Mike JW

Hi Peter,

Excellent; you are up and running with EEVA. I am sure you will find it useful as your target fainter DSOs to use 10-15 sec subs and maybe do as many as 30 stacks. You are quite right that we loose touch with the universe when we stop doing visual. I will always check where an object is in a constellation and just sit outside enjoying the stars whilst my 30 subs are coming in. I also tend to finish a session by staring at the night sky after I have packed the gear away.

Don't forget that within the 'Reports' section we have quite a few dedicated threads to the various DSO lists so if you do find yourself doing an object where there is a thread, then just add it in. See below for the current list.

Mike

List of SGL threads.docx

Earlier in the thread I posted Arp 278. Last night I decided to revisit it to get a more detailed shot. The pair are both known as NGC 7253 and are spirals about the size of our galaxy.

As they smash into each other stars have been flung everywhere - pleased to get the triangular 'star sail' of disturbed star linking the two galaxies. Also delighted to get a hint of the twisted ends of the galaxies as yet more stars get flung about. Just picking up hints of the disrupted/lumpy central zones and also the dark lanes in both galaxies.

Well worth the revisit.

David Lukehurst (GB) now makes equatorial platforms  David Lukehurst - Large Portable Dobsonian Do bson Dobsons Telescopes - Index (dobsonians.co.uk).

I ruled out platforms for my Dob (15") before I converted it to GOTO simply because I would have had to dismantle it to then reassemble it on the platform but for a small Dob (8"/10") I assume the scope could easily be lifted straight onto the platform. 

Hi Jim

Aperture gives you resolution and quicker results (leaving aside the focal ratio discussion). In my experience with EAA stick with 8" of aperture or more. (As you see from my posts I have used a C9, a C11 and a 15" Dob).

Geoff is right to point out the idea of having two scopes (I used a 5" apo and a C9 at one point) - the smaller refractor gives those lovely wide field views which I miss now that I just have the 15" Dob.

A GOTO makes life easy (both visually and for EAA), so if you went down the EQ platform route then make sure the Dob is at least 'Push To'. My Dob is GOTO and not on a platform so it is of course Alt/Az and yes you get field rotation but the software (Jocular) deals with that. Also, I tend not to go beyond 15 sec subs (no need to with such a large aperture scope) so field rotation is not particularly significant.

As to the ideal aperture - matter of personal choice as to what you wish to observe. Personally, having used a variety of scopes I would not wish to go to less than a 12" Dob but as you will know from all the EAA reports an 8" scope gives a lifetime of objects to observe. Another factor is the ease of use. Mounts/scopes get heavier as you get older!!!!! The reason I can stick with my large scope is because it is always made up and simply rolls out of the garage by means of its wheelbarrow handles. I sold my C11/iOptron Mount - way too cumbersome and heavy to deal with but a great set up.

I also favour Newtonian scopes in the Dob format.

Decisions and yet more decisions and never a single correct answer!!!

Have fun

Mike

Here are DSS images which clearly show the bar but not the outer ring (clearly shown in your latest processing using the Hi Pass filtering)

Hi Goran,

Discussions/observations such as this make the hobby particularly interesting/fulfilling. The HST image does not clearly show a bar? Spiral galaxies can have a ring structure (according to my reading). If I was having to classify this galaxy, then I would go for spiral (intermediate spiral) with an inner ring (rather than an outer ring!) - sounds as if I know what I am talking about??

Enjoy the journey,

Mike

Hi Goran (and Martin),

Thanks so much for adding this into the thread. NED classification gives it as SABO+(r) meaning barred with outer ring (alternative classification is SAB(r)O - not sure what the O indicates, possibly indicating the development of the bar?). So sadly, not a new discovery!

I will add it to my list for when (if ever) we get some clear skies.

Mike

Hi Roel,

My fov was too small to pick up UGC 378, so no doubt I will re-visit the area. As always, your wider fov gives a better context.

Mike

I was surprised by the dark areas (try not to look at decent images before viewing a target) in NGC 185. Apparently, these dust areas were first picked up in 1951 when it was thought that the galaxy was entirely old stars (Population 2 stars). However later studies have revealed some luminous blue stars in clusters.

Here is a zoomed in shot showing these dust clouds.

This link shows a superb image of the area: APOD: 2021 November 4 - NGC 147 and NGC 185 (nasa.gov)

Mike

NGC 278 (intermediate spiral galaxy in Cassiopeia is a real delight as it shines through a star packed field, giving the impression of having several supernovae happening all at the same time. It is possibly on its way to having a nuclear ring. It is an unusual galaxy in that the star formation is confined to a tight cental region surrounded by a much quieter zone. Also, with all this star formation in the central zone it is unusual not to have a bar. It is likely to have merged with another galaxy, thus triggering the star formation.

Delighted to have picked up the clumpiness of the central zone and the dark dust lanes.

Mike

We would not normally associate galaxies with Cassiopeia but there are three very interesting galaxies to be viewed.

