Tales from Santa Luce, Tuscany, Episode VIII: More Galaxies in Summer

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

August 3 was clear again, so I continued the hunt for summer galaxies, started the day before. I set up the scope early, and picked up Saturn in some better seeing than I had had before.

When it was dark enough, I set out after NGC 6118, and picked it up in averted vision. It is fairly elongated and has low surface brightness. Averted vision only. This is a member of the Herschel 400 list

NGC 5885 was another failure from the night before. This time it was still a bit higher up, and I managed to make out a roughly circular patch in averted vision.

I had a look at NGC 5915 and NGC 5916 again, just to confirm them. The former was readily confirmed, and the latter showed the same glimpses of an elongated patch as the day before.

Being a bit fed up at looking for these very faint fuzzies, I then switched northwards, and had a look at M51, mainly as a starting point for a star hop to NGC 5448, which was not that easy, but showed up as an elongated patch east of Alkaid.

Further east, I found NGC 5676 (Herschel 400) quite easily as a somewhat elongated fuzzy patch. Slightly westward NGC 5660 showed up as a more rounded, and a bit fainter patch. Nearby NGC 5689 (Herschel 400) was a good deal harder.

I had a look at M11 and M8 to round off the session, as increasing haze made observations harder. Though cut short, the session brought up a count of 300 on the Herschel 400 list, so I was very pleased.

August 5 was very humid, but I had a go nonetheless. It was positively hot when I started observing.

NGC 5861 and NGC 5878 were found around Zubeneschamali, the first close by, the second further south. Both were very hard, averted vision only patches of fuzz. I tried objects higher up in the sky, but failed dismally. Reason: fog on corrector plate. In fact, it was so humid my glasses were starting to fog up.

I later spotted M31 and M33 through my 15x70 bins, and admired M71 and M27 as well.

Not the most productive session, but I have no reason to complain.

Next episode: Of Virgo's Tail and Boys with Binoculars

[KevUU]

Yes, I had a night in Keffalonia where I was dead happy to find it so warm when I got up at 3am for a session, until the warm humid dampness cut things short an hour later

Well done on the 300 Herschels

Do you have a total DSO count? You look to be well clear of 500 at any rate!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Yes, I had a night in Keffalonia where I was dead happy to find it so warm when I got up at 3am for a session, until the warm humid dampness cut things short an hour later

Well done on the 300 Herschels

Do you have a total DSO count? You look to be well clear of 500 at any rate!

Cheers, Kev

The total DSO count is closing in on 800. I am having a look at a collection of galaxies in Draco to see if they can make me reach 400 galaxies, and perhaps the 800 DSO count

[KevUU]

The total DSO count is closing in on 800. I am having a look at a collection of galaxies in Draco to see if they can make me reach 400 galaxies, and perhaps the 800 DSO count

... I'm ... well, I'm speechless. 400 galaxies *splutter* good skills that man!