August 4, 2011 – Southerly globs and nebs

Dark clear sky, a bit warmer and humid than usual and so more mosquitos than usual.

First off I went for M6 and M7 but they were behind the trees.

M62 – Mag 6.6 globular in Ophiuchus. Start with Antares in the finderscope, then pan to Tau-Sco, then 2 degrees @9:00 to a mag 5 star, then 4 degrees @ 8:00 to another mag 5 star. Pan 1 degree to M62, check with the 25mm EP, and viola. Dim, round. Through the 10mm Ep + 2x Barlow, I can see a magnitude 11 or 12 star just above it (verified in Stellarium). Can’t resolve the stars in the cluster though.

Image via Wikipedia

I was heading inside to watch big brother, but looming above my house was Sagittarius….I sat back down.

M28 – Mag 6.9 globular cluster in Sagittarius. So close to Lambda-Sgr (the top tip of the teapot). Find Lambda in the finder scope, then pan 1 degree to where M28 is. Dim. I could just barely resolve individual stars using the 10mm EP with the 2x Barlow.  Mosquitos are bad!

Image via Wikipedia

M22 – Mag 5.1 globular in Sagittarius. From Lambda-Sgr, pan 2 degrees to M22. I can resolve stars in the 25mm EP. Fairly dispersed, not the brightest nor the densest, but pretty wide. It’s easy to see in the finderscope. Wikipedia says this is one of the brightest globulars. Maybe it doesn’t seem so because it is not as dense as others.

Image via Wikipedia

M8 – Lagoon Nebula – magnitude 5.8 neb in Sagittarius. With  Lambda-Sgr in the finderscope, pan to…that big smokey thing 4 degrees away….Spectacular nebula! Fills the 25mm eye piece. A dark band divides the nebula into 1/3 and 2/3 pieces. There are a lot of stars next to it, almost like an open cluster.

Image via Wikipedia

M20 (Trifid Nebula) and M21 – From M8, pan up 1 degree. Both of these objects fit inside the 25mm EP. The nebula M20 is dim and at first seems fairly small. Lingering inspection reveals fairly broad structure with a black band dividing it evenly.  The Cluster is  fairly evenly dispersed. Fairly dense for an OC.

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

August 3 2011 – Globular Clusters Galore

I started at about 10:15 in the backyard, way at the back, to try and see over the trees in the Southern direction. I targeted Messier GC’s in Ophiuchus, Scorpius, and Sagittarius. The sky was dark and clear!!

M107 – Magnitude 8.1 globular cluster in Ophiuchus. Start at Zeta-Oph and pan down 2 degrees to M107.  Dim, not quite round, brightest at core. It is inside a kite shaped by 4 magnitude-11 stars.

Image via Wikipedia

M10 – Mag 6.6 globular cluster in Ophiuchus. Found Zeta-Oph in the finderscope, panned 2 degrees left and up to 20-Oph, up 5 degrees to a mag-5 star, then up 2 degrees to M10. Can resolve brightest stars in 25mm EP. 10mm EP resolves brightest at the core.

Image via Wikipedia

M12 – Mag 6.6 globular cluster in Ophiuchus. From M10, in finderscope, pan right 1 degree to two mag-7 stars, and continue a degree to M12. Similar to M10, but as if it is behind an open cluster….lots of bright blue stars around it. Not quite as dense as M10.

Image via Wikipedia

Forgot to look for M9 and M14 in Oph!!

Down to Scorpius:

M4 – Mag 5.9 globular cluster in Scorpius. Panned from Antares to M4 in the 25mm EP (it’s only 1 degree distant). Large with bright outliers. Fairly dispersed. Easy to resolve stars in 25mm EP.

Image via Wikipedia

M80 – Mag 7.2 globular cluster in Scorpius. Starhop: Alpha- to Sigma- to Omicron-Sco to M80. All about 2-degree hops. Small, dim, brightness very much concentrated at core. Could not quite but seemed to almost resolve stars using 10mm EP + 2x Barlow.

