10 new Messiers and M51

[YKSE]

The Sky cleared up after midnight yesterday, SQM shown 18.5, the best on my backyard so far and transpancy was very good. An unusual good alignment I managed to get on Arctutus and Regulus, so a session of hunting Virgo galaxies could be done in less than an hour and half

M98 was right in the center of 31mm Aspheric, averted vision was needed to detect it. changed to Leica zoom, it looked actually brighter. slewed to M99, also about in the center of Leica,  then M61, M100, M85, M86, M88, M89, M91 in a quick sequence with M91 most difficult to dectect. M106 was last one, even though outside FOV of Leica, it could be easied spoted by moving around a bit.

The sky started to cloud up, I took some minutes on M51, made a short 2 rounds comparision of Max Vision 24mm, 20mm, BCO 18mm and Leica. No hint of spiral arm in any of them, only faint patch, with Leica had the most extended patch, and BCO just edged MV24 and MV20.

An excellent night after months terrible weather.

[cotterless45]

Lovely report, some super targets there,

Nick.

[Paul73]

This bit of the sky is a real treat. 10 new M's in 90mins!!

Well worth revisiting now that you know your way around the area.

Did you catch the Eyes (NGC4438 & NGC4435) just to the East of M84 & M86? These make a lovely chain. Also worth dropping down to M49 with it's companions NGC4526 & NGC4535.

Paul

[YKSE]

Did you catch the Eyes (NGC4438 & NGC4435) just to the East of M84 & M86? These make a lovely chain. Also worth dropping down to M49 with it's companions NGC4526 & NGC4535.

Paul

Thanks for the tips, shall revisit the area to see the NGCs when I have the chance, possible todnight.

[jetstream]

Glad your sky is clearing up,congrats on a fine session.

[Qualia]

Lovely report, Yong and thank you for sharing it with us. It certainly seems most of Europe is being blessed by great skies recently. By way of passing, I have seen the spirals in M 51 but only when I'm out in a significantly dark site with favourable transparency. I was out last night and near the neighbourhood of M 51, spotted NGC 4485 & 4490 and NGC 3226 & 3227. These might make an interesting observation for they're both double galaxies interacting with each other. Anyway, thanks for a great report and look forward to more

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great report. As Qualia says, spiral structure in M51 requires really dark sites with exquisite transparency

[Special K]

Nice report! Yes, it's a huge sigh of relief to get the scopes out at last after those terrible storms. Nice list of targets and great to see a lot of folks going after galaxies. M91 is too tough for me and missed it last night after a quick try. I also seemed to lose M88's location, but the moon was still up. Happy hunting!