21.8 mag and I need to get the charts out

[jetstream]

Better than last night, the SQM gave repeated 21.8 mag and the trans was as good as it gets at this elevation. Obviously I viewed many many favorites including some really faint galaxies. I believe in between NGC 3388 and NGC 3393 there is a very faint galaxy that I saw and an extremely faint threshold galaxy on the other side of NGC 3388.

Any ideas on which galaxies the 2 smudges are is much appreciated.

Another new one was observing a faint galaxy off from M51 and thought I could see another but couldn't be sure- yet...

Back to my Star Charts, Uranometria/Tri- Atlas here we come!!

PS the propeller in M13 was very distinct....

Edit the one near the Whirlpool is NGC 5198 and the other possibly NGC 4263

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great report!

[Stu]

Nice one Gerry.

Do you know what sort of magnitude you were getting down to on galaxies?

Also, do you mean 3383 rather than 3388 which is much further away?

Can't see anything immediately obviously, this is down to mag 17!

[cotterless45]

Lovely report , super skies , nice folk !

I'll get my coat !

Nick.

[mdstuart]

Gerry

I observed NGC 5198 a few weeks back. I could just hold it with direct vision in my 16 inch. I noted it was surrounded by stars...

Not sure about those other ones you quote. I have certainly not seen them yet!

Mark

P.S Hoping for a clear night tonight to go galaxy hunting.

[jetstream]

Nice one Gerry.

Do you know what sort of magnitude you were getting down to on galaxies?

Also, do you mean 3383 rather than 3388 which is much further away?

Can't see anything immediately obviously, this is down to mag 17!

Hi Stu, depending on the info source ie simbad, NGC database etc I am in the high 12's, low 13's... maybe a bit fainter. I looked up between these 2 galaxies that seemed too faint for me to have seen. It is possible that I miss identified the 2 reference galaxies, eventhough I've seen them. It may have been  between NGC 4425 and NGC 4407 with one on the other side. I went back numerous times to confirm.

When conditions are like this I kind of get excited and want to see as much as possible lol! I find piles of DSO but the orientation and identification of close objects still gives me a challenge. It just takes up so much precious time to sketch the stars!

Thanks for the image, I was hoping you would help me with it!

[jetstream]

Gerry

I observed NGC 5198 a few weeks back. I could just hold it with direct vision in my 16 inch. I noted it was surrounded by stars...

Not sure about those other ones you quote. I have certainly not seen them yet!

Mark

P.S Hoping for a clear night tonight to go galaxy hunting.

If my sky holds I will revisit the area and do some star sketches, that was great advice Mark and helped me with Stephans Quintet. So much to see so little time!

[Stu]

It's certainly a very busy bit of sky, very easy to get lost.

Encoders with a Nexus and Skysafari is a great way to find your way about, as I found out with the 16"

Here are those NGCs with surroundings at mag 14 and mag 15

NGC 4407 seems to be a duplicate with 4413?

[DeepSkyBagger]

Gerry

I observed NGC 5198 a few weeks back. I could just hold it with direct vision in my 16 inch. I noted it was surrounded by stars...

Not sure about those other ones you quote. I have certainly not seen them yet!

Mark

P.S Hoping for a clear night tonight to go galaxy hunting.

Hi Mark,

I observed NGC 5198 in March 1996 with a 12" reflector. I'm interested to hear that you could just hold it with a 16". I was at my dark(er) sky site in the Lake District, but noted the conditions as "Cold, slightly breezy. Patchy thin high cloud. Very hazy."

I described the galaxy as follows: Brightish. Quite round with a very bright centre. A 'typical' elliptical. Faintest star recorded (close to the galaxy) mag 14.1.

Cheers, Patrick

[jetstream]

Yes those numbers are the same galaxy Stu. My Starry Night program lists some galaxies much fainter than simbad and the NGC data base so I always compare to these sources. The faintest of Stephans Quintet cores I saw is listed at 13.8, with the other two just over 13 mag, visual brightness on the NGC data base. Acey provided the much needed links and explanations to galaxy mag, much more complicated than I thought.

I wonder if any Abel galaxies are in this mag in the area? I will continue the search. I used Virgo A and the Eyes as a reference as these galaxies were between the two and I was over a bit from M86.

I am using higher power on some DSO now ( thanks Mark) which is helping, but my FOV is getting pretty tight making things more challenging. I have to sketch the stars no question. The images are great Stu.