Image via Wikipedia

M19 – Mag 7.2 globular cluster in Ophiuchus. Starhop; Alpha-Sco up 2 degrees to mag 5 (Iota-Sco) star,  up and over 4 degrees to a mag 7 star, then over 4 degrees to a mag5 star (26-Oph).  Then, down 2 degrees to M19. A bit bigger and brighter than M80. 10mm EP + 2x Barlow — I think I could resolve the brightest star off center….this might have been a coincidental mag 11 star that Stellarium shows.

Image via Wikipedia

M62 was behind the trees by this time….shoulda started there first!

July 24, 2011 – NGC 6210, the Turtle Nebula

I’ve spent the past two nights looking for this nebula, and had I known it was so small (in an angular sense), I would have known it had been in my finder all along. Its angular dimensions are 48″ x 8″. Those are arcseconds.

Start with Gamma-Her in the finder, and pan to Beta-Her. Pan in the same direction, about the same distance as between Gamma and Beta, where there are 3 of the brightest stars in the area that form an almost isoceles triangle. A degree away from the first of these stars are two other stars, not as bright and close together. NGC 6210 is there too.

In the 25mm EP, the blue colour is noticeable, but it could still be mistaken for a star. In the 10mm EP, it is now obviously not a star since it has dimensions, it’s bluer, but it is still very small. Add the 2x barlow and it’s a bit too dark to discern any more detail, but it’s not quite round. It has a bumpy outline.

Image via Wikipedia

May 31, 2011 – One Galaxy One Globular Cluster

First clear sky in about 2 months!

Gets dark at around 10:30 this time of year. Headed out at 10:30 for about 20 minutes.

M49 – Magnitude 8.4 galaxy in Virgo. Start at Delta-Vir, and about 1/3 of the way to Denebola is M49. From Delta-Vir, pan about 5 degrees at 2:00 to d1-Vir (forms a triangle with d2-Vir and another star), then pan about 2.5 degrees to the next brightest star…a bit further and there is M49. Easy to spot in the 25mm EP, and still quite bright in the 12mm EP. Fairly round but not quite round.

M49 - Image via Wikipedia

M5 – magnitude 5.8 globular cluster in Serpens. Find Alpha-Ser, then pan almost 8 degrees at 4:00. The hardest part was locating Alpha-ser. Follow from Arcturus to Zeta-Boo and this points at Alpha-Ser. Once I found that in the finder scope, I panned the 8 degrees and found a faintly fuzzy star, which, through the 25mm EP was M5. Not as round and compact as M3, but the brighter stars were easily distinguishable, and fairly evenly distributed across the field.

M5 - image via wikipedia

 

April 30, 2011 – Last M-Galaxies in Coma Berenices

Just after sunset, still getting dark, around 10 degrees and I can see some clouds rolling in. Trying to see the last 4 Messier galaxies in Coma Berenices….

M98 – Magnitude 10.1 galaxy – Start at Beta-Leo in the finder scope, and pan 6 degrees toward 8:00, 1/2 degree from 6-Com. Wasn’t as easy as that, since I couldn’t easily figure out which start was 6-com. I noticed that a few stars formed a triangle, and a fourth star is on one of the sides of the triangle (like, it’s between two vertices. 6-Com was the nearest of the stars that aligned with the 4th star. Centered on that and panned a half a degree and found M98. VERY faint, but oblong as expected.

M98 - Image via Wikipedia

I saw a REALLY BRIGHT satellite rise from the NW horizon – had to be the space station (confirmed using Stellarium later) – followed it with the 25mm EP for a while – I’m fairly positive I could make out the solar panels. It’s so big – I’ve never seen the structure of a satellite, they’re usually dots.

Back to business!

M99 – Magnitude 9.8 galaxy – From M98, pan 1 1/3 degrees toward 7:00 – found it pretty easily, fairly roundish and faint.

