This is an article I wrote for our club newsletter, Jan./17 issue. The club is RASC Windsor, Canada. Hope you enjoy!
I have been an amateur astronomer since 1968. I hope to share suggestions on making observing sessions more pleasurable and rewarding. I will also share my experiences and descriptions of observations, including my relentless pursuit of NGC objects. Any topic of interest to amateurs may be found here, especially suggestions from readers. Most of my observations are done with an Orion 12" Dobsonian.
Showing posts with label monoceros. Show all posts
Showing posts with label monoceros. Show all posts
Monday, 20 February 2017
Monday, 30 March 2015
#68 Treasures of Monoceros, Part 3: Objects from Other Catalogues
Concluding this series of deep sky objects in Monoceros, I will comment on each of the open clusters from other catalogues besides the NGC. There is a wealth of material here for a 12" telescope.
oc Bas 7: 5'; Mag. 8.5; Br * 10.4: Immediately following oc 2251, this cluster features a faint, curving line of stars that leads north to the main body. It resembles a mini-Draco! It was not really noticed in my milky, moony, snowy-reflective sky until 100x, though it was better at 125x and 150x.
oc Bas 8: 30'; 50 *s: 7 stars are plotted on Uranometria, the brightest one a double. This star was orange with a blue companion, and had the most interesting part of the cluster near it. I counted about 35 *s at 60x. It was fun hopping north to oc 2251 and back again. Bas 8 is widely scattered overall, but the south area is richer and more fun to observe.
oc Be 24: 6'; 25 *s; Br. * mag 17: Impossible from my back deck. However, in a dark sky a very faint hazy patch was seen. Good test for observing conditions.
oc Be 37: 4'; 25 *s; Br. * mag 15: This one is a very small, faint cloud of 12-15 mag. stars, resolving at 200x. The group makes a triangle with two nearby bright stars, forming the apex. Even finding it from my back deck was a thrill.
oc Be 39: 8'; 120 *s: Very faint and difficult to see even at 100x from my light polluted deck. Resolution occurred at 200x. In a dark sky this one might be a minor gem.
oc Be 73: 2'; 15 *s; Br. * mag 16: A small number of very faint stars was seen mostly north of a brighter (mag. 10?) star. Up to 300x was used with some effectiveness.
oc Be 77: 5'; 30 *s; Br. * 13: The cluster lies north of a bright star. The center of it is a very tight knot of 5 mag. 13 and 14 stars.
oc Bi 7: 4'; 30 *s; Br. * mag 14: Noticed at 100x, the very faint stars were contained within a semi-circle of less faint stars. Observed up to 250x, it resolves nicely at 200x, showing perhaps a dozen stars. There is a rich background all around it.
oc Bi 8: 5'; 70 *s; Br. * mag 14: This elongated group of very faint stars was resolved at 200x and 250x. 15 stars were seen.
oc Bi 9: 3'; 30 *s; Br. * mag 15: Located at 60x, a hazy patch was noted. 100x begins to resolve stars. About 20 were seen at 183x, in this dense, very compact cluster.
oc Bi 10: 3'; Mag. 10.4; 20 *s; Br. * 15: Located at 100x, it was like a nebula surrounding a mag. 10 star. At 183x and 200x the "nebula" resolved into 8-10 very faint stars, with several in a line on either side of the bright star.
oc Bi 11: 2'; Br. * mag 15: This tiny cluster lies south-following a bright double star. 6 faint stars are resolved. A lot of time was spent trying to find the area of this group and Bi 12.
oc Bi 12: 4'; Br. * mag 17: The haze from this cluster is largely drowned by the surrounding bright star field. A pair of 9.5 mag. stars lie in the south part of it. Faint haze was noted, but nothing very distinct.
oc Bi 13: 2'; Br. * mag 17: A tiny, faint patch of haze was noted, following a bright star.
oc Bo 2: 1'.5; Mag. 9.7; Br. * mag 10.9: 4 stars were noted, 3 of them in a line and of equal mag. The 4th star was quite dim, and seen at 183x.
oc Bo 3: 4'; Mag. 9.9; 25 *s; Br * 11.2: Located at 100x, I counted 12 faint stars and 4 brighter ones in a line.
oc ClvdB 1: 5'; Mag. 9.5; 39 *s: This object consisted of 4 brighter stars and a small group of very faint ones. 200x was best here. Perhaps 10-12 stars were seen.
oc Cr 91: 14'; Mag. 6.4; 20 *s: Uranometria plots 4 stars in the boundary of this group. It is large, with several bright stars, especially 2 of them. Widely scattered and thinly populated. Seen best at 60x.
oc Cr 92: 11'; Mag. 8.6: A large and scattered group, which may not be a true cluster. A denser knot of fainter stars surrounds an 8.5 mag. star. At 120x and 150x many more stars were seen. Medium rich but mostly faint.
oc Cr 95: 27'; 10 *s: The cluster is seen well at 60x and up to 100x. 15 brighter stars are easily counted and there are other, fainter ones at 100x. Immersed with gn I. 2169, which is easily noted with a Skyglow filter at 120x.
oc Cr 96: 12'; Mag. 7.3; 15 *s; Br. * mag 8.8: Another large, loose group best seen at 60x. One section resembles an arrowhead shape, with 4 or 5 brighter members. The cluster itself lies in a rich field. 2 stars withing the boundary are shown in Uranometria.
oc Cr 97: 25'; Mag. 5.4; 15 *s: A wide group with bright members. Yellow variable star AX is amidst the group, as is Struve 926, opposite the variable. Best at 60x.
oc Cr 104: 20'; Mag. 9.6; 15 *s: This decent group shares its following border with Cr 107. It consists of a large field of relatively bright stars (3 shown in Uranometria), interspersed with dense pockets of fainter, background stars. A rich area, fine for sweeping at low to medium power, beginning at oc 2244.
oc Cr 106: 35'; Mag. 4.6; 20 *s: A very large cluster! 7 stars are plotted on the atlas, including V640, called "Plaskett's Star." Seen well at 60x, I also enjoyed using 100x. There are many widely scattered bright stars, with 2 areas of fairly intense fainter ones. One of these groups is on the following end (west) of the cluster, and the other is north-preceding, near a brighter star. Both knots resolve well. The entire area is wonderful for casual sweeping and getting happily lost among the stars.
