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early morning galaxy hunting
This last Thursday - err, actually Friday morning,I was able to get
in some early morning galaxy hunting. Another miserable stretch of cloudy weather this last new moon period. Finally it was clear, though I had to wait until 1:30 am for a rapidly fattening moon to set. I don't like the moon. Too bright. Another long pedal, in the cold and dark, out the edge of town. Cold weather really does take much of the pleasure out of observing. It's hard to really enjoy what you're looking at, much less fully concentrate, when you're being worked over by Jack Frost. It was around freezing, with frost on the ground - not uber frigid like it will be shortly where I live, but chilly enough. The fact I had no chair didn't help either. I warmed up by quickly checking out Mars and Saturn. The seeing was not good. I've developed a taste for DSO stuff. I quickly checked out Andromeda, M1, M36, M37, M38. I then revisited some of the stuff in Monocerus I'd seen last time - M46, M47, M50, ngc 2343 & 2335. At this point it was time to add some new stuff to the database between-the-ears. I've been using the starry night software - not so much because I enjoy looking at fake stars on a tricolor phosphor monitor, but because the software is useful for seeing what constellations are out, and for checking star formations to use for star hopping. Time to find some new stuff. My first target was the constellation Leo. A new one to me. I like Leo - an easy to locate constellation. Armed with my 40mm and 25mm ep's (23x, 36x) it was time to do some galaxy hunting. Starting with the star Chertan in the main Leo triangle, I was quickly able to locate M65, M66. Five bright stars form a point with points almost direcly to these galaxies. These two galaxies fit into the same FOV in the 25mm ep, though they are not nearly as impressive as M81, M82. Clearly visible though. Next I located ngc 2903, close to the other end of Leo. Took me a bit longer, but I was able to locate this galaxy without too much trouble. Nice eliptical. Creamy smooth. Next on the agenda were M105, M95 & M96. There aren't as many bright stars next to these galaxies, and my first couple of attempts to locate them failed. So I waited for Leo to rise a bit. I spent some time looking at the owl nebula. Finally, I was able to locate this group of galaxies, all nearly in a row. Thing is, there were four faint fuzzies - two faint ones right next to each other, and a couple of brighter ones. It wasn't until I got home and consulted the CN charts that I realized I must have been looking at ngc 3384 in addition to the messiers. Satisfied I moved on. Time to consult the CN mag 7 charts (something not to enjoyable in the cold). Next I spent some time locating M94 in Cannes Venatici. Easy to find. Heh, thing is I thought it was a glob. cluster, and it wasn't until I got home that I realized it was a galaxy. Such are the limitations of 90mm of aperture. I then easily located M106 in the big dipper. Big, one of my favorites of the night. While it was still low in the sky, I also got my first look at M51 in the 90mm refractor. Again, big. Can't say I could see much detail beyond its nucleus and its 'egg yolk' companion. I took another stab trying to find M108 and M109, but simply could not see them. After this it was getting late, so I sighted on M81, M82 (already familiar with these two), now high in the sky. After seeing all the above galaxies I was even more impressed with these two. They really are bright and lovely. M82 looked like more than just a streak of light - there was some mottling apparent. M81 kept teasing me with glimpses of extended detail - arms or a ring, especially using averted vision - but nothing I could hold. I was impressed with its size. I'm really starting to aperture fever I think. At this point it was after 5:00 am... time to go. So I found a lot of new stuff for me, even though it wasn't the most pleasant observing experience. Looking forward to more fuzzy hunting in Coma Berenices and Virgo. I've become spoiled by somewhat dark skies. I used to be happy observing from in town, but now that I realize how much more stuff is plainly visible from a dark site it's impossible for me to go back. Sigh. Need to get a car. -Eric B |
#2
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early morning galaxy hunting
Eric, absolutely wonderful report! Keep 'em coming. On cloudy, or
Moon-filled nights, reading such reports keeps the astro juices flowing. You managed to see a lot with only 90mm! Just wait until you get a car (and a 6 or 8" dob!). You'll be in DSO/galaxy heaven. Just one minor correction, NGC 2903 is a spiral galaxy, not an elliptical one! See, e.g., http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/ngc/n2903.html Your comment about how bright and interesting M81/82 were after looking at fainter stuff is revealing... I always like to finish with some brighter eye candy before trundling off to bed! The contrast--and ease of view-- can be incredible. Larry Stedman Vestal |
#3
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early morning galaxy hunting
Larry Stedman wrote: Eric, absolutely wonderful report! Keep 'em coming. On cloudy, or Moon-filled nights, reading such reports keeps the astro juices flowing. Thanks for the compliment! You managed to see a lot with only 90mm! Just wait until you get a car (and a 6 or 8" dob!). You'll be in DSO/galaxy heaven. Yeah... I'm thinking of some sort of portable dob in the 10-12" range. Something that collapses. Heh, of course a car would be useful too. Just one minor correction, NGC 2903 is a spiral galaxy, not an elliptical one! See, e.g., http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/ngc/n2903.html Ah, well I meant elliptical as far as its shape appeared to me (elliptical patch) and not so much the proper galactic species. Your comment about how bright and interesting M81/82 were after looking at fainter stuff is revealing... I always like to finish with some brighter eye candy before trundling off to bed! The contrast--and ease of view-- can be incredible. Larry Stedman Vestal Eric |
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early morning galaxy hunting
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