#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

#43 NGC Life List Update--How's My Observing?

When I first got seriously interested in amateur astronomy, I was determined to seek out all of the Herschel objects that were within reach of my Tasco 4.5" reflector, and then later my Edmund 8" reflector.  Star hopping to faint deep sky objects was quite easy with a properly aligned equatorial mount, which both scopes had.  Since acquiring my Orion 12" Dobsonian, and maps that amateurs in the 70s never dreamed of, I have become more interested in the NGC list.  Completing the list in one lifetime would be a daunting task, but I have decided to give it my best shot (see blog entry for 30/03/2013), counting the ones I saw previously with the 8".

I am only including the objects within my latitude range--I could not possibly hope to spend enough time in Chile or Australia to see all of the NGC objects only available to southern viewers.  Someday, however, I hope to get down there and at least view the highlights!  As my latitude is 42 degrees N, I can discount many of the objects in the catalogue, though I have plans to observe once or twice a year from about 36 degrees N, helping me to get the objects in the south skies too difficult from my home base.  And I am not interested in observing all of the NGC "mistakes."  Many objects turn out to be faint stars, or double stars, that perhaps looked nebulous to viewers back in the day.  Still others are duplicates of existing NGC entries.  I haven't yet determined how many objects of the 7800 I have available to me, but I am guessing it will be close to 5000.  As I am currently at just over 800 NGC objects seen, there is a long way to go.  The project would be much easier and faster with a 16", though to date I have found everything with the 12" that I have attempted.  Doubtless there will be some tiny, ultra-faint galaxies that I will never see, but by the time I have only those ones left to see, perhaps I will have a 16" scope or bigger.  Our astronomy club has a 14" at the observatory, and a very good friend of mine has a 22" Dob.  So the really faint ones are not causing me distress at this time.

I was never that familiar with the NGC list back in the early days (I began observing in late 1968), and when I did come across references to it in books it was usually described as a list of mostly very faint galaxies. That still describes the NGC pretty succinctly, though nowadays amateurs have access to telescope objective sizes we didn't even dream about back then!  A list of faint galaxies, while still quite intimidating, is within the reach of many amateurs and their large scopes.  Growing up, my local university had a 6" and an 8" scope.  Those were pretty big back then!  While I think they still are impressive, most observers would laugh at me for this belief (remember, a small scope back then was a 3").

Of course to seek out so many faint objects one must first have some type of mental disorder.  I don't know what mine is called, but I seem to be mostly alone out there in my search for all of the NGC.  The best part, of course, is after a night of observing many fainter objects, suddenly a 12.5 mag. galaxy is sighted and it seems like one is looking at the Andromeda galaxy!  Clusters appear twice as wonderful, as do globulars, after viewing galaxy after galaxy.  I never had much appreciation for fainter galactic nebula before, but I am now quite fascinated by them, even though some of the smaller, fainter ones resemble galaxies.  I am in no hurry to complete the list, either.  My Leo pre-observation rough pages number 30, with about 12 objects on each page.  In almost two years I have barely completed 3 pages!  I average about 3-4 deep sky objects per hour, not all of them NGC.  I like seeing what is in the neighbourhood, so if the NGC object is in an interesting area, I will take some time and have a look around to see what else is there.  Uranometria 2000, All-Sky Edition, accompanies me on every observing session.

I am happy knowing I will likely never complete my goal of seeing all of the available NGC objects.  It is comforting to me to know that there is so much out there.  If I make it a quarter of the way, or perhaps half, it will be an achievement worthy of some kind of award, no doubt self-presented.  "I present the distinguished 'He Tried but Failed to See all of the NGC' award to Mapman, from Ontario, Canada, one of the cloudiest places on the planet.  Good job, Mapman!"

 

Mapman Mike

#42 2013 Observations: A Look Back

First, some statistics.  2013 had more observing nights for me than ever before, and also more observing time.  I shattered my old records from 1978 and 1992.  This past year I managed 59 outings and observed for a total of 185 hours.  Considering how cloudy and wet it was right through June (parts of April being an exception), if it hadn't been for better weather in August, September and October it would have been an average year at best.  Those three months were splendid, however, allowing me to begin and conclude observations in Lyra and Cygnus, and nearly complete Cassiopeia, too.  

Whereas summaries of Lyra and Cygnus can be found elsewhere in this blog, I will not go into great detail.  However, let me say that I eventually succeeded in finding every single NGC and IC object in those constellations with my Orion 12" scope.  Several objects took many attempts, mostly waiting for nights of near-perfect seeing.  I even eventually glimpsed the central star in M 57!  I am having similar success in Cassiopeia, where only nine objects remain for me to see.

