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Fishing galaxies! What a fun!

Piero

By Piero
in Observing - Deep Sky

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Piero

Piero

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Posted

:blob8:    Well.. after this session... the problem is: how am I going to sleep so excited?!?!  :blob8: 

What an incredible evening! I started with Jupiter, but the seeing was not as good as I expected. I love Jupiter, but with a moonless sky like tonight, I think the Roman God can understand if we praise his beauty another time! For the first time I think I got all the three stars in the Leo Triplet. Already here, a BIG smile! Then was the turn of M95 and M96... never spotted before. As soon as I slightly moved North, faint lights appeared with M105 and two bright NGCs!

.. and here.. there is little to do.. when you see the cake, you want a slice of it! .. and a BIG one! 

It was time for diving into Virgo. I missed the Southern brighter galaxies of the bloc, but I travelled around all the Northern messier ones. What exciting trip! There are a few other NGCs that I haven't reported below because I am not sure which they were. It is not easy to discriminate faint targets from very faint targets from super faint targets. Next time I will go for the Southern ones. :rolleyes: 

Clear skies, 

Piero

 

Date 05/04/2016
Time 20:40-23:00
Location Cambridge, UK
Altitude 12m
Lunar Phase Waning crescent 2%
Temperature 7C (SW 10 km/h)
Seeing 2 - Slight undulations
Transparency 5 - Clear
Darkness 19.64
Telescopes Tele Vue 60 F6
Eyepieces Panoptic 24, Delos 12, Delos 8, Vixen SLV 5mm, PM2.5x

Jupiter - Planet 72x, 75x, 112x
I thought the seeing was a bit better. Therefore no much time was spent on this target.

NGC2392 Gem Pln Neb 15x, 45x, 112x
Eskimo Nebula. Spotted at 15x without atlas. Best view at 45x. At 112x it appeared like a ball without detail.

M35 Gem Opn CL 45x
Gorgeous open cluster. So many stars were visible.

NGC2903 Leo Galaxy 30x, 45x
I visited this target to check the transparency. The target appeared brighter than my previous observations. No clear shape. Just a faint cloud.

M65 Leo Galaxy 45x
Leo triplet. Here a benchmark. Visible with averted and direct vision. Elongated shape. Same field with M66.

M66 Leo Galaxy 45x
Leo triplet. As for M65, but rounded shape.

NGC3628 Leo Galaxy 45x
Leo triplet. For the first time I suspected to see this via averted vision while jiggling the telescope. Using star references and geometry no know exactly where to look at was essential. It appeared like a miniature of M65. Brighter stars had to be excluded from the field of view.

Gamma Leo Dbl Star 45x, 72x
Algieba. Double yellow star. The two stars were visible at 45x, but a much appreciable split is at 72x. Really pretty couple.

Alpha Leo Star 45x
Regulus. Just used this star as an initial reference for star hopping to M95/M96.

M96 Leo Galaxy 45x
Star hopping from Alpha Leo (Regulus). M96 is easier to spot and is next to the star HIP52833 (9.7mag). A faint shape visible with direct vision.

M95 Leo Galaxy 45x
I needed averted vision for spotting this. It is on the line formed by M96 and HIP52833.

M105 Leo Galaxy 45x
Located 1 degree North of M95, it was not too difficult to spot. Faint shape.

NGC3384 Leo Galaxy 45x
Located adjacent to M105. The two resembles two faint eyes. Quite pretty. At this point I got really excited!

NGC3377 Leo Galaxy 45x
Located about 1 degree North from M105. Faint but detectable.

Beta Leo Star 45x
Denebola. Initially I thought to reach the cluster of galaxies from Beta Leo as proposed in Sky and Telescope. I do not feel so familiar from this route though. So I changed.

Epsilon Vir Star 45x
Vindemiatrix. Used this as reference for initial star hopping. Here we go!

M60 Vir Galaxy 45x
The first galaxy from Epsilon Vir (Vindemiatrix). Easy to spot. Rounded shape. No trace of the daughter galaxy NGC4647.

M59 Vir Galaxy 45x
A bit more difficult, but detectable with averted vision.

M58 Vir Galaxy 45x
As for M59.

M89 Vir Galaxy 45x
As for M59.

M90 Vir Galaxy 45x
A bit easier than M59, detectable with direct vision.

M87 Vir Galaxy 45x
Round shape visible directly. Easily spottable.

M84 Vir Galaxy 45x
M84 and M86 are placed in line. Detectable with direct vision. I tried to spot The Eyes (NGC4438) and there were times I thought I could discern a grey faint patch with averted vision, but I am not entirely sure.

M86 Vir Galaxy 45x
See M84.

M88 Com Galaxy 45x
Faint light with averted vision.

M91 Com Galaxy 45x
Very faint light with averted vision.

M99 Com Galaxy 45x
Pinwheel nebula. It is surrounded by a curious asterism. This makes its location relatively easy. Faint target, spottable with averted vision.

