Mike JW

As soon as this SHK group appeared on the screen, I knew I just had to post it. What a lovely little ring of galaxies. Mike

I came across this galaxy following my Flat galaxy list. The needle galaxy – NGC 4565 (UGC 7772), Caldwell 38, (RFGC 2335)is a wonderful edge on spiral (barred) galaxy 30 to 50 million lyrs away. There is so much to see with this galaxy. Pronounced central bulge with a tight and very bright core. The obvious but off set dust lane. The dust lane seems to have a curve to it and is thicker on one side. The dust lane is textured – suggesting star clusters? I cleaned it up slightly in photoshop.. I was wowed when this beauty popped up on the screen. I just sat there clued to the screen. Mike

Hi Roelb, Thanks for your support and catalogue. I will go ahead and initiate a thread, hopefully Monday. Mike

Hi Martin and David, that makes three of us who like the idea of a single thread. Anyone else out there who thinks the same? Mike PS. Just checked what data sheets I have. I could post basic Arp and Hickson lists in excel. I am happy to initiate these two threads but I will wait to see if there is more feedback and thoughts from others.

The crater name is De Vico - the one at the bottom of the second sketch. I should have turned the sketch to match the first one in this post. In the first sketch it intrigues me the way the rille bends as it goes through the crater (De Vico) - optical illusion? or that is what it does?

Cheers Stu - here is a sketch from awhile back when the target was the Sirsalis Rille but this time with Sirsalis central in the sketch and under very different lighting. Mike

Hi David, Enjoyed your post and it is of value as you indicate to show others what can and cannot be achieved. Just a thought - noting how Martin has set up a thread for all future Arp-Madore postings. Would it be worth making this thread one for all future Arp Postings thus keeping all Arp reports in one place rather than them getting lost amongst the many posts. If you thought this is a good idea (or anyone else reading this), if you have a suitable data table, (list Arps, ID, RA/Dec, details) to add into your current post that folk could download that would be good. I have a basic one I made up in excel but needs some refinements. The "mantrapskies" link is first class and I use it all the time. I have various Arps that I had not got around to posting. I shall wait but if you like the idea of a single Arp thread I could add them to this one. Noting Martin's thread I had been wondering whether to set going a Hickson thread - what do you think (or anyone else reading this). Thanks again. Mike

Thanks Ruud - fascinating to roam the lunar landscape and to get unexpected bonuses. Mike

The target for this observation was to have a look at Crater Cruger – the one in the centre. Cruger has a very dark crater floor – basalt that has not been covered by lighter coloured ejecta material. Its low walls are very much intact. However, I then spotted that Rimae Sirsalis was well defined so I widen the sketch. I knew that as this cleft headed south there were branches that I had not observed before. So much excitement as the branch going through Darwin came into view and in fact some hints of a second one. Rimae Siralis is about 400km long and up to 1.5km wide. It is intriguing to follow as it curves through craters, bends, splits and disappears. This fault line is thought to be ancient, at least more than 3 billion years old. It is older than the Oriental Impact and could possibly be linked to the Imbrium Impact. Mike

Hi Roelb, Thanks for your posts. It provides a useful comparison. Of the three my least favourite is the colour using the Atik. All the best, Mike

That feels better. Thanks Achim.

Never visited these little gems. Have you changed your technique for this delightful sketch. It has a different feel to it. Mike

As you say not much happening but always fun to capture what is happening. I had to adjust to seeing a brown sun - end of the world???? Mike

I have added in my sketch of Mersenius for comparison to your beautiful sketch. Mike

NGC 5907 (Splinter or Knife Edge Galaxy) is a wonderful sight and belongs to the NGC 5886 galaxy group. The unusual feature of this spiral is that it is low in metals and high in the number of dwarf stars. Take a look at this link https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080619.html - what an amazing picture. Looks like a child has scribbled over it. Mike