oc Cr 107: 30'; Mag. 5.1; 204 *s; Br. * mag 7.1: This very large cluster contains V731 and V 732. 11 stars are plotted within its borders on Uranometria. There are about 30 bright stars, and many more fainter ones. I viewed it successfully at 43x, 60x, 100x and 120x.
oc Cr 110: 18'; Mag. 10.5; 70 *s; Br. * mag 11: A widely scattered, faint but busy field of stars, preceding a mag. 8.5 star, one of 2 shown on Uranometria. The cluster resolves well at 60x.
oc Cr 111: 3'.2; Mag. 7: A 7 mag. star is surrounded by 7 or 8 really faint ones, best seen at 200x. Probably not a true cluster.
oc Cr 115: 10'; Mag. 9.2; 25 *s; Br * mag 11: Viewed at 60x, 100x and 125x, this is a moderately rich cluster of faint stars. It was fully resolved at 125x, and had an elongated shape.
oc Cr 465: 9'; Mag. 10.1; 30 *s: A semi-circle of 12-15 faint stars was noted. Nebulosity was noted using the Skyglow filter. Located just preceding oc 2343 and south of 2335. A rich area for sweeping.
oc Cr 466: 4'; Mag. 11.1;25 *s; Br. * mag 11.1: Not much to see from my back deck. A very small, very faint group was observed at 200x. A linear group of 8-10 stars was noted. There is nebulosity.
oc Cz 26: 5'; 35 *s: Located north of oc 2232, this was a very faint group. 3 or 4 stars resolved at 120x. The small group was best at 300x. Unimpressive in light-polluted skies, except that I did find it.
oc Cz 28 (King 5): 5'; 20 *s: Immediately following oc Be 37, just past its triangle star (the south one). It is a slightly easier target than its neighbour, with several stars brighter than those in Be 37. It resolves nicely at 200x.
oc Cz 30: 3'; 20 *s: Located south of variable star U and also close to a bright star located S of the cluster. 12 very faint stars were counted at 200x. The glare of the star south doesn't help with resolution.
oc Do 22: 8'; 10 *s: Immediately north-preceding star 8, itself a lovely double. A field of faint stars lies between star 8 and a tiny group resembling a mini-Lyra configuration. Rewarding area for general sweeping, and very close to oc 2244. The brighter stars may be part of the cluster.
oc Do 23: 10': At 100x, the richest part precedes 3 bright stars. An attractive group, all resolved.
oc Do 24: 15'; 40 *s: This is a large group with many bright members. They all resolve at 100x.
oc Do 25: 20'; Mag. 7.6; 50 *s; Br. * 8.9: Seen well at 60x. The cluster is very large, and shaped like a wishbone. The densest area of stars is along the south branch. A bright star marks the apex. At 100x, only a few stars were seen between the 2 diverging lines.
oc Haf 3: 5'; Br * 14; 25 *s: Located 1 degree south of Bo 3, and making a triangle with oc 2338. The haze resolves at 200x-250x. The cluster is contained in a "bowl" of 4 stars. One brighter star (mag. 14?) is in the very center; the cluster surrounds it.
oc Mel 72: 5'; Mag. 10.1; 40 *s; Br. * mag 12: Even at 60s there is some nice resolution in this unexpectedly fine cluster. Viewed at 60x, 100x, 125x, 150x, 183x and 200x! And it was cold out! This is a faint but dense and rich group. Though smaller than oc 2324, it is similar. A bright star is in the field, mag. 7. 183x and 200x resolves the cluster nicely. Recommended! Here is a photo.
oc Ru 4: 6'; Br. * mag 14: A few dozen very faint stars are mixed in with a bright star field.
oc Tr 5: 15'; Mag. 10.9; Br. * 17; 150 *s: Not even visible from my back deck. However, from a dark sky this is a pretty amazing object! Easily seen at 60x, it is a vast area of unresolved haze, with several less faint foreground stars above it. This one requires a larger scope to resolve, but it is still an amazing object in the 12". Here is a sweet photo of it.
There you have it--the deep sky treasures of Monoceros! Let me know if I have inadvertently missed anything. As soon as the full moon phase has passed, I wish you clear skies!
Mapman Mike
oc Bas 7: 5'; Mag. 8.5; Br * 10.4: Immediately following oc 2251, this cluster features a faint, curving line of stars that leads north to the main body. It resembles a mini-Draco! It was not really noticed in my milky, moony, snowy-reflective sky until 100x, though it was better at 125x and 150x.
oc Bas 8: 30'; 50 *s: 7 stars are plotted on Uranometria, the brightest one a double. This star was orange with a blue companion, and had the most interesting part of the cluster near it. I counted about 35 *s at 60x. It was fun hopping north to oc 2251 and back again. Bas 8 is widely scattered overall, but the south area is richer and more fun to observe.
oc Be 24: 6'; 25 *s; Br. * mag 17: Impossible from my back deck. However, in a dark sky a very faint hazy patch was seen. Good test for observing conditions.
oc Be 37: 4'; 25 *s; Br. * mag 15: This one is a very small, faint cloud of 12-15 mag. stars, resolving at 200x. The group makes a triangle with two nearby bright stars, forming the apex. Even finding it from my back deck was a thrill.
oc Be 39: 8'; 120 *s: Very faint and difficult to see even at 100x from my light polluted deck. Resolution occurred at 200x. In a dark sky this one might be a minor gem.
oc Be 73: 2'; 15 *s; Br. * mag 16: A small number of very faint stars was seen mostly north of a brighter (mag. 10?) star. Up to 300x was used with some effectiveness.
oc Be 77: 5'; 30 *s; Br. * 13: The cluster lies north of a bright star. The center of it is a very tight knot of 5 mag. 13 and 14 stars.
oc Bi 7: 4'; 30 *s; Br. * mag 14: Noticed at 100x, the very faint stars were contained within a semi-circle of less faint stars. Observed up to 250x, it resolves nicely at 200x, showing perhaps a dozen stars. There is a rich background all around it.
oc Bi 8: 5'; 70 *s; Br. * mag 14: This elongated group of very faint stars was resolved at 200x and 250x. 15 stars were seen.
oc Bi 9: 3'; 30 *s; Br. * mag 15: Located at 60x, a hazy patch was noted. 100x begins to resolve stars. About 20 were seen at 183x, in this dense, very compact cluster.
