Galaxies in the winter

[mdstuart]

Finally a clear evening. Full moon rising soon so needed to be quick. Started out with a look at a few favourites. NGC 2841 a lovely bright oval galaxy now rising well in the NE. Went up to 30 UMA and spotted NGC 2549 which was also rather bright..Then went for a new one NGC 2488...Very small and very faint. I must go back to reconfirm. Felt good to get the scope out again after the lack of clear skies. Mark. PS why can I not add any returns! The enter key no longer works..new laptop with windows 8! Must be this desktop browser!

[kirkster501]

Great aren't they galaxies. I love 'em. I shall check those ones out next time we get a clear night (if we ever do that is...). Looking forward to Virgo and Coma Berenices rising as well in spring and the galaxies they hold. It was a right off last year due to weather so fingers crossed for this year

[acey]

new laptop with windows 8!

You have my commiserations - I hate the new-style start screen. But well done on those galaxies, a good start to the year.

[Double Kick Drum]

I found NGC 2841 surprisingly bright. Not sure about the others.

Thanks for sharing!

[Terrynak]

NGC 2841 is definitely easier to see than M108 or M109 with a small scope in light-polluted conditions. There are so many galaxies in Ursa Major within the reach of a small scope with just moderately dark skies. Using a 100mm F/4 Newtonian, I've picked up 60 so far, mainly in orange-zone (suburban) skies, a few in darker green-zone conditions. I love seeking out galaxies as well.

The only constellation where I haven't actively mined galaxies for is Camelopardalis, although I 've seen the brightest one there (NGC 2403) as well as one of the more difficult ones - IC 342 - in dark sky condtions.

[Double Kick Drum]

NGC 2841 is definitely easier to see than M108 or M109 with a small scope in light-polluted conditions. There are so many galaxies in Ursa Major within the reach of a small scope with just moderately dark skies. Using a 100mm F/4 Newtonian, I've picked up 60 so far, mainly in orange-zone (suburban) skies, a few in darker green-zone conditions. I love seeking out galaxies as well.

The only constellation where I haven't actively mined galaxies for is Camelopardalis, although I 've seen the brightest one there (NGC 2403) as well as one of the more difficult ones - IC 342 - in dark sky condtions.

That's reassuring. I've bagged 26 galaxies in UMa to date and believed I was well over half way through the list of viable targets.

I will have to look again and see if I can add a few more to my to do list.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice report. NGC 2841 is really nice. I haven't had a bash at 2488 (maybe beyond my scope) or 2549 yet (ticked that one in Shapley-Ames Catalogue as a to-do galaxy)

[mdstuart]

Terry and DKD ...I would be interested in how your UMA galaxies bagged list compares to mine which is here...http://bristolweather.org.uk/astronomy/UMA.html If you have any I have missed let me know so I can look for them as well. Thanks Mark S......anyone know how to get the return key back on this forum under windows 8....

[floppygoose]

Thanks for sharing this guys, weather's been so bad here for so long I think I'll celebrate the first time I get a glimpse of Ursa Major, let along any galaxies!

Phil

[Terrynak]

That's reassuring. I've bagged 26 galaxies in UMa to date and believed I was well over half way through the list of viable targets.

I will have to look again and see if I can add a few more to my to do list.

You should be able to pick up a lot more with your additional inch of mirror aperture than my scope (127" vs. 100" mm), especially if you have access to skies darker than orange-zone.

[Terrynak]

Terry and DKD ...I would be interested in how your UMA galaxies bagged list compares to mine which is here...http://bristolweathe...ronomy/UMA.html If you have any I have missed let me know so I can look for them as well. Thanks Mark S......anyone know how to get the return key back on this forum under windows 8....

I cross-checked your list with mine and there were 12 on my list that's not on yours:

NGC 3359 3619 3642 3718 3963 3992 4096 4100 4144 5204 5457 5474

Should be easy with your 250mm. I used a 100mm Newtonian to pick these up.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

My list in UMa is the following:

Messier 81

Messier 82

Messier 101

Messier 108

Messier 109

NGC 2681

NGC 2768

NGC 2787

NGC 2841

NGC 2880

NGC 2950

NGC 2976

NGC 2985

NGC 3077

NGC 3079

NGC 3184

NGC 3198

NGC 3310

NGC 3595

NGC 3610

NGC 3613

NGC 3619

NGC 3631

NGC 3675

NGC 3726

NGC 3888

NGC 3893

NGC 3938

NGC 3941

NGC 3945

NGC 3953

NGC 3982

NGC 3998

NGC 4013

NGC 4026

NGC 4036

NGC 4041

NGC 4051

NGC 4062

NGC 4085

NGC 4088

NGC 4290

NGC 5474

NGC 5485

44 Galaxies so far in UMa alone, and still more to be captured in the C8

[mdstuart]

Thank you to. So rechecking I have see 3992 and 5457 which are m109 and m101!

michael you have seen 4062 and 4290 which I have yet to find.

Michael and terry have seen 3619 and 5474 which I have not seen yet...

terry has given me a long list to go for 3359/3642/3718/3962/4096/4100/4144 and 5204

Uma is so rich in galaxies. I wonder how many folks out there realise how many targets are possible with modest amateur scopes.

i wish more imagers would go for some of these target in addition to the usual suspects.

thanks again guys clear skies

Mark

[Terrynak]

Mark, although I've nabbed 60 galaxies in Ursa Major so far, there's still about 20 more here that should be doable with my small scopes (100mm reflector, 80mm refractor) in a suburban, orange zone location. Such a site is dark enough to start hunting down those faint fuzzies.

[Astralstroll]

Sounds like I cant really blame the light polluted skies of Bristol too much! I must e a real slacker not to have spotted more galaxies to date. Sounds like I need to get my act together and have a renewed search!

Dave.