#94-Leo Deep Sky: Part 2, Uranometria Chart 93, Left

Tackling the opposite side of Chart 93 is a much larger task.  There are 34 NGC galaxies on the page, and I also stopped in for a look at 2 IC ones.  The famous variable star R Leo is here, along with Regulus, the alpha star.  Though I tried for Leo 1 galaxy just north of Regulus, I had no luck with the 12".  I will try again, though.  Some of the following observations come from Spring 2014; others come from 2015.

I begin with a close cluster of galaxies at the top of the chart, right...
eg 2923:  0'.5 x 0'.4:  Vis. 14.2; SB 12.3:  A threshold object seen with averted vision at 100x, 120x and 150x. It was round and not as tiny as I was expecting.  It is in a helpful star field for location, and near the main galaxy group north following.

http://www.ngcicproject.org

 eg 2928:  1'.1 x 0'.6:  Vis. 14.7; SB 14.1:  An extremely faint threshold smudge was seen at 120x, 150x and 200x.  I couldn't say that I saw a particular shape, though I would lean towards oval.  It was constantly flaring in and out of resolution.

http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 2933:  1' x 0'.4: Vis. 14.6; SB 12.2:  An elongated slash was seen with averted vision at 120x and 200x.  These faint galaxies are extremely challenging, and there isn't a huge payout for finding them.

2934 is not listed on Uranometria, which goes as far as mag. 15.  2934 is mag. 16.

http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 2941:  0'.8 x 0'.5: Vis. 15; SB 13.9:  43 was seen easily and quite well between two faint stars.  It
eg 2943:  2'.2 x 1'.2:  Vis. 12.4; SB 13.5:  is large and bright, noticed at 60x and observed nicely up to 200x.  It is oval in shape.  41 was like a tiny ghost image version of the larger galaxy, appearing just preceding with averted vision at higher powers.

http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 2946:  1'.2 x 0'.4:  Vis 14; SB 13.1:  A very faint galaxy lies on either side of much brighter 2943.  By locating the brighter one first the other two can be found on either side.  46 is more difficult than 41 due to its slender profile.  By centering 43 and allowing it to creep past, 46 can be spotted at 200x with averted vision (even with a bright moon!).  It was very faint, elongated, and closely following 43.  There is a uneven line of faint stars just south. 

Compare the double star above, and in the photo for 2943 to get a good idea of where 2946 is in relation to it.  http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 2949:  0.6 x 0'.3:  Vis. 14.5; SB 13.4:  This tiny object was glimpsed immediately preceding a 14 mag. star.  It was very, very faint.  The star may even be a tiny companion galaxy.  Averted vision only.

http://www.ngcicproject.org

The above 7 galaxies took me hours of observing and re-observing to find and glimpse.  It's a tribute to my stubborn nature that I eventually found them all, using hand drawn detail maps I make for myself with the help of the Deep Sky Objects Browser website.


eg 2954:  1'.2 x 0'.9:  Vis. 12.4; SB 12.5:  The galaxy was spotted at 60x, then observed at 100x and 125x.  It is still bright at 200x.  It was oval, and had a bright middle.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 2958:  1' x 0'.8:  Vis. 13.2; SB 12.8:  Seen (barely) at 125x, this threshold object was preceded by a mag 13 (?) star.  The Frosty Leo Nebula lies very near to here, but I could distinguish nothing of it with the 12" except a faint star. 

http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 2984:  0'.7 x 0'.7:  Vis. 13.5; SB 12.4:  Though a threshold object, 2984 was seen at 125x, 150x, 

eg I 557:  0'.8 x 0'.4: Vis. 13.9; SB 12.5:  and 200x.  The IC galaxy was also viewed at 200x, closely following the NGC object.  The NGC was round and the IC was oval.

http://www.ngcicproject.org

dble star 14 Leo:  3.6-10.8/97": Primary is white.

dble star Stt 204:  6.7-10.7/8": White and ash.  Viewed at 60x and 100x.

var. star R:  5.2--10.5/312 days: Deep orange, at the apex of a stellar triangle.  The brightest of the other two is mag. 9, making R about 8.5 tonight (April 5th, 2014).  R is a red giant of the Mira type.

eg 2948:  1'.4 x 0'.9:  Vis. 12.9; SB 13:  Located all on its own just north following Leo star 10, at the bottom of the chart.  It was picked up nicely at 100x and observed as high as 200x.  It has a noticeably bright middle, it was elongated, and when using averted vision it became much larger than with direct vision.  This marks my most southerly Leo galaxy to date (+07 degrees R.A.)