oc Bi 10: 3'; Mag. 10.4; 20 *s; Br. * 15: Located at 100x, it was like a nebula surrounding a mag. 10 star. At 183x and 200x the "nebula" resolved into 8-10 very faint stars, with several in a line on either side of the bright star.
oc Bi 11: 2'; Br. * mag 15: This tiny cluster lies south-following a bright double star. 6 faint stars are resolved. A lot of time was spent trying to find the area of this group and Bi 12.
oc Bi 12: 4'; Br. * mag 17: The haze from this cluster is largely drowned by the surrounding bright star field. A pair of 9.5 mag. stars lie in the south part of it. Faint haze was noted, but nothing very distinct.
oc Bi 13: 2'; Br. * mag 17: A tiny, faint patch of haze was noted, following a bright star.
oc Bo 2: 1'.5; Mag. 9.7; Br. * mag 10.9: 4 stars were noted, 3 of them in a line and of equal mag. The 4th star was quite dim, and seen at 183x.
oc Bo 3: 4'; Mag. 9.9; 25 *s; Br * 11.2: Located at 100x, I counted 12 faint stars and 4 brighter ones in a line.
oc ClvdB 1: 5'; Mag. 9.5; 39 *s: This object consisted of 4 brighter stars and a small group of very faint ones. 200x was best here. Perhaps 10-12 stars were seen.
oc Cr 91: 14'; Mag. 6.4; 20 *s: Uranometria plots 4 stars in the boundary of this group. It is large, with several bright stars, especially 2 of them. Widely scattered and thinly populated. Seen best at 60x.
oc Cr 92: 11'; Mag. 8.6: A large and scattered group, which may not be a true cluster. A denser knot of fainter stars surrounds an 8.5 mag. star. At 120x and 150x many more stars were seen. Medium rich but mostly faint.
oc Cr 95: 27'; 10 *s: The cluster is seen well at 60x and up to 100x. 15 brighter stars are easily counted and there are other, fainter ones at 100x. Immersed with gn I. 2169, which is easily noted with a Skyglow filter at 120x.
oc Cr 96: 12'; Mag. 7.3; 15 *s; Br. * mag 8.8: Another large, loose group best seen at 60x. One section resembles an arrowhead shape, with 4 or 5 brighter members. The cluster itself lies in a rich field. 2 stars withing the boundary are shown in Uranometria.
oc Cr 97: 25'; Mag. 5.4; 15 *s: A wide group with bright members. Yellow variable star AX is amidst the group, as is Struve 926, opposite the variable. Best at 60x.
oc Cr 104: 20'; Mag. 9.6; 15 *s: This decent group shares its following border with Cr 107. It consists of a large field of relatively bright stars (3 shown in Uranometria), interspersed with dense pockets of fainter, background stars. A rich area, fine for sweeping at low to medium power, beginning at oc 2244.
oc Cr 106: 35'; Mag. 4.6; 20 *s: A very large cluster! 7 stars are plotted on the atlas, including V640, called "Plaskett's Star." Seen well at 60x, I also enjoyed using 100x. There are many widely scattered bright stars, with 2 areas of fairly intense fainter ones. One of these groups is on the following end (west) of the cluster, and the other is north-preceding, near a brighter star. Both knots resolve well. The entire area is wonderful for casual sweeping and getting happily lost among the stars.
oc Cr 107: 30'; Mag. 5.1; 204 *s; Br. * mag 7.1: This very large cluster contains V731 and V 732. 11 stars are plotted within its borders on Uranometria. There are about 30 bright stars, and many more fainter ones. I viewed it successfully at 43x, 60x, 100x and 120x.
oc Cr 110: 18'; Mag. 10.5; 70 *s; Br. * mag 11: A widely scattered, faint but busy field of stars, preceding a mag. 8.5 star, one of 2 shown on Uranometria. The cluster resolves well at 60x.
oc Cr 111: 3'.2; Mag. 7: A 7 mag. star is surrounded by 7 or 8 really faint ones, best seen at 200x. Probably not a true cluster.
oc Cr 115: 10'; Mag. 9.2; 25 *s; Br * mag 11: Viewed at 60x, 100x and 125x, this is a moderately rich cluster of faint stars. It was fully resolved at 125x, and had an elongated shape.
oc Cr 465: 9'; Mag. 10.1; 30 *s: A semi-circle of 12-15 faint stars was noted. Nebulosity was noted using the Skyglow filter. Located just preceding oc 2343 and south of 2335. A rich area for sweeping.
oc Cr 466: 4'; Mag. 11.1;25 *s; Br. * mag 11.1: Not much to see from my back deck. A very small, very faint group was observed at 200x. A linear group of 8-10 stars was noted. There is nebulosity.
oc Cz 26: 5'; 35 *s: Located north of oc 2232, this was a very faint group. 3 or 4 stars resolved at 120x. The small group was best at 300x. Unimpressive in light-polluted skies, except that I did find it.
oc Cz 28 (King 5): 5'; 20 *s: Immediately following oc Be 37, just past its triangle star (the south one). It is a slightly easier target than its neighbour, with several stars brighter than those in Be 37. It resolves nicely at 200x.
oc Cz 30: 3'; 20 *s: Located south of variable star U and also close to a bright star located S of the cluster. 12 very faint stars were counted at 200x. The glare of the star south doesn't help with resolution.
oc Do 22: 8'; 10 *s: Immediately north-preceding star 8, itself a lovely double. A field of faint stars lies between star 8 and a tiny group resembling a mini-Lyra configuration. Rewarding area for general sweeping, and very close to oc 2244. The brighter stars may be part of the cluster.
oc Do 23: 10': At 100x, the richest part precedes 3 bright stars. An attractive group, all resolved.
oc Do 24: 15'; 40 *s: This is a large group with many bright members. They all resolve at 100x.
oc Do 25: 20'; Mag. 7.6; 50 *s; Br. * 8.9: Seen well at 60x. The cluster is very large, and shaped like a wishbone. The densest area of stars is along the south branch. A bright star marks the apex. At 100x, only a few stars were seen between the 2 diverging lines.
