Virgo cluster with the 10" f/5 this time

After working my way through the Virgo galaxy cluster with the TV76 on
Saturday night i wanted to try the same with my 10" f/5 dob. My backyard
skies aren't anywhere near as dark as from the Anza-Borrego desert but
the added light grasp of the larger scope did let me navigate through
the cluster pretty well.

This was my route with the 10" dob... M98, M100, M85, 4394, 4450, M99,
M84, M86, 4438, 4435, 4388, 4461, 4473, 4477, 4459, 4474, M87, 4478,
M89, M90, 4564, 4568, M58, M59, M60, 4535, 4526, M49 and M61. Now i'm
really looking forward to trying these galaxies in the 10" from a dark
site but i think this will have to wait another month.

Also visited M64, the Black Eye galaxy. I could tell this galaxy had
some interesting structure but through the skyglow i couldn't really see
the black eye itself. Last object was M104, the Sombrero galaxy. Nicely
elongated. I've always like the little string of 3 stars that precedes
the galaxy as well as the near by Stargate asterism.

-Florian at stargazing dit com

Florian,
Very nice report.. This looks like a very good route through Virgo-Coma.
I will have to try it.
This is one place where star hopping seems like more fun than using
digital setting circles.
Ciao,
Bill Meyers

Florian wrote:

After working my way through the Virgo galaxy cluster with the TV76 on
Saturday night i wanted to try the same with my 10" f/5 dob. My backyard
skies aren't anywhere near as dark as from the Anza-Borrego desert but
the added light grasp of the larger scope did let me navigate through
the cluster pretty well.

This was my route with the 10" dob... M98, M100, M85, 4394, 4450, M99,
M84, M86, 4438, 4435, 4388, 4461, 4473, 4477, 4459, 4474, M87, 4478,
M89, M90, 4564, 4568, M58, M59, M60, 4535, 4526, M49 and M61. Now i'm
really looking forward to trying these galaxies in the 10" from a dark
site but i think this will have to wait another month.

Also visited M64, the Black Eye galaxy. I could tell this galaxy had
some interesting structure but through the skyglow i couldn't really see
the black eye itself. Last object was M104, the Sombrero galaxy. Nicely
elongated. I've always like the little string of 3 stars that precedes
the galaxy as well as the near by Stargate asterism.

-Florian at stargazing dit com

I just opened the May issue of S&T to find a nice article by Sue French
on Markarian's Chain of galaxies! After spending three nights with these
galaxies recently, both from home and from the desert, and with two
different telescopes, i find the photograph that accompanies the article
on page 89 to look like an old friend. ;-)

-Florian