Visiting some brighter galaxies

[StarSapling]

Spent some time, last night, visiting some of the brighter galaxies in the Coma Berenices/Virgo region in hopes of teasing out some detail.

4/19/2015 - Oracle, Arizona - seeing good - transparency fair - observer good

120mm f5 refractor

Coma Berenices/Virgo:

M98 - Gal. - 60x - Large, nearly edge on - not too dim - cigar shaped - glimpses of a stellar like nucleus.

M99 - Gal. - 60x - Large, bright, face on, round - bright core surrounded by extensive halo showing some mottling - came across a small round galaxy just north of M99 (NGC 4262) - came across a faint, round galaxy just southwest of M99 (NGC 4212) - and south of NGC 4212 I came across a very nice edge on galaxy (NGC 4216) - bright core with a hint of a dust lane.

M100 - Gal. - 60x - Face on - Large, bright, round - Stellar like nucleus - brighter inner halo surrounded by an extensive fainter outer halo showing some hints of mottling.

M85 - Gal. - 60x - Face on? - small, bright, round - Bright core with halo - faint field star north of core in halo - brighter field star southeast of galaxy just outside of halo - smaller, dimmer round galaxy in same field just east of M85 (NGC 4394) - possibly interacting pair?

Detected 15 galaxies in the chain (can’t remember name) that runs southeast from M84 & M86, before I got lost - found a fair number of other galaxies while attempting to find my way back to M84 & M86.

M87 - Gal. - 120x - Large, bright, round - looked very much like an unresolved globular cluster - smaller, dimmer round galaxy in the same field to the southwest (NGC 4476).

M104 - Gal. - 120x - Big, bright, near edge on - Bright core with extensive halo - occasional good glimpses of dust lane running across halo south of core.

Great night!

[StarSapling]

The small galaxy in same field with M87 which I identified as NGC 4476 was actually NGC 4478.

[cotterless45]

Yep ! Brilliant , achievable with a dash of clear sky , using a true scope ! I'd add NGC 4565 (needle galaxy) in Coma Bernices and NGC 4725 in Bootes. Don't forget the mass of galaxies in a Canes Venatici, led by M94,

Nick.

[StarSapling]

Thanks, Nick, for the suggestions.  I'll give them a go tonight, after Luna sets, Sky God willing.

Jerry

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice report. I have had only one galaxy session this year, and under current conditions, it looks like the last one for a while.

Hope the skies clear in your neck of the woods

[StarSapling]

Finally got a chance to observe the galaxies Nick (cotterless45) suggested.  Waxing moon and poor transparency left something to be desired though.

4/21/2015 - Oracle, Arizona - seeing fair - trans poor - obs good - thin crescent moon

120mm f5 refractor

Coma Berenices:

NGC 4565 - Needle Gal. - 60x - Large, dim, very thin and long - definitely lives up to its name - long axis oriented northwest/southeast - bright core with glimpses of stellar nucleus - hints of dust lane running length of galaxy, especially where it crossed the core - dust lane appeared to run slightly north of nucleus.

NGC 4494 - Gal. - 60x - Just west of NGC 4565 - Small, bright, round - bright core with prominent halo - glimpses of stellar nucleus - bright field star to northeast.

NGC 4725 - Gal. - 60x - Large, somewhat dim - Oval, with long axis oriented southwest/northeast - small, bright core - large dim halo with hints of structure - halo appeared wider on northeastern end - could not detect either NGC 4747 or NGC 4712 which chart showed being nearby.

Canes Venatici:

M94 - Gal. - 60x - Large, bright, round - Large, bright core and extensive halo - hints of some kind of dark structure/ring around core giving the galaxy something of a “bull’s eye” appearance.

[StarSapling]

As an interesting aside:  I've had my 250mm reflector since 1986 and it is a wonderful instrument.  There is no doubt that my reflector reaches much deeper and fainter objects than my 120mm refractor does, but there is also no doubt that the refractor reveals much more detail, in the objects that can be observed with it, than the reflector does.