oc Haf 3: 5'; Br * 14; 25 *s: Located 1 degree south of Bo 3, and making a triangle with oc 2338. The haze resolves at 200x-250x. The cluster is contained in a "bowl" of 4 stars. One brighter star (mag. 14?) is in the very center; the cluster surrounds it.
oc Mel 72: 5'; Mag. 10.1; 40 *s; Br. * mag 12: Even at 60s there is some nice resolution in this unexpectedly fine cluster. Viewed at 60x, 100x, 125x, 150x, 183x and 200x! And it was cold out! This is a faint but dense and rich group. Though smaller than oc 2324, it is similar. A bright star is in the field, mag. 7. 183x and 200x resolves the cluster nicely. Recommended! Here is a photo.
oc Ru 4: 6'; Br. * mag 14: A few dozen very faint stars are mixed in with a bright star field.
oc Tr 5: 15'; Mag. 10.9; Br. * 17; 150 *s: Not even visible from my back deck. However, from a dark sky this is a pretty amazing object! Easily seen at 60x, it is a vast area of unresolved haze, with several less faint foreground stars above it. This one requires a larger scope to resolve, but it is still an amazing object in the 12". Here is a sweet photo of it.
There you have it--the deep sky treasures of Monoceros! Let me know if I have inadvertently missed anything. As soon as the full moon phase has passed, I wish you clear skies!
Mapman Mike
Tuesday, 15 April 2014
#44 Monthly Summary #2: March/April 2014
With six partial or full sessions, and 18.5 hours of observing I enjoyed my largest number of new NGC sightings to date for a single month. Parts of 4 constellations were studied, and as all but one of them are new areas for me to explore, there was only one review object, a previously seen one (see Bootes). Four of the sessions were from my light-polluted back deck, but two of them were very long, excellent dark sky sessions, at five hours each. I was able to observe galactic nebula and galaxies not visible from home, or even from my decent nearby location south of my hometown. While not surprised by the galaxy improvements from dark sky sights, I was amazed at how easy the galactic nebula were located from such skies, objects that had proved impossible before now. Being mostly reflection nebula, my filters were of little to no help from home. However, from dark skies the objects popped right into view, without any filter! By constellation, then, here is what I have been up to at the eyepiece:
LEPUS
Despite being in an unfavourable low southwest sky, I was able to observe two of the many galaxies that lie hidden in this little constellation.
eg 1888: Seen well at 100x, with a bright core. -11 degrees.
eg 2076: An elongated threshold smudge at 100-150x. -16 degrees.
MONOCEROS
I've had good luck with clusters from my back deck, but went after some faint nebula once I set up at a dark sky location.
gn 2149: Impossible from my deck at home, easily seen from a dark sky site. Amidst a bright star field. Once mistaken for a galaxy (Shapely).
gn 2183: Both easily seen from a dark sky site, lying side by side. Involved with several faint stars.
gn 2185: (see 2183, above).
gn 2245: Wedge-shaped nebula involved with a 10.8 mag. star, seen well from the back deck.
gn 2247: Due to the brightest of the 8.5 mag. star, the nebula is only seen faintly at higher power.
oc 2259: Small and faint, with about 10 stars resolved at 250x.
oc 2264: The Christmas Tree Cluster was observed from the back deck and a dark sky site (no comparison!). Wonderful in a 6" mirror! Not to be missed.
oc 2302: A tight group led by three brighter stars. 16 stars at 200x.
oc 2306: South following 2302. Very large. About thirty faint stars surrounding two bright ones.
oc 2309: North following 2306. 100x resolves the brightest members from my deck, forming a loose circle. The dense center resolves at 200-250x, where 25 stars were counted in a small area.
gn 2316: Mixture of reflection and emission wavelengths. Clearly seen without a filter, and observed well at 60-200x. Triangle of faint stars immediately south.
oc 2323 (M50): The finest cluster in Monoceros, though that is not saying anything against the many other fine clusters in the constellation. The cluster is a wonder to observe at 60x in the 12", with a chain of bright stars outlining a triangular smile shape, with lines of stars passing perpendicular through it near the center. Very rich cluster and fine for all apertures. Heaven in a 12"!
oc2335: 30 stars counted at 200x, in three groups. Orange star is dominant. Central group is the most dense.
oc 2338: 3 degrees north following M50. A 4-star asterism make up a rough parallelogram, with cluster stars in two clumps in and around it. Medium rich and not a bad object.
oc 2343: The finest of three clusters in the immediate area (see also Cr. 465 and 466). Fine double star, primary orange, dominates. Decent cluster at 125x.
oc 2368: Not a bad cluster in a 12". Led by a bright star which turns out to be a double. 20 stars at 200x, all faint except the main one (mag. 11?). Triangular, or wedge-shaped.
eg 2377: One of only a pair of NGC galaxies in Monoceros, and impossible to see without a dark sky. Difficult enough due to involvement with a star or stars. Very small and oval.
eg 2494: The other faint galaxy in Monoceros, and a threshold object. Round at 100-200x.
gn I. 446: Faint haze seen near a faint star, and impossible to observe without a dark sky.
gn I. 2169: Involved with oc Cr. 95. The reflection nebula was helped a bit by the sky glow filter, and seen better on the preceding part of the cluster, scattered between and amongst the stars.
gn I. 2177: Massive nebula involved with oc Cr. 465 and 466. Glimpsed as clumps of smokiness with the filter. Seen best south of Struve 1019, as well as amidst the two clusters. Struve 1019 is an exqisite close pair (7-11/6.5").
oc Bi 7: Noticed at 100x (in a poor sky), the very faint stars were contained within a semi-circle of less faint stars. Resolves nicely at 200x. Rich background area.
oc Bi 8: An elongated group of 15 very faint stars resolved at 200x.
oc Bo 3: Located at 100x, I counted 12 faint stars along with 4 brighter ones, the latter in a line.
oc Cr. 95: 15 brighter stars easily counted at 60x, and there are fainter ones at 100x. Involved with gn I. 2169.
oc Cr. 465: Semi-circle of 12-15 faint stars notes, involved with I. 2177.
oc Cr. 466: Very small, very faint grop observed at 200x. It was linear, and had 8 stars in a poor sky. Involved with I. 2177.
oc Cz. 30: Just south of S, a variable star. It's glare hampers the view of about 12 faint stars.
oc Haf 3: 1 degree south of Bo 3, and making a triangle with oc 2338. The haze resolves at 200x. The cluster is contained within a bowl-shape of 4 brighter stars.
