M77 ?

[Cloudwatcher]

I've just spent a couple of pleasing hours in the garden touring the exceptionally clear (for my site) skies with binoculars (12x50) and before I treat the frostbite I have question.

Towards the end of the session I took a trip down Cetus which was more or less due South and reasonably low down so in a comfy position for binos. I like to check out Cetus this time of year as among other things there is an asterism just SW of theta ceti that looks remarkable like a small Orion complete with a three star belt. Orion jr.I call it.

Anyway, I digress,as usual. Whilst I was taking a gander at delta ceti I kept seeing in the same FOV a faint blur to the West that disappeared when I tried to centre it. I've 'Starry Nighted' the area and the best solution I can come up with is M77. So,the obvious question is, would M77 be visible in binoculars at x12 mag with a FOV of 5.2 degs?

Cheers

CW

[Astroman]

M77 is mV=8.9, so I'd say yes, it's visible in binocs. You may also have seen Ngc 1055 which, though fainter at mV=10.6, is nearly edge on and therefore higher surface brightness. If the "blur" was nearly round, it could have been M77. If spindle-shaped, it may have been Ngc 1055.

[barkis]

Come on then CW, was it M77, or was it Ngc1055. The suspense is killing me.

Ron.

[legion48]

~ Consulting the "Shackleton's Boys Own Polar Handbook"....

~ Looking under Frostbite....

~ Causes....

~ Prevention...

Ah, here we are, Treatment....

Ewww. That can't be right. :shock: