Hunting (Dogs) and galaxy tour : 1/4/13.

[cotterless45]

Very promising night, but increasing light glow didn't help. Minus 4 on the batio facing east.

Just an exercise to see what an 8" f6 Dob can find on the edge of town, really pleasantly surprised.

I took the brightest galaxies from the May S@N mag , the Leo chart is delightfully easy to read with a red headlamp. I searched for the 17 brightest NGCs, most could be seen at x58 with averted vision. Some are worth a visit

NGC3607/8 looked double with a bright core.

NGC3245 faint with a core, at the end of a star chain.

Best of the rest were NGC3486, NGC3344, NGC3193, NGC3489 and a bright NGC3377.

Then to a rich and diverse Canes Venatici with a glowing M94 and a stunning nearby M106, showing a bright core and mottling at x80.

NGC4631 at x58 showed it's elongate form ( The Whale), similarly

NGC4244, an edge on spiral.

NGC4111 showed a bright core at x120.

NGC4490 (Cocoon) showed a bright core and mottling at x58 as did

NGC4449 brighter at x120-x150 I have resolved this into bright stars with bigger aperture and dark sky.

NGC5033 seen at x58, bit of hazy cloud,usually brighter.

Waited for clearance then up to Ursa Major and a stunning

M101 core at x80, just go through the fuzz at high mag !

NGC3097 showed two bright centres at x58.

NGC2841 showed a bright condensed core at x58.

Bootes was rising higher, the galaxies here I spotted at x120,

NGC5248 averted by two stars.

NGC5676 averted pointed to by two stars.

NGC5523 by averted and

NGC5669 not seen.

Draco was nicely high adjacent to the house.

NGC5982/85 definitely worth seeing , a nice double at x120.

NGC5678 by averted and

NGC5907 at x80.

NGC5866 a very bright core, elongated with mottling at x120.

Seeing got a bit poorer so I switched to the magnificent doubles in C.Bernices, C.Borealis and Draco.

I hope this shows some of what is possible from the edge of town, can't wait to get to a dark site

clear skies,

Nick.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Lovely result. 8" scopes can pick out a real wealth of stuff!

[Double Kick Drum]

Wow. Someone's been busy.

I have managed nearly all of those with my 5" refractor. Just five or six missing, particularly from Bootes and Draco.

[KevUU]

Wow, it's becoming clear to me that I've barely scratched the surface, and even if I got all the Ms and Cs tomorrow that would still be true! Looking forward to stretching the 200p this year, let's hope this weather isn't the last of it like last year.

Good stuff Nick.

[mdstuart]

Nick

I enjoyed your report. A very productive session..

Surprised you mention NGC 5033 and not NGC 5005 which is awesome and nearby?

Also surprised to see 3486 in the best of the rest list as that one was very faint although quite large when I looked at it.

You have given me a few more targets in your listing!

Regards

Mark