Earlier in 2013 I had some success in Lepus and Monoceros, though winter observing is done from my back deck, looking into light polluted skies.  Some of the finest open clusters reside within the boundaries of Monoceros, and I hope to log them all some day.  In spring I have better observing site options, and made a good start in Leo and Bootes.  I am attempting the almost impossible task of seeing all the NGC in those constellations, too.  In Leo I have logged 23 out of some 370 objects, so there is still some work to do there.  I have observed previously in Bootes with an 8" scope.  Having only seen the brightest galaxies, I am returning for another look at those with the 12", as well as continuing on with all 260+ objects there.  Last spring saw me log 13 new objects in Bootes.  In late fall I am drawn to Cetus, even more challenging due to its low position in the south sky from my latitude of 42 N.  23 new objects were logged there.

For the year I managed to view 124 NGC objects new to me, along with 19 ICs.  A large number of objects viewed previously with the 8" were also reviewed using the new 12".  In addition, I do not overlook clusters from other catalogs, such as Collinder, Berkeley, etc.  Double stars and variables also get some attention from me.  However, the deep sky objects are my major interest, and I saw an impressive number of them last year.  From January through June I saw 79 deep sky objects, all from Lepus, Monoceros, Leo and Bootes.  However, from July through December I saw 315 of the little buggers!  My total deep sky object count for 2013 was just shy of 400, at 394!  If that sounds like a lot, it is.  If it sounds like I was hurrying, I wasn't.  Divide my 185 hours into how many objects I saw and it becomes apparent that I spent just less than half an hour per object, on average.

Besides seeing the central star of the Ring Nebula, what were some of my greatest successes in 2013?  Just getting back so deeply into observational astronomy was the main news story for me last year.  Not to mention starting an astronomy blog!  The experience gained with my newest scope, combined with the quality of Uranometria 2000 maps, means that I am probably a better object hunter now than ever before.  Even though I have an Intelliscope, I have always preferred star hopping.  Only in this way can an observer have a real sense of where he is and where he is going.  Besides, sometimes there are amazing discoveries to be made not mentioned on any chart.  The telescope's computer is great for sky tours of brighter objects, or for finding something obscure in a very dark part of the sky.  But mostly I begin at an object and go from there using charts and navigation skills.

I am eager to see what lies ahead for 2014.  I will soon prepare new constellations for this summer and autumn, while Cetus, Lepus, Monoceros, Leo and Bootes will keep me busy for many more seasons.  It's been a very slow start to the observing year in 2014, due to a severe winter that is reluctant to give up its grip, even in mid-March as I write this.  However, spring skies are on the way and I am eager to get back to work there.  If I have to pick one favourite object for the year, I will cheat and choose the Leo Triplet of galaxies.  I can't wait to see them again!

 

Mapman Mike  

#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.

Cassiopeia

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

#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.

     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.

     Immediately north and a tad preceding 2244 is oc Cr 97.  This large (30'), scattered cluster has few but bright members, highlighted by yellow variable star AX and double star Struve 926 (7.7-8.5/12"), which I see as bluish white and reddish.

     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

#39 Winter Observing In Canada

When November (2013) rolled around I had great plans for upcoming observing sessions.  Not a whole lot became of my plans.  One of the severest winters in memory struck (and continues to strike), dashing hopes of getting much of anything accomplished.  A few looks at Jupiter here, a couple of the Orion Nebula there.   Obscenely cold temperatures coupled with high winds, along with continually falling and blowing snow made even the most stalwart observer helpless and confused.  I managed two sessions in November, one in December, none in January, and two in February.  Though we had more clear nights than that, they were simply unusable.

It's not that we don't have the clothing for it, though the one weak link in the chain continues to be good gloves.  Being able to switch an eyepiece, focus properly, turn a page from the map book or hold a pencil is impossible if fingers are properly protected.  And if they aren't, then watch out!  Here is a list of my typical winter gear for observing.

-lined pants (extremely warm!)

-snow pants overtop

-T-Max Heat* thermal base layer shirt, long sleeves.

-turtle neck sweater

-T-Max Heat* sweater, zippered high

-light jogging jacket, zippered tight

-snorkel parka, full length, synthetic down

-warm socks

- heavy over-socks, T-Max Heat*

-lined winter boots

-winter ear band

-toque

-jacket hood, if required

-two pair light gloves (dollar store), with T-Max Heat* hand warmers inside

-pair of large, very bulky, very warm winter mittens overtop double gloves.  Mitten comes off temporarily for eyepiece or other work.

