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Impromptu observing session 25/3/2012

Moonshane

By Moonshane
in Observing - Deep Sky

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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Thankfully, after I was ordered to 'tidy up the flaming dining room', I put my 16" dob outside 'temporarily'. As I got back from puppy training with my wife at about 9pm, the fact that the skies had cleared substantially and that there was a beautifully posed conjunction of Jupiter, Venus and a stunning thin waxing crescent moon did not escape my notice.

I went out into the back garden, collimated my scope and decided to have a go at some observing.

For the first time in what seems like ages, the sky was clear, with no moon and most importantly the level of haze greatly reduced - yes! Galaxy time. The conditions seemed really good as the line of stars joining Polaris to the quadrant were all visible with direct vision.

As it happens, the first object I look at was a comet not a galaxy. Garradd is very well placed currently being virtually at the zenith in Ursa Major. It was easily located using a current map http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/comets/2009_P1.pdf the comet is large and bright currently with a brighter core and a wide coma, averted vision hinted at a long angular tail across the bulk of the field of view (about 1 degree).

From here my next target was another of a 'temporary' nature, the supernova SN2012aw in the Leo galaxy M95 The image in this thread shows almost exactly what we saw although the galaxy has a little more detail in the image. The SN was my second only and certainly the brighter of the two. http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-deep-sky/182089-sn-2012aw-m95.html the blue colour of the SN seems to be apparent visually as myself and my neighbour (who joined me as I said, 'ooh, supernova' to myself) individually confirmed this. This method of 'tell me what you see to confirm what I see' was adopted during the evening and works very well.

In the same field of view as M95 and the SN was M96 and also close by the Leo triplet, of M65, M66 and NGC 3628. These really make a superb spectacle with a wide field eyepiece.

Orion is a little past its best and I think this was the first observing session recently where M42 was not one of the objects observed!

Next up was the wonderful pair of galaxies in Ursa major, M81 and M82. This are my favourite pair I think and always look brilliant, contrasting with each other in shape and features. With more power the side-on M82 showed the best detail with mottling and two dark lanes across the main core. Just a short hope to the other side of UMa and the Owl Nebula M97 was in the same field as the side-on galaxy M108. Compared with M82, this is a much fainter galaxy but the owl produced some good detail especially with the Oiii filter resolving at least one darkish patch.

M109 and M101 are two galaxies in UMa that I always struggle with at home and they are very tricky, both were just visible with serious amounts of scope jiggling and avetred vision but not spectacular by any means. Another galaxy close by is M51 and the satellite NGC 5195 in Canes Venatici. These are generally seen as two small eyes in space but tonight given the elevation and relatively dark sky, I could see hints of spiral arms and the adjoining bridge with averted vision and further structure would have been apparent I think if neighours had left off lights. I am looking forwad to this at a dark site.

A short jump across the sky and we were looking at the coma cluster which is so large that it can only really be seen in the finder with my scopes. This is a true binocular object and looked really great. It is visible with direct vision as a very large hazy patch to the left of Leo. This is starting to get into 'a galaxy wherever you place your scope' territory so the careful placement of the telescope is important as is following detailed maps in the finder. The first object was actually a globular cluster rather than a galaxy. M53 is a really attractive loose cluster for its type and with a few really bright stars standing apart from the crowd. M64, the Black Eye Galaxy hnted at the reason for the name with a dark area apparent with averted vision occasionally. One of the highlights of the night for me was NGC 4565. This is a slither os a side-on galaxy with a central bulge which really puts some of the Messier galaxies to shame. Well worth a look if you can. Next to this a comparitively rather routine galaxy NGC 4494.

As Hercules as just about visible now I could not resist a peek at M13, the best globular we can see from our norther climes. Truly stunning even though really quite low with stars resolved to the core. M92 whilst also lovely in its own right was not comparable.

Moving over to Corona Borealis, my observing buddy wanted to try and find the Blaze Star. We were in the right location but could only see a yellowish start of no real significance. Anyone else seen this object?

With Virgo beginning to rise a little higher, it was now time (for the first time for me) to look for some galaxies in this rich constellation. it's so easy to find A galaxy in Virgo that it's almost funny. BUT to find the one you want and be happy you can identify it, is a little more tricky. Using the map I have I managed to confirm quite a few galaxies but eventually started to 'go snowblind' and moved off to other targets. M59/M60/NGC 4638 were seen together, M58 was located and then NGC4550/M89/M90 in a group. I then managed to locate and confirm M87, M86 and M98 as well as M104, the Sombrero galaxy a little later on.

Just for a laugh I tried to located the Dwarf Galaxy UGC 5470 which is within the glow of Regulus in Leo. No chance.

As a final flurry I have quick look at Mars and Saturn. Nice detail visible on the former with the polar cap obvious and bright and the usual larger dark areas quite visible. For some reason it looked a little less orange than usual tonight. Saturn was extremely low and the image was very intermittent but when it did sharpen, Cassini was obvious as well as a number of coloured bands on the surface.

What an excellent night. Several new Messiers and NGCs were included in the tally with the SN and Comet backagain this side of the sun! I hope others had a chance to get some observing in too.

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Stu

Stu

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Very nice report Shane, sounds like a good session.

A quick question, how bright is comet Garrad at the moment? Just wondering on chances of seeing it in my 4" refractor from home?

Stu

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swamp thing

swamp thing

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Very nice report Shane, sounds like a good session.

A quick question, how bright is comet Garrad at the moment? Just wondering on chances of seeing it in my 4" refractor from home?

Stu

You shouldn't have any problem one of my observing buddies found it in his 4" frac the other night. In fact he found it the quickest of all of us.:blob10:

Great write up Shane. Getting into that virgo cluster is great fun. It's very easy to lose a few hours in there.

Regards Steve

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