Sombrero Galaxy

[moondog]

It was partially clear last night so I hauled the C8 out to have a have an observing, rather than an imaging, session. The C8 GPS on its alt-az mount is great for sitting down in a chair and just observing.

Since I have a good, reasonable LP free view to the South horizon I thought I'd give the Sombrero (M104) a go. I'd never tried to find it before.

It's mag 8.0, but only 9' x 6' and pretty low down on the horizon.The visibilty was not too good - about 2/5.

With the 40mm EP I picked up a short, thin white horizontal line with an obvious faintly glowing bulge in the centre of the line. Changing to a 15mm EP I could see a bit more detail, and the central 'glow' expanded somewhat. I still couldn't make out the thin, edge on, dust lanes that go across the galaxy. With a more tranparent sky I guess I may just be able to pick out the dust lanes with the C8. Realistically I think that it's going to take a 10 or 12 ins scope at a really dark sky to see it properly.

I will have to try imaging the Sombrero to see if I can pick up the dust lanes - now I know that it's at a reasonable Dec for my site.

MD

[Casus belli]

I saw M104 for the first time about 6 weeks ago but it was just a fuzzy blob. Clear skies forecast for NE Scotland tonight so I'm going to have another look tonight as its a bit higher now.

I hope you manage to get some images of it and I for one would love to see them.

[themos]

I saw it for the first time last night! Definitely worth revisiting.

[Astroman]

Oh my. Given the hostility of certain individuals on the weather, I'm not sure I should say anything here. :?

Anyway, I'm willing to risk it.

M104 has always been a favorite of mine. All the years with the C8, M104 was always special, somehow. Sure, it's higher than you poor blokes see it, and sure, the skies here are an advantage. My humble viewpoint is, crank up the power, and wait for it. Wait for it to cross the meridian. Wait for the seeing. It'll be worth it. I was able to see the central bulge, and the dust lane on a regular basis. I had to crank up the power with a 10mm EP, and observe with my cornea fixed to the eyepiece, but the details became clear with patience.

In the 20", M104 is a whole other story. At relatively low power, the dust lane was easy, and the bulge obvious. Cranking up the power in the same ratio as the C8 gives something like 700x, and reveals patterns in the dust lane, similar to the Great Rift in our own Milky Way, and globular clusters not resolved, but as extended objects, in a galaxy nearly 60 million LY away.

[moondog]

Thanks for the comments Astroman - I'll crank up the power with the C8 next time M104 is well placed and the seeing is better. Maybe the dust lanes will appear.

Casus belli - I'll see if I can get an image of M104 that's worth posting. Don't remember seeing one of it on SGL in the past.

MD

[acey]

First time I ever saw M104 was with 10x50 binos from Greece and it's one of my unforgettable astro moments. I even thought I could see the dust lane, which was pure fantasy, but I could certainly see the elongated shape. It goes to show what a difference it makes when it's high enough in the sky.

Andrew

[Casus belli]

Its only a max of 21 and a half degrees above the horizon from my location atm but it should be higher up later in the year. Pity about the no darkness during that time.

[acey]

We're just past the best time for it: Feb-March is ideal. I missed it this year, though - too busy looking at all the Virgo-cluster stuff further up...

[themos]

Some of us do our observing before 11pm!

[acey]

Wish I could!