*T-Max is part of Wind River brand, sold at Marks Work Warehouse in Canada

It takes quite a while to get dressed and ready to go outside!  And once dressed, you must go outside or you will faint!  Now the back deck must be prepared, too.  The home site is inundated with light pollution from nearby subdivisions and county roads.  The south sky is polluted by the lights of my hometown, Amherstburg, Ontario.  We erect tarps on two sides (south and east) to protect our eyes from oncoming traffic headlights.  A third side is protected by the garage which is attached to our house (west), and the fourth side from a large hedge (north).  Our north and west sky is polluted by lights from the Windsor/Detroit megapolis.  If it is too windy we cannot erect the tarps, and thus we cannot observe.  Our best sky is overhead and east, though we have no problems with clusters, nebula, double stars etc, in almost any direction.  Finding galaxies is a challenge.

Now it's time to set up the two telescopes.  The 12" takes about fifteen minutes from basement to deck, while the 6" requires less than five minutes.  In conclusion, serious winter observing is a huge undertaking.  I remember our first session in February of this year (2014).  We got set up, began observing, and clouds rolled in.  We waited patiently for an hour before calling things off.  In came the scopes, down came the tarps, off came the clothing.  Suddenly, it cleared up and remained clear the rest of the night!  We had no ambition to redo our setup, so we just remained indoors and in bad moods the rest of the night.

Finally, on the night of the 23rd of February, we hit the jackpot!  Clear skies, light winds, and temperatures that were tolerable if one was properly dressed (-6 C).  We were very snug in our little environment, and the observing was top notch!  I observed a number of deep sky objects and had the best look at Jupiter I ever have.  The red spot was in the very center of the planet (though north of the equator), and was so distinct and three dimensional that it just popped out at the viewer.  It was a deep orange, almost the same colour as Hind's Crimson Star in Lepus.  Detail on the equatorial belts was similarly astounding!

Lepus is my current winter constellation, and though very few of the fine galaxies within its borders can be seen from my deck, the double star viewing is amazing.  Several highlights of Lepus include M 79 (I had my finest view of it ever that night, resolving nearly 20 stars with the 12" in a very low and light polluted area of sky), Hind's Crimson Star (which I always check on during any winter session), a multiple star that also has an NGC designation (oc 2017), and double stars galore.  My favourite doubles are Kappa, a difficult object if south skies are too fluid, Gamma (lovely in very small scopes, too), ADS 4741 (a stunning triple), h 3750 and h 3752.  Also of interest in Lepus is pn IC 418.  Although it requires a large aperture and very high power (and thus a night of good seeing) to see much, observing the famous "Spirograph Nebula" is also a highlight of spending an hour or two in Lepus.  The nebula can be seen in small scopes, but it is tiny.  If a dark south sky is available, there are any number of galaxies to visit, several within range of 6" scopes.  Sadly my home sky does not permit this.

While overall winter observing this year was fraught with obstacles, even one or two good nights make the season worthwhile.  As Spring slowly begins to overpower Old Man Winter I will begin to observe in Monoceros, and then Leo.  Nights will still be cold for some time, but hopefully we will be able to make use of  them a little more often.

Mapman Mike



#38 Monthly Summary # 8: October/November 2013

It's now been one year of observing with the 12".  When I first set out to find all the NGC objects I could from my location, I thought it would be a daunting and difficult task.  I had no idea.  I figured that pointing a 12" Dob into the overhead sky would reveal anything and everything I wished to see.  It did, but what a task!  I expected (and got) trouble low on the horizon (see my previous post), but did not expect that much difficulty with overhead skies.  Finding some of these little faint objects from the NGC list has been really, really hard!  However, the experience I have gained in the past year has been impressive.  Knowing the limitations of one's scope (and eyes) is so important to observing.  It has been a lot of fun finding my limitations.

The good news is that I have seen every NGC and IC object in Lyra and Cygnus, and I am nearly done with Cassiopeia!  Last lunar cycle did not produce a bonanza of clear nights.  There were three that worked for us.  My biggest conquest (well, one of them) was locating the final unseen NGC galaxy in Lyra.  I saw it 45 minutes after sunset in one of the clearest skies I have ever experienced.  What makes eg 6686 so hard to see is its faintness (obviously) and its proximity to a bright star (mag 7.5, which looks like a streetlight in a 12").  I tried a number of times this summer.  However, the sky on this night was as perfect as it gets, and "bingo," there it was, in all its faint fuzziness.