http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 2939:  2'.4 x 0'.6:  Vis. 12.4; SB 12.7:  2939 is the star of this pair of galaxies.  It was a large

eg 2940:  0'.9 x 0'.7:  Vis. 13.6; SB 13:  object, very faint, very elongated, and it had a bright middle.  Using averted vision showed it to be even larger than at first.  It was observed well at 125x and 200x, still under a bright moon.  2940 was a lot smaller, round, and a threshold object.  Both galaxies precede three stars in a triangle, and 40 itself is close to a tiny double star.  They both easily fit into a medium power field of view.

http://cseligman.com/text/atlas/ngc29.htm#2939

IC 548 was not sought.

 

eg 3016:  1'.3 x 1'.1:  Vis/SB both 12.9: Round and faint at 125x.
eg 3019:  1' x 0'.7:  Vis. 15.2; SB 13.8: Very faint, south following a faint star.  Seen at 183x and
eg 3020:  3'.2 x 1'.8: Vis. 11.9; SB 13.5: 200x.  20 is very large, even at 100x.  Not difficult to view,
eg 3024:  2'.2 x 0'.6: Vis. 13.1; SB 13: along with 16.  24, once located, is a lovely slash galaxy at 150x, 183x and 200x.  All 4 galaxies fit into the 183x field, where 20 shows its tremendous size.  24 is very long, too.  I spent a lot of observing time here in 2014 and 2015.  A recommended project for a 12" or greater.

http://cseligman.com/text/atlas/ngc30.htm#3020

When Spring 2015 came around (with a much improved left eye!) I reviewed the above quartet, having much more success at seeing them.  From here on all observations are at a dark sky site with the left eye cataract removed.

eg 3049:  2'.2 x 1'.5:  Vis. 12.1; SB 13.2:  Located at 100x.  It was large and oval and had a pretty bright middle.  A faint 4-star asterism lies just north.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 3069:  0'.8 x 0'.4 :  Vis. 14.2; SB 12.3:  69 was seen at 183x and 200x.  It has a slightly

eg 3070:  1'.4 x 1'.4:  Vis. 12.3; SB 13:  brighter center, and resembles a faint slash.  70 was observed from 100x thru 200x.  It was round with a bright middle and a brighter stellar core.

 http://cseligman.com/text/atlas

eg 3094:  1'.6 x 1'.2:  Vis. 12.3; SB 12.9:  Located at 60x, it appears as a faint, fuzzy companion to an 11 mag. star.  At low power they could easily be mistaken for a double star.  The haze brightens considerably, and expands, as magnification is increased.  However, the adjoining star does interfere due to its similar brightness.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

dble. star Stf 1413:  9.3-10.1/0.7"  Other sources give 2" of separation.  Anyway, it was split at 150x, with one star noticeably brighter.  It's the only binary star in that square on Chart 93.  Search at R.A. 10 hrs (just before) and between 16 and 17 degrees north.  Good luck!

eg 3053:  1'.8 x 0'.9:  Vis. 12.7; SB 13:  Located at 100x in a busy field of stars.  The galaxy is pretty big and very oval at 150x, and has a bright middle.  Views were very good at 200x.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 3041:  2'.7 x 1'.6:  Vis. 11.5; SB 13.8:  Located at 100x, and later it was easy at 60x, where it appears along with 3053!  This one is very large, bright,  fat and oval.  It has a brighter middle.  Two or three faint stars appear to be involved.  An easy object, and an impressive one in the 12".  Recommended.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 3048:  0'.6 x 0'.3:  Vis. 15.4; SB 13.6:  This took a few nights and several passes to locate.  It was eventually glimpsed at 200x.  It is oval and extremely faint, but noted with certainty using averted vision.  Despite a darker sky and a better eye, some of these objects are still notoriously difficult. 

