'RASC Finest NGCs' sketches

[Mike73]

I started this thread  'Mikes sketch the Messiers project' back in May 2012 but unfortunately last spring was a complete wash out for me as far as observing goes so I still have another 36 sketches to complete.

Meanwhile while I'm waiting for the spring galaxies to show I'm starting a new observing list to keep things ticking over.

To me Dyers Finest NGC's observing list looks like a great way to carry on after the Messiers, packed full of stunning objects I figure that between this and completing the Messiers I should have enough to keep me going for a good couple years.

[Mike73]

N.G.C 457 / C13 / The Owl cluster
Constellation - Cassiopeia
Open Cluster
Distance 7.9kly
Mag 6.4

Date 23/10/13
Seeing - Antoniadi II
Transparency - Good
SQM 20.1 (LM 5.5)

Telescope - 16" f/4.5
EP - 11mm ES x172 TFoV 0.28

Sketch notes
Very easy find and quite a bright cluster even from home with moderate LP.
I expected to see two bright stars making up the owls eyes, maybe they are there and I just lack the imagination to see them but personally I'm going to notch this up as another objects with an asterism I cant see!

[Qualia]

There wasn't a month which went by when I didn't check out your blog over the summer, waiting for a new addition, so it's great to see you back on form

[rory]

Love your drawings mike. So just do any list mate. You'll make single star look interesting the way you sketch.

Keep up the good work.

Ngc457 is one of my favourite o/c . I sketched it myself and could really see a E.T asterism

[JamesF]

Good to see you back sketching, Mike.  I'll check out the list, too.  I'd not heard of that one before.

James

[Tinker1947]

Stellarium shows NGC457 and C13 as the Dragonfly Cluster, the only "Owl" reference i could find in a nebular, but its a fine drawing all the same.....

[Mike73]

Qualia, Rory and James thankyou for the comments and encouragement.

Stellarium shows NGC457 and C13 as the Dragonfly Cluster, the only "Owl" reference i could find in a nebular, but its a fine drawing all the same.....

Thanks.

hehe yep it does seem to have quite a few names! Owl cluster/Dragonfly cluster/ET cluster or even the Kachina Doll cluster take your pick! 

[Mike73]

N.G.C 6503
Constellation - Draco
Spiral galaxy
Distance 17MLy
Mag 10.19

Date 30/10/13
Seeing - Antoniadi II
Transparency - 2/5
SQM 21.15 (LM 6.1)

Telescope - 16" f/4.5
EP - 10mm Delos  x189 TFoV 0˚22

Sketch notes
Faint oval with maybe a very slightly brighter core but no obvious detail to spiral arms. 'May' of seen slight mottling of arms but not confident enough to record it.
Poor transparency shows in low SQM reading for this site.
The sketch is a little messy on the left hand side, I was so engrossed in observing I didn't notice the heavy clouds and got caught in a shower!

[rory]

Nicely done . Really makes me want to shove a 16" light bucket in the garden.

[Qualia]

Nice one, Mike

[Astro Imp]

As others have said, good to see you back to your best. I too kept looking for your Messier updates, looking forward to the spring.

Good luck and keep up the great work.

[Mike73]

Thanks Alan.

Its funny but after being astronomy inactive for a few months and to be honest very nearly giving up all together I've come back with a different outlook on  the hobby altogether, I think before I had sub consciously put pressure on myself to sketch all the Messiers in one year. At the rate I was going I think I would of completed them if it wasn't for other things going on but now I'm back sketching, observing and slowly learning more about what I see I'm enjoying it far more!

[rory]

Thanks Alan.

Its funny but after being astronomy inactive for a few months and to be honest very nearly giving up all together I've come back with a different outlook on the hobby altogether, I think before I had sub consciously put pressure on myself to sketch all the Messiers in one year. At the rate I was going I think I would of completed them if it wasn't for other things going on but now I'm back sketching, observing and slowly learning more about what I see I'm enjoying it far more!

Good to hear, there's certainly no rush when it comes to the cosmos eh mike.

I become quite frustrated when I sit and plan a observing session , then fail to find object after object. Or I'd rush a little to get an extra few objects ticked , which really isn't the ideal road to go down . Once I get another set up ill certainly take much more time observing , and more importantly enjoy doing so.

[Mike73]

NGC 6819
Constellation - Cygnus
Open cluster
Distance - 7700ly
Mag - 7.3

Date - 21/11/13
Seeing - Antoniadi III
Transparency - 3/5
SQM 19.8 (LM 5.3)

Telescope - 16" f/4.5
EP - 17.3mm Delos x109 TFoV0.39

Sketch Notes
Three bright stars pin pointed the actual cluster of maybe a dozen fairly dim stars in the centre. Interesting cluster and fairly easy to find simply because the of the three keystone stars.