M99 - Image via Wikipedia

Clouds rolled in.

While I was waiting for dark, I spent quite a bit of time observing Saturn. Titan is easy to see. Rhea is there too, smaller. Rhea is magnitude 10.18. I wonder what the limitations of my scope and location are…..

April 24, 2011 – M61 Galaxy in Virgo

I wasn’t expecting to do any observing tonight since the Dark Sky Chart had no lovin’ in sight, but at 9pm it seemed pretty good out so I set out the scope to cool off. At 9:3o I headed out – there was a thin mist or cloud cover so the seeing was not great, but I could see the stars so I tried. It was a little above zero so quite comfortable.

I had a few galaxies planned. I started with M61 in Virgo. I found Eta-Vir in the finder, then panned about 5 degrees at a right angle from the line that Gamma, Eta, and Beta-Virgo form (panning to the side on which Denebola lies). Just past  the brightest star in the area, and saw the very faint roundish smokey thing which is M61 through a 6″ Newtonian and a 25mm EP. Very faint.

M61 - Image via Wikipedia

I spent another 45 minutes trying to find M98 but the thin haze was getting worse so I packed it in.

Oh yeah, I looked at Saturn for a bit. I might have seen the Iapetus moon – I’ll take a better look when the seeing is better.

April 21, 2011 – Open Clusters in Monoceros, etc.

Nice clear night, about 0 degrees, no  moon.

Facing South-West or so, go the streetlight to deal with but these were easy targets.

M93 – Magnitude 6.2 open cluster in Puppis. Find Zeta-Pup in the finder scope then pan 1.5 degrees toward 2 o’clock, there it is.

M93 - Image via Wikipedia

M47 – Magnitude 4.4 open cluster in Monoceros. Find Alpha-Mon, and pan 5 degrees toward 7 o’clock. There it is. Not very dense but a around 10 bright stars.

M47 - Image via Wikipedia

M46 – Magnitude 6.1 open cluster, a little over a degree from M47 toward 9:30. Denser than M6, and stars are dimmer, but of equal magnitude more or less. It’s prettier than M47.

M46 - Image via Wikipedia

M44 (Praesepe or Beehive Cluster) – Magnitude 3.1 open cluster in Cancer – this should have been so easy to find….but if you confuse Hydra and Gemini, it will take longer. Once I realized I was looking at Alpha- and Beta-Gemeni, I oriented myself and found M44 with the naked eye. Then in the finder scope, then through the 25mm EP. It’s very wide…maybe 2.5 degrees?

M44 - Image via Wikipedia

M67 – 6.7 magnitude open cluster in Cancer – Found Alpha-Can in the finder, then panned a couple degrees toward 4:30. A bit like M46, but more variation in star size.

M67 - Image via Wikipedia

April 6, 2011 – Galaxies in Virgo

Clear, fairly dark (1/8 moon to the West).  I’m facing East tonight (toward town, so a bit of light pollution). I was out from around 8:45 pm to 9:30.

Virgo is crazy dense with galaxies. All the galaxies tonight were dim, visible in the 25mm eye piece, and still visible but dim in the 12mm EP. Here’s the path I took:

Start at Epsilon-Vir, which is easy to spot with the naked eye, the brightest star between Arcturus and Beta-Leo (Denebola). With Epsilon-Vir in the finderscope, pan 5 degrees to Rho-Vir (magnitude 5 star) in the 2 o’clock direction. Then look through the 25mm EP:

• From Rho, pan 1.5 degrees toward 10 0’clock to find M60.
• From M60, pan 0.5 degrees toward 1 o’clock to M59.
• From M59, continue in the same direction for 1 degree to M58
• From M58, pan 1 degree toward 11 o’clock to M89.
• From M89, pan 0.75 degrees toward 10 o’clock to M90.
• From M90, pan 1 degree toward 1:30 to M87.
• From M87, pan 1 degree toward 1 o’clock to M86.
• M84 is 0.3 degrees  toward 2 o’clock, and is visible in the 25mm EP with M86.