NGC 147 and NGC 185. (Also NGC 278)

These two galaxies are a gravitationally stable binary pair. Both are dwarf spheroidal galaxies (E5 and E3 respectively) lying around the 2.6 million lyr mark. They are satellite galaxies of M31, along with its more famous satellites M110 and M32. They are about 35,000 lyrs apart. NGC 147 has a mainly old star composition. In contrast NGC 185 has a very luminous nucleus (Sy2), with star formation.

NGC 278 is a Ring Galaxy so I shall post it in the ring galaxy thread)

Mike

Hi Dave, I thought about the comet but the sky was rubbish in that direction, so good for you for giving it a go. 

I took a look at the bubble nebula but this time with my 15" Dob - see the post as above.

Mike

I tried again but his time with the 15". It shows a little more detail but not a dramatic difference.

Mike

Hi Dave - you are on a roll. I remember those days of long sessions - not for me now (age!). Lovely set of results and such a good idea to do visual on the Jupiter at the same time.

Thought you might like to see my attempt at the Bubble Neb.  

Using 7" of aperture meant I could keep time down to a minimum but still get worthwhile results. Personally, I generally aim for 5 mins or max of 10 minutes to keep it vaguely 'live'. As a working figure, there seems to be little improvement beyond about 30 subs unless I go after something very faint. Maybe I should visit the Bubble with my large Dob.

I shall keep watching your posts with interest.

Cheers,

Mike

Hi Dave,

Really impressed with your results - your imaging knowledge certainly helps. Enjoy the journey.

Mike

I wasn't intending to take a look at NGC 5894 and its SN but having finished fine tuning the guide rate on my Dob I pointed the scope to it, despite the blazing moon.

As with Bill, the SN was easily visible in just one sub and as the stack developed, I was delighted to get a hint of structure at the southern end.

Thanks Bill for the heads up for this SN.

Mike

Hi Pete,

Offset figures - no idea what they mean.

Mike

Hi Pete,

Here is one source: 

Latest Supernovae (rochesterastronomy.org)

Mike

Well done Bill, no clear spells for me to observe and of course the moon is getting in the way (and the wind).

Mike

Hi Doug,

Over the decades I have always enjoyed the fact that this hobby offers so many ways to enjoy it - I remember those times when I was so determined to see what was possible - scope covered in frost, my overcoat glistening, the moon looking as if I could reach up and almost touch it or hunkered down behind a large bush with a small scope as strong winds rushed over the top.

Age takes it's toll, so these days I am very choosy as to when to head out under the stars.

I shall continue to watch your progress through the Herschel Objects.

Cheers,

Mike

Hi Doug,

Joining you for a live stream is of course not on for me as it would have meant getting up for 3am!!!

I have scanned through your latest 'stream' - you make rapid progress with such a sophisticated set up. 

A few thoughts - whenever I have gone for objects that are low down (visually or via EAA) less than 20 degrees above the horizon I have for most of the time regretted it.  Waiting until they are higher (30 degrees plus above horizon) brings a noticeable improvement. I think you would be amazed at how much more you would see when the objects are high/higher in the sky.

In my initial days of EAA I even use to get out there in a full moon and achieve some good results but now I realise how poor they are compared to the no moon visits.

NGC 488 - the image below is from a piece of astro software - Your setup should easily achieve that in around 5 minutes under good conditions - steady and transparent skies, minimal/no moon and when it is high in the sky.

 Have fun, Mike

Hi Doug,

A good idea to set yourself a defined target - it will drag you out of bed when you wish to stay tucked up.

Mike

Hi Peter,

For what it is worth I use a cheap 0.5 reducer on most of the posts you see of mine, as does Bill (I think).

Mike

Hi Doug,

Totally agree with Stu.

Picking up on Stu's comment, 'account/description' a few of us have tried to organise observations under various headings such that anyone interested in a particular DSO type could browse through the observations so far. Also, by coordinating observations it has led to some very interesting discussions, encouraged others to add in their observations, links to research papers, pointing out features missed in a post, comparing what is seen by different set ups....

The current list of DSO threads are:

Arp Galaxies

Planetary Nebulae EEVA Style

Interesting Galaxies

Palomar Compact Galaxy Groups

Hickson Compact Galaxy Groups

Voronstov-Velyaminov Interacting Galaxies

Abell Galaxy Clusters

Reflection Nebulae – EEVA Style

WBL Nearby Poor Galaxy Clusters

Ring Galaxies Thread

Shakhabazian Compact Galaxy Groups

LBN Nebulae

Distant Galaxies in the NGC/IC Catalogue

Arp/Madore Galaxies

There is nothing to stop other threads being set up.

We get a few video posts, so to have more will certainly add interest.

Mike

Martin, this has really whetted my appetite to pay the area a visit. Just checked out these galaxies in Sky Tools 4. By the way NGC 660 is VV 979.

Mike