domstar

I wasn't going to write about the Virgo/ Coma Berenices galaxies this year but I had such a good experience last night. Firstly, Vindemiatrix was behind a wall so I had to scan around looking for a galaxy to get my bearings. I saw something that looked a bit like M 91 and blow me down, it was M91. It's my least found, most missed of all the Messiers in the area and I was amazed to catch it and then recognize it. From there I made my way down to M60- a good place to start. After getting advice yesterday, I used first my 25mm and quickly I swapped it for 20mm giving me 45x magnification. It was a revelation (not the make). I thought there was no point upping the mag for galaxies as detail in my scope is mostly beyond its/my capabilities but I hadn't reckoned with the improvement in exit pupil and contrast. I was blown away. The field of view was smaller but the galaxies were bigger and although I got a little lost up near the top, I had magnificent (though faint) views including 5 around Markarian's chain. The day before the Eyes hadn't been shining but this time they were clear. I also tried for the Siamese Twins (thanks John), which revealed themselves as a sort of blind spot. Maybe like an out of focus bit of darkness or a pixelated bit of dark sky. After all (not sure of M 98) of the Messiers and more in that wonderful stretch of sky, I turned to Leo, where the Hamburger stared right back at me . I even found Kappa Leonis, the 4 brightest galaxies down there and even NGC 3377 (the one right by the star) directly too. This time last year I travelled to a darker spot to see the Virgo galaxies and, driving back, I found I still couldn't get any peace in my head. It was probably my last big session until August and I felt the uncomfortable realization that stargazing couldn't settle me down as it had previously. Last night, however, I was elated and chilled in equal measure. Here's hoping for more calm days ahead. Thanks for reading, and thanks for the tips yesterday. Dominic

Now is my favourite observing time of the year. Galaxies are in abundance. I only have a small scope but just making out those faint smudges is the thrill of the year for me. I would start with the Leo Triplet and if you are able to see two of them, then try the many Messier galaxies in Virgo and Coma Berenices. Of course it does depend on your light pollution. Later in the summer, Sagittarius is full of beauties if your horizon is low enough and the Milky Way is high over head. The crisp freshness of a clear January Orion is hard to beat but the milder evenings bring a certainly more comfortable experience. Hope you have fun.

I find Izar is a good test of the conditions. With my 4 inch refractor I can split it at 90x on a good night. Most nights stars are fuzzy and unsatisfying at 150x but when they are tight I try to make the most of it. Your scope is bigger than mine so you should be fine. I've had many clear nights recently but only a few when I can split tight doubles cleanly.

Thanks for the tips John. I nearly caught a glimpse of the Siamese Twins last night but not quite. I had a look for them as I spent a lot of time around M 58 as I branched out from there to fainter stuff and had to start again many times. Unfortunately, I'm confined to an obstructed balcony at the moment so M 64 will have to wait a year. Still, I've been spoilt with clear nights and decent views this April.

Thanks for that. Would it be true to say that stars that don't focus down to a point are caused by moisture and issues with transparency, which would affect galaxies too but maybe to a lesser extent? Therefore, splitting doubles is unsatisfying whereas finding galaxies is still pleasurable (more fuzzy vocabulary). Bear in mind that I'm just using a 4 inch refractor so I'm not exactly tracing out the spiral arms- more like just detecting them. I guess what I'm trying to say is mediocre transparency means no doubles but galaxies are still on the menu albeit not at their very best. Is that how others see it?

Thanks Vlaiv. I sort of thought that about seeing but I also feel like it's damp when the stars are fuzzy. I look at the light dome of the town and when it's higher I assume a damp atmosphere and fuzzy stars. So if I understand it then that's poor seeing.

It's spring and I've been so fortunate to be among the Virgo galaxies 3 times over the last few days. I was going to write a report but I thought I'd ask a few questions instead. 1. Which Messier galaxy do you find most difficult in the Leo/ Virgo/ Coma Berenices area? Last night it was M 89. How can that be? 2 Magnification/ field of view / exit pupil. I've got an Aero 30mm (30x) and a starguider 25mm (36x). The starguider should give a darker background but a dimmer image. What would you choose? 3 M 91. Why isn't it marked on stellarium? There's a picture of a galaxy there but no identification and you can't click on it. If I write a search for it, it appears. Is it just me? 4 Am I the only person who has a nightmare trying to find Kappa Leo? Maybe it's the best reason to get a right angle finder. 5 Transparency/ seeing. I've had decent views of galaxies despite stars being much too fuzzy to split doubles. Does seeing impact the resolving of airy discs? It seemed that the air was too moist but galaxies were a pleasure. What am I experiencing when I have fuzzy stars but viewable galaxies? 6 Lastly, what area is your favourite view. The Leo Triplet? Markarian's Chain? Aperture will obviously be part of this. My favourite is probably M 49 and a couple of stupidly titled 'Lost Galaxies'. Found galaxies more like although I do feel a certain amount of ugly smugness at observing a so-called 'Lost' galaxy. Anyway, despite being stuck on the balcony, it's been a privilege to be viewing one of the true wonders of the sky. Clear skies to you all. Dominic

Sound like a wonderful night. I wanted to look at doubles last night but the stars were fuzzy so I had a lovely time in amongst the Virgo galaxies. First time there this year. Kudos to you for staying up so late. My willpower drains like a cheap battery so 2 hours is a mammoth session for me.