LEO
I enjoyed two nights of dark sky observing in Leo, and I pulled in galaxy after galaxy with the 12".
eg 2939: A pair with 2940, and the star of the show. Large, very faint, very elongated and has a
eg 2940: bright middle. Averted vision expands the dimensions. Seen well at 125-200x. 2940 was much smaller, round, and very faint. Both galaxies appear at 125x with a triangle of 3 stars, and 2940 appears very close to a tiny double star.
eg 2941: This is a busy area for faint NGC galaxies, and ignored by almost every major book.
eg 2943: 2943 is nice and bright and seen easily at 60x. Large and oval at 200x. 2941 was like a tiny, very faint ghost image of 2943, immediately preceding it.
eg 2946: Not as faint as 2941, this one immediately follows 2943. All three will pass by in a matter of seconds at 200x.
eg 2948: Picked up nicely at 100x and observed up to 200x. Noticeably bright middle and elongated. Appeared larger with averted vision.
eg 2949: The 7th galaxy located in a very tight area of Leo, near star 8. Tiny, and very faint. Confirmed on the 2nd night.
eg 2954: Bright, spotted easily at 60x. Oval with a bright middle, and bears magnification well.
eg 2958: A threshold object barely seen at 125x, preceded by a 13 mag. star.
eg 2984: Very faint, but seen at 125-200x. Round. eg I. 557 closely follows.
eg 3599: Located at 60x in an area devoid of stars, it had a bright stellar core at 125x, surrounded by a large area of fainter haze. Easy to see tonight from a dark sky, this one eluded me last season. Precedes the 3605, 07, 08 triplet.
eg 3787: Unsuccessfully searched for last year, this year from a superior sight it was not difficult, though it is faint, round and tiny. Seen well at 200x.
eg 3827: Seen faintly at 60x, improving all the way up to 200x. Averted vision shows a larger object. Round, with a bright middle.
eg 3816: Within Abell 1367. First seen at 100xx, and then later at 60x. Bright and elongated at 100-125x, with a bright middle and a large block of fainter outer haze. Fine in a 12".
eg 3821: My first galaxy in Abell 1367, it was located at 100x and viewed up to 200x. Not difficult to locate. 2 bright spots in the center, a bright core and a foreground star.
eg 3861: Within Abell 1367. Elongated shape easy to view, though appearing much smaller than its given dimensions. Best seen with averted vision, as there is a bright star in the field.
eg I. 557: Oval, faint and small, it appears with eg 2984 in the same high power field, following.
BOOTES
I have observed this constellation previously with my Edmund 8". However, I have added hundreds of new galaxies this time, and will be reviewing the ones already logged.
eg 5251: Very close to M3, I have been unsuccessful with this one until tonight's dark sky. Located at 100x, small, round and seen well at 150x. South preceding M3.
eg 5548: Previously observed with the Edmund 8". Very bright, oval, with a stellar core. Viewed well using up to 200x.
eg 5581: Easy to locate at 100x despite being very faint, as it is placed between 2 9 mag. stars shown on Uranometria. Best seen using averted vision. Observed up to 200x.
eg 5610: Easy to find due to its placement between 2 stars, mag. 9 and 9.5. First discovered at 60x. 125x showed elongation and a bright middle.
eg 5637: Faint, but not severely so. Good hunting skills are required for most of these, however. Located just preceding a curious circlet of faint stars.
So, despite frigid temperatures and many cloudy nights, I enjoyed amazing success, not likely to be repeated for some time. A little vacation is planned next week to the American Southwest, so the next month of observing will be much shorter in duration. I will be back right around new moon, hoping for a clear night or two.
Mapman Mike
MONOCEROS
I've had good luck with clusters from my back deck, but went after some faint nebula once I set up at a dark sky location.
gn 2149: Impossible from my deck at home, easily seen from a dark sky site. Amidst a bright star field. Once mistaken for a galaxy (Shapely).
gn 2183: Both easily seen from a dark sky site, lying side by side. Involved with several faint stars.
gn 2185: (see 2183, above).
gn 2245: Wedge-shaped nebula involved with a 10.8 mag. star, seen well from the back deck.
gn 2247: Due to the brightest of the 8.5 mag. star, the nebula is only seen faintly at higher power.
oc 2259: Small and faint, with about 10 stars resolved at 250x.
oc 2264: The Christmas Tree Cluster was observed from the back deck and a dark sky site (no comparison!). Wonderful in a 6" mirror! Not to be missed.
oc 2302: A tight group led by three brighter stars. 16 stars at 200x.
oc 2306: South following 2302. Very large. About thirty faint stars surrounding two bright ones.
oc 2309: North following 2306. 100x resolves the brightest members from my deck, forming a loose circle. The dense center resolves at 200-250x, where 25 stars were counted in a small area.
gn 2316: Mixture of reflection and emission wavelengths. Clearly seen without a filter, and observed well at 60-200x. Triangle of faint stars immediately south.
oc 2323 (M50): The finest cluster in Monoceros, though that is not saying anything against the many other fine clusters in the constellation. The cluster is a wonder to observe at 60x in the 12", with a chain of bright stars outlining a triangular smile shape, with lines of stars passing perpendicular through it near the center. Very rich cluster and fine for all apertures. Heaven in a 12"!
oc2335: 30 stars counted at 200x, in three groups. Orange star is dominant. Central group is the most dense.
oc 2338: 3 degrees north following M50. A 4-star asterism make up a rough parallelogram, with cluster stars in two clumps in and around it. Medium rich and not a bad object.
oc 2343: The finest of three clusters in the immediate area (see also Cr. 465 and 466). Fine double star, primary orange, dominates. Decent cluster at 125x.
oc 2368: Not a bad cluster in a 12". Led by a bright star which turns out to be a double. 20 stars at 200x, all faint except the main one (mag. 11?). Triangular, or wedge-shaped.
eg 2377: One of only a pair of NGC galaxies in Monoceros, and impossible to see without a dark sky. Difficult enough due to involvement with a star or stars. Very small and oval.
eg 2494: The other faint galaxy in Monoceros, and a threshold object. Round at 100-200x.
gn I. 446: Faint haze seen near a faint star, and impossible to observe without a dark sky.