M98 Com Galaxy 45x
From M99, I quickly star hopped. This target is faint and a bit more difficult to spot than the other messier galaxies in this area.

M100 Com Galaxy 45x
Blowdryer galaxy. I used the asterisms near M98 and M99. Rounded shape.

M85 Com Galaxy 45x
Quite easy to spot as it is close to the star 11 Com (4.70 mag).

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Stu

Stu

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That's quite a haul Piero, nice work with your small but deadly capable scope, and eyes of course!!???

It does give you quite a buzz when you get 'in amongst them' doesn't it?

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Piero

Piero

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5 minutes ago, Stu said:

It does give you quite a buzz when you get 'in amongst them' doesn't it?

Definitely! It was amazing to catch them one after the other! Particularly considering where these targets are in the universe! 

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Saganite

Saganite

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1 hour ago, Piero said:

:blob8:    Well.. after this session... the problem is: how am I going to sleep so excited?!?!  :blob8: 

What an incredible evening! I started with Jupiter, but the seeing was not as good as I expected. I love Jupiter, but with a moonless sky like tonight, I think the Roman God can understand if we praise his beauty another time! For the first time I think I got all the three stars in the Leo Triplet. Already here, a BIG smile! Then was the turn of M95 and M96... never spotted before. As soon as I slightly moved North, faint lights appeared with M105 and two bright NGCs!

.. and here.. there is little to do.. when you see the cake, you want a slice of it! .. and a BIG one! 

It was time for diving into Virgo. I missed the Southern brighter galaxies of the bloc, but I travelled around all the Northern messier ones. What exciting trip! There are a few other NGCs that I haven't reported below because I am not sure which they were. It is not easy to discriminate faint targets from very faint targets from super faint targets. Next time I will go for the Southern ones. :rolleyes: 

Clear skies, 

Piero

 

Date 05/04/2016
Time 20:40-23:00
Location Cambridge, UK
Altitude 12m
Lunar Phase Waning crescent 2%
Temperature 7C (SW 10 km/h)
Seeing 2 - Slight undulations
Transparency 5 - Clear
Darkness 19.64
Telescopes Tele Vue 60 F6
Eyepieces Panoptic 24, Delos 12, Delos 8, Vixen SLV 5mm, PM2.5x

Jupiter - Planet 72x, 75x, 112x
I thought the seeing was a bit better. Therefore no much time was spent on this target.

NGC2392 Gem Pln Neb 15x, 45x, 112x
Eskimo Nebula. Spotted at 15x without atlas. Best view at 45x. At 112x it appeared like a ball without detail.

M35 Gem Opn CL 45x
Gorgeous open cluster. So many stars were visible.

NGC2903 Leo Galaxy 30x, 45x
I visited this target to check the transparency. The target appeared brighter than my previous observations. No clear shape. Just a faint cloud.

M65 Leo Galaxy 45x
Leo triplet. Here a benchmark. Visible with averted and direct vision. Elongated shape. Same field with M66.

M66 Leo Galaxy 45x
Leo triplet. As for M65, but rounded shape.

NGC3628 Leo Galaxy 45x
Leo triplet. For the first time I suspected to see this via averted vision while jiggling the telescope. Using star references and geometry no know exactly where to look at was essential. It appeared like a miniature of M65. Brighter stars had to be excluded from the field of view.

Gamma Leo Dbl Star 45x, 72x
Algieba. Double yellow star. The two stars were visible at 45x, but a much appreciable split is at 72x. Really pretty couple.

Alpha Leo Star 45x
Regulus. Just used this star as an initial reference for star hopping to M95/M96.

M96 Leo Galaxy 45x
Star hopping from Alpha Leo (Regulus). M96 is easier to spot and is next to the star HIP52833 (9.7mag). A faint shape visible with direct vision.

M95 Leo Galaxy 45x
I needed averted vision for spotting this. It is on the line formed by M96 and HIP52833.

M105 Leo Galaxy 45x
Located 1 degree North of M95, it was not too difficult to spot. Faint shape.

NGC3384 Leo Galaxy 45x
Located adjacent to M105. The two resembles two faint eyes. Quite pretty. At this point I got really excited!

NGC3377 Leo Galaxy 45x
Located about 1 degree North from M105. Faint but detectable.

Beta Leo Star 45x
Denebola. Initially I thought to reach the cluster of galaxies from Beta Leo as proposed in Sky and Telescope. I do not feel so familiar from this route though. So I changed.

Epsilon Vir Star 45x
Vindemiatrix. Used this as reference for initial star hopping. Here we go!

M60 Vir Galaxy 45x
The first galaxy from Epsilon Vir (Vindemiatrix). Easy to spot. Rounded shape. No trace of the daughter galaxy NGC4647.

M59 Vir Galaxy 45x
A bit more difficult, but detectable with averted vision.