Other impressive accomplishments include locating (just barely) eg 45 in Cetus, and enjoying my best view ever of pn 246, not far away.  The three sessions saw us observe for 11.5 hours.  I snagged 21 new NGC objects and one IC, plus 9 open clusters from other catalogues.  I give the facts below.

LYRA

eg 6686:  Mag. 14.45.  Very faint and elusive, but visible at 125x and 150x.  Small and round.  This completes my work in Lyra!!

CASSIOPEIA

gn 896:  These two nebula appear together, separated by a small black lane.  896 is quite good with a filter, and is the brighter of the two.
gn I 1795:  Appearing with 896 at low and medium powers, it is involved with a mag. 9 star.  Both easy objects with the ultrablock filter on a very fine night.
eg 1343:  Mag. 13.5.  Located at 125x, and observed at 150x and 200x.  Faint overall, but showing a brighter middle, and noticeably elongated.  2 faint stars lie immediately north.

CETUS

eg 45:  Mag. 12.5.  One of the biggest challenges in Cetus for northern observers is this large, very low surface brightness galaxy.  After many tries, I saw it on this one superb night.  6.9 mag. and 9.9 mag stars make this even harder to see.  Expect faint patchiness, in at least two locations.  Located at -23 degrees.  Good luck.
eg 113:  Mag. 13.3.  Oval and faint, a brighter center was noted at 200x.
eg 114:  Mag. 12.9.  Paired with 118, this was smaller but somewhat brighter.
eg 117:  Mag. 13.8.  Difficult object.  Seen at 125x and 150x.  Round.
eg 118:  Mag. 12.95.  Larger than 114, but seen with it at medium powers.  Large and fainter.
eg 120:  Mag. 13.35.  Threshold object at 125x.  Noticeably elongated at 150x.
eg 124:  Mag. 13.1.  Tricky to locate.  Big and oval, best with a.v.  Close to 114, 118.
eg 132:  Mag. 13.2.  Easy to spot at 60x!  Round and ghostly at 100x.  Much brighter at 200x, and quite large.  Sits amidst three faint stars.
eg 145:  Mag. 13.15.  Oval, faint and best with a.v. at 100x, 125x.
eg 161:  Mag. 13.35.  Like a star out of focus at 125x.  Very small.  150x shows elongation.  200x shows a stellar core.
eg 173:  Mag. 14.1.  Ghostly at 125x, it was acceptable at 150x and 200x.  Very large with a low surface brightness, I wish to return here for a 2nd look.
eg 179:  Mag. 13.05.  At -18 degrees.  Spotted at 100x.  Oval with a bright middle or perhaps a star within.  125x and 150x shows well.
eg 209:  Mag. 12.95.  1 degree S of 179!  Small, round and very faint.  Appears to have a stellar core.
eg 255:  Mag. 12.9.  Lying at -11 degrees, 28', this one has proved impossible up till my one fabulous night.  Easy tonight!  Round and ghostly, like a planetary nebula.  Large at 125x (though considerably smaller than nearby pn 246).
eg 1070: Mag. 12.75.  Seen at 60x, 100x, 125x and 150x.  Round, faint but large.  Oval at 150x.
eg 1085: Mag. 12.8.  Small and faint.  Should be brighter.  Will return for a 2nd look.
eg 1137: Mag. 13.  Views improve at 125x and 150x.  Considerably elongated using a.v.
eg 1153: Mag. 12.35.  Small and faint.  Oval at 150x, with a brighter middle.

CLUSTERS FROM OTHER CATALOGUES

Cassiopeia

oc Be 4:  15 faint stars around a bright one.
oc Be 61:  Small, hazy patch at 60x.  Resolves at 125x upward, but very few stars. 
oc Be 62:  A dozen faint stars involved with a 5-star asterism.  Use high power.
oc Be 104:  S of star V639.  6 stars resolved at 250x, hampered by the variable.
oc Do 13: Large and widely scattered group.  About 40 stars at 100x, many of them bright.  Attractive group.
oc King 1:  Very faint at 60x.  150x shows 16 stars in 2 groups.  A bright group is adjacent.
oc Skiff j00584+6878:  125x begins to show a dozen stars, widely scattered.  Out of the way.
oc St 18:  Line of 5 bright stars.  2nd from west surrounded by faint stars.
oc St 21:  A 'V'-shaped group was noted, open end to the NW.  The line of stars in the S (running E-W) has a compact group of very faint stars around it.  The whole 'V' is attractive.

Mapman