What a great session. I've seen a few of those and loved them. There's something about galaxies.

I like the second one even more. As you said- looking lonely.

Very nice Doug. I didn't believe you last time and I didn't notice the ' instead of '' when it came to the separation of Regulus. (a bit like the Stonehenge in Spinal Tap). I'd been staring at Regulus looking for a 3 second split and ignoring the star at 10 o'clock about 3 arc-minutes away. One day I'll get the hang of things. Thanks for clearing that up. I could be out there tonight but it looks a bit hazy for high-mag doubles.

Great report. Some successes, some failures-the way it should be.

Inspired by Doug @cloudsweeper 's excellent and clear report on doubles in Leo, I set up on my annoyingly cramped balcony hoping to follow in his footsteps. My wife kindly agreed to watch television in the dark in the adjacent room but I had to contend with unpredictable flashes of light from the tv and the unspoken proviso that I limit coming in and out to look at my star map and stellarium. Thus, I had to keep as much as possible in my deteriorating memory. At first everything was frustrating. Leo was still obstructed, balcony shoes kept finding themselves under the chair legs and my nose and forehead kept bumping around the eyepiece. Last week I had a wonderful time looking at a few doubles around the Hydra's head but last night I couldn't find them again. Frustrated, I moved to Gemini and the brighter stars were easy to remember. Castor of course and Kappa and by the time I got to Wasat, the stars were tight spots. I moved over from Wasat to Sigma 1081- just beautiful and tight at 150x and then I moved over to the Eskimo Nebula. I was amazed to see a brighter middle possibly (and discussed on another thread) the central star. Then I was ready for Leo. I love the challenge of finding new doubles but I also like to know if I'm looking at the right star and if a split is possible in my scope, so the reports of others are a great resource for me. I chased down Doug's delightful doubles and pulled Iota Leo from the memory banks of earlier research- a very rare and pleasing occurrence. By that time, my wife had gone to bed so I popped inside to re-remember two doubles just below Regulus. Regulus failed to split at 150x despite the excellent conditions. After that it was time for the Leo Triplet. I love the way the Hamburger is possible to see but impossible to pin down. The other two almost looked like they were about to reveal some shape or detail. I went to look for the 4 (in my scope) galaxies under 52 Leo but my lack of tenacity and my now aching fleetwood meant I gave up. Just checking inside I noticed asteroid Juno should be right near a bright star so I went back out and had a little look at that. It was half past eleven but I realized that today is a holiday anyway. It was a lovely session after initial frustration and I was surprised that such tight stars were possible in such mild spring weather. Thanks for reading. Dominic

Thanks John. Yes, no filter and the conditions were excellent. I'm really glad and surprised.

During a double star session last night I found myself face to face with the Eskimo Nebula at 150x magnification in my 4 inch refractor. I'd like to know if it is possible to see the central star in this nebula with my equipment. With averted vision the core was unexpectedly bright with a point of light in the middle. I'm not very experienced with planetary nebular and I was surprised to see it brighter in the middle. Could it have been the central star? Am I kidding myself? (probably). Is the Eskimo usually brighter in the middle? Thanks for any thoughts.

Great report. I've been around there looking at galaxies but apart from Algeiba, I haven't had the pleasure of doubles in Leo. I'm going to take a screenshot and tonight could well be the night, conditions allowing. I've been using CDSA constellation by constellation and it's so exciting ripping into a new one. Double stars have really given me the push that I needed since autumn. Just out of interest, is Regulus a splittable double or does the difference in brightness make it another Sirius or even Procyon?

Thanks for a wonderful program. If my computer powers off through lack of use while stellarium is on screen, then when the computer wakes up again, stellarium doesn't work. If it's on full screen when this happens then I have to restart the computer- not just stellarium. If it is working in the background when the computer goes to sleep then everything is fine. This has happened on two laptops now so I'm guessing it's a bug not a problem with my computer's settings.

Very nice. 'Mindfulness' covers it very well.

From the Cambridge Double Star Atlas- 'The exit pupil is inversely proportional to the apparent diameter of the Airy disk-as the exit pupil becomes smaller, the Airy disk will appear larger.' It goes on to say that for most observers exit pupils of 1mm or less is when the Airy disk becomes visible. I must say, this works for me. At lager exit pupils my stars are like you describe but at smaller exit pupils I can see a perfect dot on brighter stars (the Airy disk). Fainter stars are always points but are too faint to show that Airy disk dot.

I've read it twice. It's excellent. Just the right level for someone like me and written clearly with occasional humour.

That's excellent. Sketching is definitely on my to do list. Just can't seem to make that first step. This picture brings me that much closer to giving it a try.

Great report. I've been looking at the same things.

Excellent report. I've been looking in the same places. Moving from those open clusters to the Leo galaxies in a frac is quite a shock. Both wonderful in their own way but like a different hobby.

Great report and some the way you described the open clusters really resonates with me. I think M46 is far superior to M47 and M50. I just wish it would get up a bit higher.

The Auriga clusters are magnificent. When I'm on the balcony I can only get the most Eastern one. It's warm enough to get to a less obstructed place now but, alas, I might be stuck at home this spring. We're not supposed to leave our home (with a number of exceptions). I'd probably be OK alone outside at night but not sure about risking a large fine. It's a shame- doubles are fine but I'd like to go somewhere darker for galaxy season.