early July), with 23 new NGC/IC objects making it into my logbook.  5 new objects from other catalogues were also seen, as well as 3 NGC objects viewed previously with the 8" scope.  Many of the objects were faint galaxies, and some were very poor viewing indeed.  However, I also logged a couple of planetaries, globulars, and an open cluster.

BOOTES

Work continues here, though I will only mention the best objects. 

eg 5529:  6'.2 x 0'.9: V. 11.5; SB 13.5:  This galaxy becomes more impressive the more you look at it.  I spent about 40 minutes enjoying this one, along with 2 very, very faint companions (eg 5527 and eg M+6-31-87).  Best at 150x using averted vision.

eg 5529, Sky View Images

eg 5544:  1'.1 x 1':  V. 13; SB 13:  Though faint, I had no trouble seeing this pair.  My first night  

eg 5545:  1' x 0'.3:  V. 14.1; SB 12.7) I did not know how far apart they were, and thought I had not seen 5545.  What I saw was a pear-shaped galaxy, quite long, with the wide end preceding the narrow one.  Once home I found a photo and realized I had been looking at both galaxies, which are interacting!  A fun pair, recommended with a great sky.

eg 5544, 5545 Skyview Images

eg 5557:  2'.4 x 1'.9:  V. 11; SB 12.6:  Seen easily, even through ever-thickening haze the first time.  A classic "fried egg" galaxy, with a slightly oval shape, a brilliant core, a large, bright area surrounding the core, and a much smaller area of fainter haze around that.  A 6" will show it easily.

eg 5596:  1'.1 x 0'.8:  V. 13.6; SB 13.3:  Round to oval galaxies are much easier to see than the "slash" type, or elliptical ones.  Stellar core was noted at 200x.  View hampered by a close 7 mag. star, so high power helps get it out of the field.

Other galaxies seen this month in Bootes were:  5499, 5515, 5524, 5527, 5572, 5616, eg M+6-31-87.

HERCULES

All work here was in Abell 2197 and immediate vicinity.

eg 6150:  1'.3 x 0'.5:  V. 14; SB 13.6:  Located at 100x.  Very elongated, but a wide middle.  Best at 200x.

eg 6160:  1'.8 x 1'.5:  V. 13.2; SB 14.3:  Seen at 100x (after moonset).  Stellar core at 150x.

eg 6173:  1'.9 x 1'.4:  V 12.1; SB 13.2:  The brightest galaxy in Abell 2157, but hampered by a nearby 7 mag. star.  Slightly oval with a notably large, bright middle.

Other galaxies seen this month in or near Abell 2157 were: 6138, 6141, 6174, 6175, 6180, 6184, 6131 (Corona Borealis), I. 4610, U 10407, U 10415.  The last two are very close and are not a difficult pair.

AQUILA

My new summer constellation has begun.

oc 6735:   8'; 35*s, B* mag. 12:  My first new cluster since Monoceros in March, and I didn't have to freeze myself to view it!  Pleasantly surprised, even at 60x.  A lovely and busy cluster of faint stars surround a bright yellow star.  Best at 100x.  At 125x I counted over 50 stars.  Also viewed in Deb's 6", where it showed less stars but still looked like a cluster.

V:  Variable star V is a beautiful orange star.

15:  A bright and wide double star, yellow and lavender.  A beauty!

gc 6760:  9'.6:  V. 9; B* 15.6:  This globular is a glowing ball of unresolved stars, but after viewing so many faint galaxies I didn't care!  It was wonderful!  Despite appearing as if it will resolve at any moment, it doesn't.  However, at 200x and 250x several stars outside the core pop into view.

Also viewed in Aquila this month:  pn 6741, gc 6749 (more on this one at a later date).

Mapman Mike

#48 Monthly Summary #4: May 2014

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

#46 Monthly Summary #3--April/May 2014

There were only three outings this lunar month, and one was for a self-hosted star party on our back deck for some of my music students.  We were also away for a week, missing one or two clear nights on approach to new moon.  Not one of our nights was a fine, clear night.  The final one started out promising, but we saw clouds move in just after dark, and were soon clouded out completely (despite the weather predictions of "mostly clear").

A total of 9 new NGC/IC  objects were observed, and one that was observed many years ago with the 8". Officially, all objects observed were galaxies.  However, I spent my time with a few globulars, doubles, and Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

LEO

eg 3016: 1'.3 x 1'.1; Mag. 12.9:  One of a galaxy quartet, but my sky conditions changed before I could sort everything out.  Though smaller and fainter than nearby eg 3020, this one is not difficult.  Round, somewhat bright middle, best at 125x.

eg 3020:  3'.2 x 1'.8:  vis. mag 11.9; sb mag. 13.5:  Easy to spot, very large, oval, and a slightly bright middle.  Recommended object.  I will likely have to wait until next year to find the other two.

eg 3837:  1' x 0.9:  Mag. 13.1: In Abell 1367, an area crammed with galaxies.  Don't come here with a 12" scope unless you have a very detailed star chart!  I use the close-up one in the back of Uranometria 2000.  An easy object but not too bright.  With two other NGC at 125x (see below).

eg 3841:  0'9 x 0'4:  Mag. 13.15:  A close pair with the much brighter eg 3842, and a triple with eg 3837.  The is the smallest of the three, a faint, elongated haze that makes a triangle with eg 3842 and an 11 mag. star.

eg 3842:  1'.2 x 1':  A large galaxy, very easy to see, just south preceding a mag. 11 star, one of 4 in a line NE to SW.  Makes a nice pair with eg 3841 at 187x, and a triple galaxy at 125x with eg 3837.

 eg 3860:  1'.3 x 0'.7:  Mag. 13.05:  The first night I tried for this object I could not find it.  However, on a different night it posed no problem.  Oval, faint, but not too difficult to study.  On the preceding side of two N/S stars, and making a triangle with them.

eg 3873:  1'.1 x 1':  Vis. Mag. 12.9:  One of a close pair of galaxies, and the brighter of the pair.  Located just following two stars in a N/S line, not far from eg 3860.  Round.  Double galaxies seen at 125, 150 and 173x.  Recommended pair.

eg 3875:  1'.3 x 0'.3:  Vis. Mag. 13.7:  Fainter, smaller and elongated.  Sometimes it looked like one galaxy, but with good seeing and higher power it was a double!  3875 seen best with averted vision.

eg I. 2951:  1'.4 x 0'.7:  Mag. 13. 65:  Very faint but not difficult to see.  Stellar core noted at 125 and 200x.

BOOTES

eg 5523:    4'.7 x 1'.1:  A nice, bright and large galaxy, though I saw it as clouds and haze were rolling in.  I will return here first in the new session.  Seen previously with the 8", and quite impressive in the 12".  Cigar-shaped and recommended.

Mapman Mike