[Mike73]

NGC 6543 / Cat Eye nebula / C6
Constellation - Draco
Planetary nebula
Distance - 3200ly
Mag - 8.1

Date - 21/11/13
Seeing - Antoniadi III
Transparency - 3/5
SQM 19.7 (LM 5.1)

Telescope - 16" f/4.5
EP - 8mm Delos x236 TFoV 0.18

Sketch notes
Almost mistook as a star at low mag (x68) but the light green colour made it standout against the few stars that surrounded it. Increasing the mag to x109 gave the outline a fuzzy haze but at x189 I got a few glimpses of the central core although even after 15 minutes I still couldn't make out any further detail. The sketch was finally made using x236 which was the upper limit of power I could use observing from home, at first the views were far worse but after 20 minutes of using that EP I managed to get a few brief moments where the air was steady enough for me to spot an oval shape within the nebula with its central core blinking at me with averted vision.

[rory]

nice.  ngc 6819 looked familiar although I couldn't recall visiting that particular object . so had a look through my scribbles and it looks  somewhat like m26 . at least going by my sketch.

 marvellous sketch of the pn too.

[Mike73]

NGC 2403 / C7
Constellation - Camelopardalis
Spiral galaxy
Distance - 10 Mly
Mag 8.5

Date 1/12/13
Seeing - Antoniadi II
Transparency - 3/5
SQM 21.52 (LM 6.4)

Telescope - 16" f/4.5
EP - 10mm Delos x189 TFoV 0.22"

Sketch notes
NGC 2403 is often compared to M33 and apart from its size I can see why.
Although the galaxy could easily be seen looking directly at it I had to use averted vision to eventually see hints of spiral arms, stellar and the HII regions inside it.

[Mike73]

NGC 2841
Constellation - Ursa Major
Spiral galaxy
Distance - 46Mly
Mag 9.19

Date 1/12/13
Seeing - Antoniadi II
Transparency - 3/5
SQM 21.62 (LM 6.4)

Telescope - 16" f/4.5
EP - 10mm Delos x189 TFoV 0.22"

Sketch notes
Quite bright, oval shape with no detail or spiral structure seen but its core was very obvious and is surrounded by a a few bright stars.

[Mike73]

NGC 3079
Constellation - Ursa Major
Spiral galaxy
Distance 54Mly
Mag 10.89

Date 1/12/13
Seeing - Antoniadi II
Tansparency - 3/5
SQM 21.64 (LM 6.4)

Telescope - 16" f/4.5
EP 10mm Delos x189 TFoV 0.22"

Sketch notes
Nearly side on galaxy, easy find with direct vision.
While doing some post research into this galaxy I noticed images with a companion elliptical galaxy (NGC  3073) which I have sketched as a star. This was the last sketch of the night so maybe my tired eyes just didn't spot it and register that it was another galaxy?

[rory]

another nice crop of sketches.  whats the "antoniadi" seeing scale then mike.

scrap that , just done a google.

[Mike73]

NGC 6826 / C15 / Blinking planetary nebula
Constellation - Cygnus
Planetary nebula
Distance 4.2Kly
Mag 8.89

Date 30/11/13
Seeing - Antoniadi II
Transparency - 3/5
SQM 21.52 (LM 6.4)

Telescope - 16" f/4.5
EP - 10mm Delos + x2 Barlow x379 TFoV 0.11"

Sketch notes
After sketching the Cat eye nebula someone on Cloudy Nights mentioned that you can infact use extremely high magnifications on Planetary nebula which will help show contrast within the PN and well yes it works!

At around x200 the central star was obvious but apart from that it just showed as a green smudge. A x2 barlow and 10mm Delos showed a bright bottom edge with hints of detail within but I was confident enough in what I was seeing to record it. I did also barlowing a 8mm Delos giving x473 but the light wind made the view quite unsteady.

[Mike73]

NGC 6995 / C33 / Eastern Veil Nebula
Constellation - Cygnus
Bright nebula
Distance - 2600Ly
Mag 5

Date - 30/11/13
Seeing - Antoniadi II
Transparency - 3/5
SQM 21.44 (LM 6.3)

Telescope 16" f/4.5
EP - 28mm ES x68 TFoV 1˚
Filter - TS OIII

Sketch notes
Slightly fainter than the Western Veil but showed an almost wispy texture to it.

[Mike73]

NGC 6960 / C34/ Western Veil nebula
Constellation - Cygnus
Bright nebula
Distance - 2600Ly
Mag 5

Date 1/12/13
Seeing - Antoniadi II
Transparency - 3/5
SQM 21.42 (LM 6.3)

Telescope - 16" f/4.5
EP - 28mm ES x68 TFoV 1˚
Filter - TS OIII

Sketch notes
My favourite part of the Veil.
The SW edge showed two bright filaments which faded towards 52 Cygni while the east side (of the sketch) throws out great plumes of clouds fading as you scan along it.
The Veil has become my first object to view at dark sites while letting my eyes adapt and scope to cool, I don't think any sketch or image can beat seeing it with your own eyes from dark skies.

[rory]

ive seen the eastern  and western veil albeit from my home location with a uhc filter,but bejeez it looked nothing like those beuties.

 absolutely fabulous. where did you go to observe  ?

[Mike73]

ive seen the eastern  and western veil albeit from my home location with a uhc filter,but bejeez it looked nothing like those beuties.

 absolutely fabulous. where did you go to observe  ?

Cheers Rory.

That was on Bodmin moor mid Cornwall, my local dark site is good but theres a huge light dome from Plymouth to the east and I wanted to spot some galaxies in Ursa Major hence the drive further west.