gn I. 2169: Involved with oc Cr. 95. The reflection nebula was helped a bit by the sky glow filter, and seen better on the preceding part of the cluster, scattered between and amongst the stars.
gn I. 2177: Massive nebula involved with oc Cr. 465 and 466. Glimpsed as clumps of smokiness with the filter. Seen best south of Struve 1019, as well as amidst the two clusters. Struve 1019 is an exqisite close pair (7-11/6.5").
oc Bi 7: Noticed at 100x (in a poor sky), the very faint stars were contained within a semi-circle of less faint stars. Resolves nicely at 200x. Rich background area.
oc Bi 8: An elongated group of 15 very faint stars resolved at 200x.
oc Bo 3: Located at 100x, I counted 12 faint stars along with 4 brighter ones, the latter in a line.
oc Cr. 95: 15 brighter stars easily counted at 60x, and there are fainter ones at 100x. Involved with gn I. 2169.
oc Cr. 465: Semi-circle of 12-15 faint stars notes, involved with I. 2177.
oc Cr. 466: Very small, very faint grop observed at 200x. It was linear, and had 8 stars in a poor sky. Involved with I. 2177.
oc Cz. 30: Just south of S, a variable star. It's glare hampers the view of about 12 faint stars.
oc Haf 3: 1 degree south of Bo 3, and making a triangle with oc 2338. The haze resolves at 200x. The cluster is contained within a bowl-shape of 4 brighter stars.
LEO
I enjoyed two nights of dark sky observing in Leo, and I pulled in galaxy after galaxy with the 12".
eg 2939: A pair with 2940, and the star of the show. Large, very faint, very elongated and has a
eg 2940: bright middle. Averted vision expands the dimensions. Seen well at 125-200x. 2940 was much smaller, round, and very faint. Both galaxies appear at 125x with a triangle of 3 stars, and 2940 appears very close to a tiny double star.
eg 2941: This is a busy area for faint NGC galaxies, and ignored by almost every major book.
eg 2943: 2943 is nice and bright and seen easily at 60x. Large and oval at 200x. 2941 was like a tiny, very faint ghost image of 2943, immediately preceding it.
eg 2946: Not as faint as 2941, this one immediately follows 2943. All three will pass by in a matter of seconds at 200x.
eg 2948: Picked up nicely at 100x and observed up to 200x. Noticeably bright middle and elongated. Appeared larger with averted vision.
eg 2949: The 7th galaxy located in a very tight area of Leo, near star 8. Tiny, and very faint. Confirmed on the 2nd night.
eg 2954: Bright, spotted easily at 60x. Oval with a bright middle, and bears magnification well.
eg 2958: A threshold object barely seen at 125x, preceded by a 13 mag. star.
eg 2984: Very faint, but seen at 125-200x. Round. eg I. 557 closely follows.
eg 3599: Located at 60x in an area devoid of stars, it had a bright stellar core at 125x, surrounded by a large area of fainter haze. Easy to see tonight from a dark sky, this one eluded me last season. Precedes the 3605, 07, 08 triplet.
eg 3787: Unsuccessfully searched for last year, this year from a superior sight it was not difficult, though it is faint, round and tiny. Seen well at 200x.
eg 3827: Seen faintly at 60x, improving all the way up to 200x. Averted vision shows a larger object. Round, with a bright middle.
eg 3816: Within Abell 1367. First seen at 100xx, and then later at 60x. Bright and elongated at 100-125x, with a bright middle and a large block of fainter outer haze. Fine in a 12".
eg 3821: My first galaxy in Abell 1367, it was located at 100x and viewed up to 200x. Not difficult to locate. 2 bright spots in the center, a bright core and a foreground star.
eg 3861: Within Abell 1367. Elongated shape easy to view, though appearing much smaller than its given dimensions. Best seen with averted vision, as there is a bright star in the field.
eg I. 557: Oval, faint and small, it appears with eg 2984 in the same high power field, following.
BOOTES
I have observed this constellation previously with my Edmund 8". However, I have added hundreds of new galaxies this time, and will be reviewing the ones already logged.
eg 5251: Very close to M3, I have been unsuccessful with this one until tonight's dark sky. Located at 100x, small, round and seen well at 150x. South preceding M3.
eg 5548: Previously observed with the Edmund 8". Very bright, oval, with a stellar core. Viewed well using up to 200x.
eg 5581: Easy to locate at 100x despite being very faint, as it is placed between 2 9 mag. stars shown on Uranometria. Best seen using averted vision. Observed up to 200x.
eg 5610: Easy to find due to its placement between 2 stars, mag. 9 and 9.5. First discovered at 60x. 125x showed elongation and a bright middle.
eg 5637: Faint, but not severely so. Good hunting skills are required for most of these, however. Located just preceding a curious circlet of faint stars.
So, despite frigid temperatures and many cloudy nights, I enjoyed amazing success, not likely to be repeated for some time. A little vacation is planned next week to the American Southwest, so the next month of observing will be much shorter in duration. I will be back right around new moon, hoping for a clear night or two.
Mapman Mike
Saturday, 8 March 2014
#41 Monthly Summary #1, February-March 2014
It continues to be a long, drawn out winter of misery, unless you happen to like very cold air and plenty of snow. There hasn't been much in the way of astronomy observations to report on until now. I had a session on Nov. 30th and another on Dec. 27th that needs mentioning. So far in 2014 I have managed three sessions, all of them very cold ones. There were none in January, two in February, and one to date in March.
In late 2013 I inched along in Cetus and Cassiopeia. I only have about 9 objects remaining in Cassiopeia. Cetus continues to prove difficult due to poor south skies, but I may have recently come across a solution for this (a somewhat distant site looks promising).
Winter 2014 brings me back to Lepus (another poor sky area for me) and Monoceros (somewhat better, as it is higher). I am hoping to try my new dark sky site after next full moon to locate some Lepus galaxies. I will now report on progress within each constellation. All observations were with the 12" Orion Intelliscope.
IC Catalogue
oc 1805 Fine cluster with some nebulosity (using filter). Large, with many bright members.
Other Catalogues
oc Cz 9: 2 brighter stars involved with small cloud of fainter ones.
oc Cz 10: 8 stars at 200x. More impressive asterism almost adjacent.
oc King 4: Decent group showing about 20 stars between 100x and 200x.
oc Mrk 6: Bright stars, okay for smaller scopes, too.
oc Tom 4: Not many stars, and all very faint. 12" resolves well at 150x.
Cetus
NGC Catalogue
eg 64: Glimpsed at 125x. Ghostly, oval, and requires a very good sky.
eg 102: Very faint oval patch at 125x, though less faint than eg 64.
eg 191: Easily seen, big and round. IC eg 1563 attached.
eg 7821: A "slash" galaxy, seen clearly at 125x and 150x. Possible stellar core.
Lepus
NGC Catalogue
gc 1904 (M 79): The official sighting of this object, which I have viewed informally many times, was the best view I've had of it from my light-polluted back deck. It was an outstanding night with low humidity, and I could actually see the stars in Lepus with naked eye. Wonderful globular! Very bright at 60x. More stars resolved with each increase in power. I used up to 200x to steadily resolve about 20 stars, with many more winking in and out. I also had my best view ever of Jupiter that night, watching the red spot transit. It was Sunday, Feb. 23rd. It was 21 F (-9 C).
Monoceros
NGC Catalogue
oc 2251: Attached on the north end to oc Bas 8 (see below). Elongated, perhaps crescent-shaped cluster, seen well up to 125x. Medium large, with brightest star a lovely and close double.
gn 2261: Variable R was seen easily tonight. "Hubble's Variable Nebulae" is an outstanding sight in a 12" mirror. I saw it best with no filter. High magnifications work well here.
IC Catalogue
gn 448: A poor object, seen best with sky-glow filter (though it is reflection-type). Oval haze surrounding bright star 13 Monoceros. Nearby is 14, a good double star. It's in a line of three, pointing towards oc Bas 8 and oc 2251.
Other Catalogues
oc Bas 7: Immediately following oc 2251. A faint, curving line of stars leads to the main body. Reminds me of a mini Hydra. Not noticed in my milky sky until 100x.
oc Bas 8: Lovely orange and blue double near the center, the brightest one in this large group. I counted 35 stars at 60x. Easy to hop between it and oc 2251, which are attached on maps. Obviously 2251 is much further away.
oc Tr 5: Hopelessly faint stars (below mag. 17); all that can be glimpsed here is a very faint, large patch. Even 18" telescopes will have trouble resolving this group, which is reportedly quite rich in stars.
Mapman Mike
Saturday, 1 March 2014
#40 Monoceros Clusters, Part 1
I still remember my first view of oc 2244 and the Rosette Nebula. It was late winter 1971, and I lived in Sudbury, Ontario. Sudbury is a very cold place in the winter, and observing usually did not resume until March. I was using a 40 mm refractor from K-Mart, with a table top tripod sitting on a tv table in my front yard, beneath a street light. At 15x I was blown away by what I saw! It was my first major object of the season, and my first ever in Monoceros. The cluster was surrounded by faint nebula and I could count several stars, recognizing the now-familiar rectangular pattern of the main cluster body. It was so cold that night I had difficulty focussing, but finally managed to get a superb view, one that has stayed with me all these years. Armed only with the tiny star maps included with Olcott's guide to the heavens, there was nothing else immediately nearby to see and I soon moved north to oc 2264.
Readers of this column know by now that I like to begin near a pre-selected object and explore the nearby vicinity for other objects of interest. After I have completed work on the main object, I enjoy sweeping the area immediately surrounding it. However, even careful sweeping with a 12" scope, which is usually undertaken at low power, can easily miss other less conspicuous gems. This article will search out other deep sky objects within very easy reach of oc 2244.
Readers of this column know by now that I like to begin near a pre-selected object and explore the nearby vicinity for other objects of interest. After I have completed work on the main object, I enjoy sweeping the area immediately surrounding it. However, even careful sweeping with a 12" scope, which is usually undertaken at low power, can easily miss other less conspicuous gems. This article will search out other deep sky objects within very easy reach of oc 2244.
Let me go astray for a moment and talk briefly about travelling. Some people like to try and see all of Europe in ten days, and book their trip of a lifetime accordingly. My own taste in travel is exactly opposite to this. I would rather center myself for ten days in a great city, such as London, Madrid, Copenhagen or Barcelona, exploring a much smaller area in detail and making short excursions out of the city to nearby sites of interest. Not surprisingly, this is also a preferred method for me of observing the sky. Find a major site or object, enjoy its richness with various eyepieces, filters, etc., and then see what else is nearby. Have you ever observed the Leo Triplet of galaxies? This is a stupendous site in a scope 8" or higher, worthy of many revisits. However, there are more than three galaxies of interest, if the neighbourhood is explored in a little more detail.
And now back to oc 2244. The cluster itself is wonderful (as we have already seen) even in a very small refractor. In a really dark sky it is visible to the naked eye! The emission nebula surrounding the cluster is visible in good binoculars (I am told) as well as small telescopes. In the 12" it is seen best with a nebula filter (not the cluster, which lies at the dark center). I see something that reminds me of high cirrus clouds, a mottled haze that deepens and thins as one sweeps the large circle surrounding the star cluster itself. The nebula is given several NGC numbers, including gn 2237, 2238, 2239, and 2246, each representing a different area of brightness, and the whole nebula takes up a vast area of sky (80' x 60', or over 1 degree). To me the brightest part is in the north, around 1 o'clock to the cluster.
Immediately surrounding the main cluster and nebula are no less than seven other open clusters, providing enough challenge and entertainment for an hour or more of star hop observing. On a cold March night it is a welcome project to see so much and not move the telescope all over the sky. This article assumes you are looking at Map 116 from Uranometria 2000, all sky edition. Five clusters are from the Collinder catalogue, one is from Dolidze, and one is from the NGC list. I will briefly discuss each one, moving clockwise on the map.
 |
| Uranometria 2000 (old edition), showing the Rosette Nebula in Monoceros and surrounding deep sky objects. |
Slightly north of 2244 and considerably preceding is oc Cr. 92. About one third the size of Cr 97, it still appears fairly large and scattered. However, this one has a denser knot of fainter stars that surround a star of 8.5 mag. As magnification increases more stars come out to play. The cluster seems medium rich but has many mostly faint members.
South from Collinder 92 is oc Do 22. Nearly erased by the bright star 8, look north preceding from that star. The cluster lies between it and a tiny group of stars that resembles a mini-Lyra configuration. The area in and around Do 22 is rich in stars and fun to sweep. Getting back to star 8 for a moment, it is a lovely double star all on its own (4.5-6.5/13"), which I see as ivory and lilac. A 12.5 mag. star can be seen 94" away.
Moving to the 8 o'clock position from, and much closer to, 2244 are two Collinder groups that share a border. Oc Cr 104 is the smaller of the two, though it is not small. A large field of relatively bright stars are interspersed with dense pockets of fainter ones. Sweep back and forth from it to 2244 for lovely star fields that are part of no cluster but sometimes just as lovely. Immediately south following 104, and overlapping it on one side is oc Cr 107. At 35' in size, it is larger than 2244! It contains two named variable stars (V731 and V 732), and the official star count of 30 only considers the brightest members. There are many more faint ones. I used several eyepieces here, from 43x up to 120x.
Moving to the 11 o'clock position from 2244 we come to oc 2252, one of my favourite clusters in this cluster-rich constellation. I have nick-named this one the "Star Trek" cluster, as to me it roughly outlines the insignia worn by Star Fleet members; at least it seems so at lower power. There are about a dozen brighter members, and too many fainter ones to sketch well. The central area looks like a little cloud puff at 60x in the 12", but resolves nicely as magnification increases. 100x and 150x gave fine views. Watch for two distinct lines of stars that meet at the apex.
Our final cluster is north following 2252, and is the largest of the entire group (45'). oc Cr 106 and the area surrounding it are wonderful for casual sweeping and getting lost among the stars. The cluster itself has many widely scattered bright stars, along with two areas of fairly intense fainter patches. The following end has one of these faint groups, and the north preceding end has another, near a brighter star. Also contained in the cluster is V640, called "Plaskett's Star." It is a binary system consisting of two giant stars, and is one of the most massive systems in the galaxy.
Monoceros is a rich constellation for telescope users. Eight neighbouring clusters, a very large nebula, and some very fine areas for casual sweeping at low power make for a rich visual experience. I hope you enjoy your visit to one small part of this amazing constellation!
Mapman
Saturday, 6 April 2013
#11: Leo Galaxy Hunt
Shhh. Be vewy vewy quiet. I'm hunting gawaxies. Hehhehehehehe.
The hunt is on, and my success rate is impressive, if a bit behind schedule. Normally, my object list to-do pages are set up so as to take a full night's session per page (about a dozen or so objects over about three hours). However, I have been on my 1st page of Leo for several nights now. That's okay, as I am not hurrying through the universe, but taking my time and getting to know an obscure corner of the constellation. 10 NGC galaxies are listed on the first page of my goals for southeast Leo (32 pages in all for the constellation!). Nearby stars include 2, 3, 5 and 6 Leo. Five galaxies were observed on previous good nights without much trouble. Three of the fainter ones fell victim to my 12" mirror last night, and now only two remain.
I have enjoyed 4 nights in a row of clear skies in Essex County, Ontario, Canada, an almost unprecedented event, especially this time of year. Because I have moved the scope to a site south of my nearest city, nearly up against Lake Erie, the skies are dark to the south, east, and overhead, thus making Leo a perfect area for observing. However, Monoceros is hanging in there for some final observing early in the evening, allowing me to capture a few NGC clusters before heading into galaxy land (I can recommend oc 2253 for almost any aperture). I am still involved with star clusters that surround 2244 and the Rosette Nebula. This is one of the richest areas for sweeping into incredible star fields that the sky has to offer.
In my 4 nights in a row of April observing, I have managed to log 14 new NGC objects! I've also seen other non-NGC objects, mostly clusters in Monoceros, as well as several double stars and variables in both constellations. While now convinced that my scope can find and resolve virtually any open star cluster listed in Uranometria, finding some of those fainter Leo galaxies has proven to be a more difficult project. The last four nights have taught me much. I still believe that I can find every single NGC galaxy in Leo, but I now realize how difficult and lengthy such a project will be, and how little of the faintest galaxies there is to see (basically the shape). Still, it is fun hunting them down, and extremely rewarding when another one is captured in all of its faint, averted vision glory. I could never locate them all from my back deck, which is much too suburban a location. But just 12 minutes drive south of here, past the town where I live, is a whole new sky, much darker and friendlier to galaxy hunters. We require the darkest skies possible. And sometimes even that isn't enough. Low humidity is also required.
Some of the galaxies I found last night were among the faintest objects of the entire NGC catalogue. Luckily I had an astronomer/friend with me to confirm sighting of one of the rarest for a 12". NGC 2873 has the following specs: 0'.8 X 0'.2---visual mag. 15.4; surface brightness 13.1. This is not a galaxy for the faint of heart, or for those quitters who don't see it on the first try. What makes it worthwhile is that it is nestled between two other galaxies, and found immediately north of them. 2872 is pretty bright for a 12" scope, and probably even visible with a 10" under good skies. Virtually touching it is 2874, though in the 12" at moderate power (150x) there is a tiny amount of black sky in between them. This galaxy is much fainter, though significantly larger and very elongated. With averted vision its dimensions go scooting quite far south and a bit north. Then comes 2873. Because of its tiny size, its surface brightness is just enough to make it visible to patient viewers with 12" scopes using averted vision (in a good sky). It appeared to me, however briefly and faintly, as a small oval between the two bigger galaxies, but just to the north, and just south of a threshold star. All three NGC objects fit easily into the 150x field of view.
After seeing three faint galaxies in the same high power field, it was refreshing to view the Leo Triplet again, just barely fitting into my 25 mm eyepiece at 60x. Sunglasses are now almost required by comparison. This is another area of good galaxy hunting, but for now I just come to look in awe.
I still have two faint galaxies to locate to conclude my first page of Leo. I had predicted that my study of the entire constellation would require about 32 nights to cover the 32 pages of planned objects. But I have now spent parts of five nights just on the first page! So I have learned a lot about my scope and my skies, and will readjust my expectations accordingly. With 85% success rate so far in Leo (and about 98% in Monoceros), I will continue my search for Leo galaxies and the darkest skies possible. Please let me know if you are in the area of Leo or Monoceros (or Essex County, Canada), and how you are doing.
Mapman Mike
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)