The Virgo Cluster - Image via Wikipedia

Virgo Cluster - M87 is the big galaxy in the lower left corner - Image via Wikipedia

I went back and forth a lot to retrace my steps to make sure I was looking at what I thought I was looking at, and to get back on track when I got lost.

Next I attempted some galaxies on Coma Berenices. I found a couple:

About 2/3 of the way from Alpha-Com to Beta-Leo is 11-Com (magnitude 4.7 star). With averted vision it is noticeable with the naked eye. I found it in the finderscope, then through the 25mm EP:

Pan 1.3 degrees toward 8 o’clock to M85.

Back to 11-com, then pan 2 degrees toward 4:30 to M100.

After that, I tried to find M99 but couldn’t – I was cold and had no patience so I packed it up.

March 30, 2011 – M41, M50

Hazy, but can see the stars. Not a great night for telescoping. To see the targets I had to position myself such that I was facing a street lamp.

M41 – magnitude 4.5 open cluster in Canis Major. Start with Beta-CMa in the finderscope, then pan 5 degrees to Nu2-CMa. Pan another 4 degrees, and then a bit down. There it is.

M41 - Image via Wikipedia

M50 – magnitude 5.9 open cluster in Monoceros. Start with Alpha-CMa (Sirius) in the finderscope, pan straight up to Theta-CMa a distance of 5 degrees, then keep going another 4 degrees. There it is.

M50 - Image via Wikipedia

Open clusters are underwhelming.

March 27, 2011 – Galaxies in Leo Revisited

Another clear, cloudless, and cold (-10 Celcius) night, but add some wind in and it’s bitter cold outside. Again, to observe Leo, I had to face the street, and so stray light from the streetlamps probably washed out the contrast a bit. I face the town too, so there’s light pollution from there too.

M65, M66 – These galaxies are about 2.5 degrees below theta-Leo (Chertan, the lower star that marks the inner side of the hind quarters), and about equidistant from Iota-Leo. In the finderscope, I start at Delta-Leo and pan over to Theta-Leo, and keep going a couple degrees to Eta-Leo (magnitude 5 star). Then, pan down to M65 and M66.  They appear as a couple of smokey smudges. The center is not much brighter than the rest which is a bit strange for a galaxy, right?  They both appear in the 25mm EP at the same time.

M65, M66 and some other dude - Image via Wikipedia

The other galaxy is NGC 3628, which I didn’t know was there so I didn’t look for it. Some other time!

M105, M96, M95 – M105 galaxie is almost 2 degrees from Kappa-Leo, which is about 2/5 the distance between Chertan and Regulus (Alpha-Leo), closer to Chertan, below the lion’s ‘tummy’. I started with Theta-Leo, and panned toward Alpha to find Kappa-Leo. Once there, I panned down about 1.5 degrees to a magnitude-7 star, which is near M105. Using the 25mm EP, I panned to M105 and saw two galaxies. One, M105, the other NGC 3384, which I wasn’t expecting. These galaxies are so close they practically overlap! I panned over to M95 and M96 – round smokies with bright centers. They both fit in the 25mm EP as well – but just.

M105 and NGC 3384 - Image via Wikipedia

M95 and M96 - Image via Wikipedia

M64 – By this time I’m pretty cold! This galaxy was on my list my previous session but I didn’t get to it for lack of patience. I found Alpha-Com in the spotting scope, then panned up about 5 degrees to 35-Com (magnitude 5, the brightest star in the vicinity). Then I looked through the 25mm EP and panned left to the galaxy. This is AKA the Black Eye Galaxy. When I’m less cold, I’ll take more time observing it.

I took a peek at Saturn again (again, nice) and the nebula in Orion, which was spectacular (again)!