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 3060:  2'.2 x 0'.6:  Vis. 13; SB 13.2:  Located at 100x and viewed up to 200x, it is pretty big and has a bright middle.  The elongation is easy to see, and especially notable using averted vision.  UGC 5343 is just following.  It is much fainter.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 3075:  1'.2 x 0'.8:  Vis. 13.6; SB 13.4:  This one is oval but very faint.  I saw it best at 125x.  It lies between a 10 mag. and an 11 mag. star.  A faint star also appears to be involved with the galaxy.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 3080:  0'.9 x 0'.8:  Vis. 13.4; SB 12.9:  Ghostly and round, it was best glimpsed at 200x.  It has a stellar core.  At this point of the evening (March 22nd, 2015) my secondary mirror was fogging up.  A 2nd look on a different night showed it much easier.  In the same 200x field as I. 585.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

I. 585:  0'.7 x 0'.5:  Vis. 14; SB 13.6:  This one is faint, appearing round as seen with averted vision.  It sits in the same high power field with 3080.  Though not difficult to see tonight, it was invisible on the previous night (fogging up of secondary mirror).

eg 3130:  1' x 0'.6:  Vis. 13.4; SB 12.8:  Not that difficult to see, despite star 31 being right there, at magnitude 4.4.  The galaxy was viewed at 125x, 150x, 200x and 250x.  It is oval, has a bright middle, but is small.  It is only 5' away from star 31.  Good luck!

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 3153:  2'.3 x 1'.1:  Vis. 12.7; SB 12.2:  Spotted at 100x as a wide slash, views were good up to 183x, where the galaxy began to fade.  Not that bright, but impressively large.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 3107:  0'.7 x 0'.6:  Vis. 13.4; SB 12.3:  Located north preceding a 7.8 mag. star, which is now quite a blinding sight with my new, improved left eye.  The galaxy is oval, and was spotted at 100x.  In views up to 250x it is pretty bright and not difficult to see.  The higher magnifications help block out the bright star nearby.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 3119:  0'.5 x 0'.5:  Vis. 14.4; SB 12.7:  Both galaxies are seen in the same field of view, along

eg 3121:  1'.7 x 1'.4:  Vis. 12.6; SB 13.5:  with a relatively bright star.  Both galaxies appear round, with 19 appearing like a very faint smaller after image of the much brighter 21.  Look south.  Also viewed at 150x and 183x, 21 has a stellar core.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

3119, according to Uranometria (whom I would trust with my first born), is south of 21, and preceding just a tiny bit.

eg 3154:  0'.9 x  0'.4:  Vis. 13.4; SB 12.2:  North following a mag. 8.8 star, it was not hard to locate.  Spotted at 125x and observed up to 250x.  Though faint, elongation is evident.  One of several galaxies tonight seen very near a bright star.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

eg 3134:  0'.8 x 0'.2:  Vis. 13.7; SB 11.7:  It took a few nights and a hand-drawn detailed map, but tonight it was located easily (April 13th/15) under average skies.  It was spotted at 100x, and also viewed at 125x and 150x, where it was seen best.  The galaxy is small, faint and oval.  No slash was seen.

 http://www.ngcicproject.org

These first two blog entries in my Leo series encapsulates several seasons of observing.  I am now halfway through the 2016 Leo season, and enjoying great success, having had several scattered nights of exceptional transparency.  I am hoping for more of the same after this week's full moon is well past.  Clear skies!

Mapman Mike 

#93-Leo Deep Sky: Part 1, Uranometria Chart 93, Right

I am into my 4th season of observing all of the NGC in Leo, along with a few IC and UGC galaxies.  ALL of the agreed upon NGC objects in Leo are galaxies.  Several stars were given designation by error back in the day.  Anyone who observes all 360+ will certainly become expert at observing galaxies.  With one more lunar dark sky session remaining for this year's studies, I should be about 40% of the way through Leo by this time next month.  This has already been a very successful season, with 61 new NGC galaxies logged.  The first year was not nearly so successful.  I was observing from a less than ideal dark sky site, so I really had my work cut out for me.  In addition, my left observing eye was developing a cataract.  Compare that with the last two seasons, where my left eye is now as good as new, and the much darker site near Comber, Ontario helps immensely.  I am slowly going back over some of the earliest sightings, as reported here.

How to talk about so many galaxies?--that was my problem, and one of the reasons I kept putting off the reports.  I have decided to use Uranometria 2000, All Sky Edition, as the basis for my reporting.  Over the remaining months of spring, and likely well into summer, I will try and update readers with all objects seen to date.  I will also include several double stars, to help break up the monotony of so many faint galaxies.  It is time to begin with observations from Spring 2013.

If you want to be serious and find these galaxies for yourself, the first step should be learning how to star hop between Leo 3, 2, 6 and 5.  These four stars are your guide to the ten galaxies on this side of Chart 93.  Happy hunting!