Fascinating. I only heard of this list a few days ago. Looks like I shall have to move along way south! Wonderful idea to set up a thread devoted this list. Mike

Hi Martin, I was amazed by the detail in NGC 4448. Just out of shot (up) is another VV galaxy so I did a second shot to capture this VV . Again 4448 was in the fov and had equally clear detail. I put this down to these very transparent skies (absolutely convinced that the lack of aircraft pollution is giving a definite improved sky). The dust lane I refer to is as you suggest. I probably should do an enlarged annotated picture and see what else is revealed - on the list for today. The advantage of the C11 as we know is that I get a view, quicker due to the large aperture. Now added. Enlarged NGC 4448 below - clearly shows a prominent inner ring but I still cannot see a bar. Cseligman gives a classification as SB(r) ab - a barred spiral with a ring and tight spiral arms - that would seem to fit except for the bar? Professional images lack any blue areas, suggesting there is little of no star burst activity. There seems to be a couple of dust lanes. Mike

On 31st March it was a particularly clear transparent night. I sent the scope to VV 259 in Coma and as usual waited to see what would appear. This shot got me so excited. There is so much going on here. VV 259 is the pair in contact just left of centre. They are designated PK, meaning pair in contact. They share the PGC designation 409101 and both are being distorted. The left one has a more well-defined nucleus. Mag 16 and 17, both spirals. Off to the right of VV 259 is UGC 7576 (mag 15.9). Strange tidal tails on either side of the galaxy. Freaky, so what is causing those features, especially as they are so symmetrical. A barred spiral. Now go past 7576 and down, look just below the star. There lurks PGC 1843788, mag 18.6. Go to the left and down a bit from VV259 and a faint patch of fuzz. This PGC 1839783, mag 17.6, an elliptical and 290 million lyrs away The big wow factor is the galaxy NGC 4448 -mag 11.2 and what a beauty. A barred spiral (SBab) and hints of dark dust lanes. So beautifully symmetrical. 78 million lyrs away. I cannot see a bar. To the right of 4448 is another faint galaxy (PGC 1843133) with obvious loose spiral arms (Sc) and mag 16 and 746 million lyrs away. This must be big and its brightness possibly due to it being actively forming stars? A little further to the right is PGC 1843743, mag 17 and a barred spiral (SBbc) and 752 million lyrs away. Could it in time interact with PGC 1843133? All of this seen under a very bright moonlit sky. At the time of the shot the scope was glistening with frost, I was having to pace up and down to keep warm....Always amazed what EEVA can achieve. Mike

Totally new one for me. I have been having a break from sketching. Busy doing EAA. Thanks for posting. Mike

Makes me want to visit this lunar spot - lovely work. Mike

A pleasing set of captures from a difficult situation. I have to operate outside - you should see the gear I have to wear. Envious of your indoor arrangement. Mike

Hi Rob, as we know we have to grab every little opportunity in this cloudy climate of ours. Mike

Hi Marios, A good representation of the view seen through a Dob. I have recently looked at both these visually and also using the EAA technique. Mike

Hi Achim, inspirational sketch. I knew I should have got out there myself but currently focused on Deep Sky observing. Mike

Hi Martin - are you hooked on this cluster? It happened to me visually. So much of interest. I dare not go there. I have just found a wide fov shot I did of the area with 5" Apo at f3.5 but it is not worth posting. It picked up numerous members of the cluster. Galaxy Classification I find difficult to remember and even harder when it comes to assigning a galaxy a designation. My understanding is: SO = a lenticular galaxy (as you say at the juncture of the tuning fork diagram). However SO according to the H. de V. diagram can mean 'impossible to tell if it has a bar' SABb is from Hubble De Vaucouleurs Diagram. SAB = an intermediate spiral with a hint of a bar (I assume this means not clearly defined) the b means it has slightly looser arms than "a". I often try to take a guess at the designation of a galaxy as it appears on screen - most the time I am way off, even with the charts beside me. Enjoyed the post. Mike