Tales from Santa Luce, Tuscany, Episode X: So you think you have seen all Messiers?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

August 11, the day after the binocular session with the kids was clear, with slight haze building later. I started out on the crescent moon, and despite poor seeing bagged craters Messier A and B (25 of the Lunar 100), two "Messiers" I had not yet found . Crater Taurantius (31 on Lunar 100) was also visible, and I think I coul dmake out Rheita Valley and possibly the Langrenius Rays, but could not confirm that, given the poor seeing.

Saturn was also swimming a bit, but was still nice.

After that, I turned back to DSO hunting.

NGC 5597 and NGC 5595 formed a very faint pair, averted vision only.

NGC 5796 was similarly hard, averted vision.

NGC 5791 was a bit more compact, making it a bit easier than the former

NGC 5792 was also quite hard. A fuzzy patch was spotted near a trio of stars which formed a line at about a 45 deg angle with the elongation of the patch.

NGC 5713 was rather easy compared to all the hard ones spotted before

I tried NGC 5691 and NGC 5690 but no luck. Later I tried NGC 5921 but haze was too strong by then. I finished the session with some (more ) Messiers: M5, M10, M12, M14, M107, M17, M22, and M28.

Next Episode: Last of the Summer Galaxies ...

[KevUU]

Hah! Messiers on the moon, well I never.