LEO NGC--Uranometria Chart 93, Right Side

eg 2894:  1.'9 x 1"; Vis. 12.4; SB 12.9:  The first galaxy of my long journey, it was seen from my backyard suburban skies.  It was not visible at 60x, but averted vision showed it at 120x, elongated.  Very faint stars were resolving, as if a faint cluster lay over top.  However, the galaxy itself was seen well and steadily at 150x.  Lying south of a mag. 8.5 star, 2894 lies very close to a much fainter star.  Worth repeating from a darker sky.

www.ngcicproject.org

dble * Leo 3:  6-10/25":  Split at 60x.  Gold and bluish at 120x. 

dble * Leo 6:  6-9/37":  Yellow and violet.  A fine double at 60x.

Var.  * DF:  6.8--7/70 days:  A pale orange star, in a curved line with 3 others.  Nice field. 

eg 2911:  4'.3 x 3'.2: Vis. 11.5; SB 14.1:  Seen from my 2nd best site (Malden, Ontario), I saw a large but faint nebula at 60x.  It was oval with averted vision, and evenly bright,  Up to 150x was used, but 100x and 120x gave the most satisfactory views.  It sits midway between two fainter stars, one of them a double with a fainter companion.

www.ngcicproject.org

eg 2914:  0'.9 x 0'.6: Vis. 13.3; SB 12.5:  Seen at 60x, this one makes a triangle with two fainter stars.  It is very slightly oval, and quite small.  It can be seen with 2911 in the same field up to 150x.  See above.  2912 is a star.

eg 2872:  2'.1 x 1'.9: Vis. 11.9; SB 13.4:  72 and 74 are pretty nice in the 12".  Seen as one larger

eg 2873:  0'.7 x 0'.3: Vis. 15.4; SB 13.6:  nebula at 60x and 100x, two cores are noted at 136x and

eg 2874:  2'.5 x 0'.9:  Vis 12.6; SB 12.9:  higher.  At 150x a tiny, narrow strip of black sky separates them.  74 is considerably fainter and very elongated, so much so that once or twice I though I was seeing a 3rd galaxy to the south.  It took a few tries to located 73, just north of the pair.  On a recent return to this little triplet I spotted it quickly and easily from Comber, my darkest site, at 187x.  It is a challenge, but not too bad.  It appears as a tiny, elongated haze.  Overall I highly recommend these three galaxies, all of which fit into a high power field.

www.ngcicproject.org

2871 and 2875 are stars.

eg 2882:  1'.5 x 0'.5: Vis. & SB mag. 12.6:  This one took many nights to locate, but on April 5th, 2013 I finally found it.  The ultra faint slash was seen at 100x, 120x, and 150x, but it was too faint for 200x.  The extensions are fainter than the middle.  I use hand drawn detail maps from Deep Sky Objects Browser for difficult galaxies.  I would like to try this one again from my darker sky site.

www.ngcicproject.org

eg 2906:  1'.4 x 0'.5: Vis. 12.5; SB 12.6:  Spotted at 120x, it was oval.  It was a bit better to see at 150x, larger now.  I could see it without averted vision at 200x.  The edges are fainter than the middle.

www.ngcicproject.org

eg 2919:  1'.6 x 0'.5: Vis. 12.9; SB 12.5:  Like several others nearby, this one was more difficult than its statistics suggest.  It took several times before I found it.  Glimpsed on previous occasions, I could not confirm the sighting till tonight (May 2nd, 2013).  Tonight it was seen a few times at 120x and 150x.  Averted vision had to be used, and a threshold star could be seen just following the galaxy.

www.ngcicproject.org

eg 2913:  1'.1 x 0'.7: Vis. 13.4; SB 13:  Another difficult target for my somewhat suburban sky at the time.  It was spotted despite beginning to fade into the west, even more light polluted thanks to the southern suburbs of Detroit across the river from me.  It was very faint, seen only as a ghostly oval with averted vision at 120x and 150x.

www.ngcicproject.org

dble star Stf 1353:  9.9-10/3.2":  Minute at 60x.  Both white and nearly even at 150x.  It is the only double star in the box.  Look between 15 and 16 degrees north, and 9 hrs 27' R.A.  It's kind of in the middle of nowhere, but an easy star hop from Leo 7.

dble star Leo 7: 7.9-9.1/45":  White and pale blue at 60x and 120x.  Also split with the 4" Astroscan.  

dble star 6 Leo: 5.2-9.3/37":  A fine double at 60x.  Yellow and violet.

dble star Stf 1360: 9-8.9/14": Midway between Leo 5 and Leo 6, preceding them.  Both white at 100x.  There is a distant mag. 13 as well.

Clear skies.
Mapman Mike