Fall stargazing from Blue Canyon - 7 Oct 12

[m_j_lyons]

Quick trip to the California mountains to Blue Canyon airport (~5300 elevation) for some fall stargazing. Conditions were great - temps were just under 50F (~9C), the moon is rising after midnight, and the skies were very clear. With the Milky Way blazing and M31 faintly visible overhead I arrived shortly after dark and got setup. Three goals for the night - observe/log any supernovas currently visible (that hadn't previously been observed), observe the Hershell 400 targets located in Pegasus, and observe the Pegaus targets in the Deep Sky section of the latest issue of Sky & Telescope. Since conditions were so good I also wanted to visit a few 'old friends'.

Observing was done primarily with my 10mm EP for 120x but for some targets I added a 2x Barlow to go deeper.

I went out with SkyTools3 and sorted my Hershell 400 list to show only objects in PEG.

I quickly realized that I hadn't updated SkyTools with the latest 'current' list so my Supernova list was out of date. Luckily my cell phone signal was adequate tether my laptop and access the latest Supernova list at http://www.rochester.../supernova.html...but it wasnt' fast enough to update SkyTools. Oh well, we'll do it the 'hard' way and search by NGC.

I first searched for SN 2012ei in NGC5611 - the star hop wasn't too difficult and I positively identifed NGC5611 as a faint haze between two mag 9.4-9.6 stars. I was able to just pick out the very faint mag 13.x stars in the area but could not discern the supernova. Tried as I might I couldn't declare victory. I'm going to try to grab this one again now that I've updated my finder software. At about mag 13.9 this SN isn't going to pop out and it's sitting fairly low in the sky now.

Next up was SN 2009ip a LBV that has transitioned to Type IIn SN in PsA. I hopped over from Fomalhaut and the SN was actually pretty easily found at the end of a string of mag 11.x stars and before a very faint mag 14.2 star. The host galaxy NGC7259 was not really visible at mag 14...a hint of haze but I'm not going to say I saw it. The SN was listed at mag 13.7 and that seemed right for this target.

Last was a very brief attempt at SN 2012ec at mag 13.9 in Eri - very brief becuase it was too low on the horizon to see through the pines. Save this one for another (later) night.

Goal #1 - as complete as it was going to be for the night. Swinging the scope over to Pegasus.

Here's the list of objects observed after sorting SkyTools' Hershell400 list for PEG:

NGC7331 - GX - Pretty bright and from NW-SE in the EP - two very faint 'satellite' galaxies nearby (NGC7335 and NGC7337 ) - both VERY faint...but undeniably present in averted vision as compact little clouds.

NGC7217 - GX - A bright core with descent size and remaining relatively bright through the disk - no more details.

NGC7814 - GX - Faint, round haze patch with some elongation to top and bottom. No real details. A faint fuzzy.

NGC7479 - GX - Another faint fuzzy. Bar was the most obvious feature but was still faint. NO spiral evident.

NGC7448 - GX - A faint elongated galaxy - about twice as long as high. Pretty easy to pick out.

While browsing around NGC7331 i noticed that Stephen's Quintet was nearby so I hopped over and could JUST faintly discern what I think were NGC7319 and NGC7320. Just below NGC7318a/b were ghosts of haze with averted vision. At 120x 7319/7320 were just barely visible...at 240x they were more easy in averted vision and the haze of 7318 were just barely there. NEED A BIGGER SCOPE!

Goal #2 complete! On to the Sky & Telescope Deep Sky section.

NGC7463 - GX - At 240x I was able to see it best in averted vision and getting the nearby mag 8.2 star out of the field. No details...just a faint haze patch.

NGC7464 - GX - Not able to discern it.

NGC7465 - GX - Visible at 120x and 240x...needed to keep the mag 8.2 star out of the field for best views. Very round fuzz ball.

NGC7497 - GX - A cigar shaped galaxy - very elongated and without any real detail. Clearly visible.

Goal #3 as complete as it was going to be tonight.

I finished off the night with a few old friends.

I had a great time with M31 (and M32/M110)...bright and big. Then came M33 - AWESOME views of this large faint galaxy...spiral structure was just visible with a mottled appearance (star forming regions?). M101 was just visible as a haze with no details visible...but it was so low on the horizon it was about as much as I could wish for.

A good night - 15 new galaxies, a few old friends and 1 new supernova.

Happy Hunting!

[Double Kick Drum]

What a fantastic galactic haul.

I've managed to pick up NGC 7331 and NGC 7217 in Pegasus, which are both pretty bright and good targets for more modest instruments.

The rest are probably a bit of a stretch for me.

Clear skies!

[andrew63]

That's a great collection of objects and sounds like a lovely spot for observing. Given the excellent seeing and location, some of those objects must be quite a challenge from more urban areas.

andrew

[m_j_lyons]

That's a great collection of objects and sounds like a lovely spot for observing. Given the excellent seeing and location, some of those objects must be quite a challenge from more urban areas.

andrew

I wouldn't have attempted nearly anything from last evening in an urban setting. At my house seeing M31 can be challenging...way too many streetlights shining too brightly. I love the observing location...just wish it was closer than 60 minutes.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great haul and a brilliant report. I am a bit jealous of you getting SN2009ip . It is too low in the sky here I fear.

[KevUU]

All well out of my reach but a good read nonetheless, thanks

[Double Kick Drum]

All well out of my reach but a good read nonetheless, thanks

So long as your sky isn't too badly polluted with light, NGC 7331 is certainly within reach.

[KevUU]

So long as your sky isn't too badly polluted with light, NGC 7331 is certainly within reach.

Really? At mag 9.5 I would have thought my poor ST80 would have to be hallucinating to show me that

[Double Kick Drum]

Really? At mag 9.5 I would have thought my poor ST80 would have to be hallucinating to show me that

I reckon an 80mm scope should be able to pick up galaxies close to mag 10.5 so long as their surface brightness is quite bright (in VLM mag 5 to 5.5 skies).

The best I have managed with a 127mm scope is a mag 11.3 fuzzy and a mag 12.2 star.

Can't promise it will be much to look at but always worth a go.

Happy hunting!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I seem to remember I once picked up NGC 7331 in my 16x70 finder (under good skies). It is a very nice galaxy of good surface brightness.

[KevUU]

I reckon an 80mm scope should be able to pick up galaxies close to mag 10.5 so long as their surface brightness is quite bright (in VLM mag 5 to 5.5 skies).

I seem to remember I once picked up NGC 7331 in my 16x70 finder (under good skies). It is a very nice galaxy of good surface brightness.

Wow, I'll have to get cracking then I've found a field a few minutes drive away that's about a 5.2, so will see what I can see... Thanks for the advice.

Also, apologies to m_j_lyons for inadvertently hijacking your thread, but thanks again for the info

[m_j_lyons]

Wow, I'll have to get cracking then I've found a field a few minutes drive away that's about a 5.2, so will see what I can see... Thanks for the advice.

Also, apologies to m_j_lyons for inadvertently hijacking your thread, but thanks again for the info

No worries - if it spurs someone to get out there and try something they otherwise might not - it's all good. I find that with deep star gazing (faint fuzzy hunting...supernova chasing...and quasar counting) the search can be as enjoyable as the find. Pointing the scope into a new section of sky is always fun.

Happy hunting!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

No worries - if it spurs someone to get out there and try something they otherwise might not - it's all good. I find that with deep star gazing (faint fuzzy hunting...supernova chasing...and quasar counting) the search can be as enjoyable as the find. Pointing the scope into a new section of sky is always fun.

Happy hunting!

Too true! I find that even failed hunts teach me something (often how to find the object more quickly next time)