M58 Vir Galaxy 45x
As for M59.

M89 Vir Galaxy 45x
As for M59.

M90 Vir Galaxy 45x
A bit easier than M59, detectable with direct vision.

M87 Vir Galaxy 45x
Round shape visible directly. Easily spottable.

M84 Vir Galaxy 45x
M84 and M86 are placed in line. Detectable with direct vision. I tried to spot The Eyes (NGC4438) and there were times I thought I could discern a grey faint patch with averted vision, but I am not entirely sure.

M86 Vir Galaxy 45x
See M84.

M88 Com Galaxy 45x
Faint light with averted vision.

M91 Com Galaxy 45x
Very faint light with averted vision.

M99 Com Galaxy 45x
Pinwheel nebula. It is surrounded by a curious asterism. This makes its location relatively easy. Faint target, spottable with averted vision.

M98 Com Galaxy 45x
From M99, I quickly star hopped. This target is faint and a bit more difficult to spot than the other messier galaxies in this area.

M100 Com Galaxy 45x
Blowdryer galaxy. I used the asterisms near M98 and M99. Rounded shape.

M85 Com Galaxy 45x
Quite easy to spot as it is close to the star 11 Com (4.70 mag).

Cracking stuff Piero.

I would like to say that the only thing with which I can agree, is that the seeing was not as good as it looked, and the sharpest view I could get of Jupiter ,in Andromeda ( the refractor) was 79X , with the ES 24mm. The rest of the session was a complete mare, I could not find anything. A good job the Moon wasn't up, I  wouldn't have found that either.:iamwithstupid:

Well done mate !

 

 

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Piero

Piero

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2 hours ago, FenlandPaul said:

Great session, Piero - I always find it hard to sleep after a haul like that.  I've never noticed the asterism around M99 before - will keep a look out for that.

Paul

It isn't official. 4 stars placed in a way that reminded me of a shield. I look for patterns or asterisms all the time as many DSO are faint to be caught quickly. So, using imagination, I can see these shapes in the sky and compare them with the star positions in my tablet. A useful trick to know exactly where to look at or at least where to expect something. :)

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Piero

Piero

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11 minutes ago, Paul73 said:

Never mind the splendid Galaxy count using a small scope! Piero deserves a medle for braving the Cambridgeshire cold. Wind straight off the fens..... Brrrrrrrr.

Paul

Thanks Paul, but all the targets above are feasible with a 60mm. Almost all look like faint fuzzies of course, but it's intriguing that a small telescope can still catch them when they are well placed in the sky and the transparency is good. :) Was it very cold in West Berks last night? Here was cool actually, and as an Italian who is generally cold, probably means the temperature was okay! How different the weather can be in the UK!

Thanks for pointing out the Sombrero galaxy. I am a bit puzzled about the meaning of "H109875 group". Could you post a reference for this or its location so that I can look it up, please? :rolleyes: 

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Paul73

Paul73

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 Hi Piero

Not too cold here. But, from my student days, I can remember the biting wind that sweeps off the North Sea and across the Fens to Cambridge.

Attached are the Sky Safari Sreens concerning this group. Looks like I left a "D" out. Sorry for the confusion.

Paul

image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg

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Davesellars

Davesellars

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Awesome report, Piero.  You really made good use of the time getting around Virgo / Coma Berenice's and those are some really nice observations.

Last night the sky was magnificently transparent and when the low clouds cleared here after midnight it did become very dark.  What NELM do you have on a typical good night round there?  I guess you're observing outside of Cambridge somewhat although like Oxford it's not a big city and I find that just outside of the city provides mag 5 direct vision easy enough approx 5.3 - 5.5 averted vision if I bother standing there enough time staring at the sky.

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Piero

Piero

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Thanks Dave, I now observe from the border of Cambridge and the visual magnitude limit is the same as yours, 5.5. However from here it is possible to cycle quite to the countryside and there the milky way appears nicely. If one of these weekends the sky is clear, I may have a proper session over there.. ☺

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Piero

Piero

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2 hours ago, Paul73 said:

 Hi Piero

Not too cold here. But, from my student days, I can remember the biting wind that sweeps off the North Sea and across the Fens to Cambridge.

Attached are the Sky Safari Sreens concerning this group. Looks like I left a "D" out. Sorry for the confusion.

Paul

Thanks a lot Paul! :) It seems the sky will be clear tonight too. If so I will give a go (assuming there aren't houses on the way)!

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Size9Hex

Size9Hex

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Wow! That's an immense catch! You're sure you weren't fishing with dynamite? :icon_biggrin: Properly inspiring to see what you're hooking with a modest scope, and an infectiously enthusiastic report! Keep up the good work. 

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Piero

Piero

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15 minutes ago, Size9Hex said:

Wow! That's an immense catch! You're sure you weren't fishing with dynamite? :icon_biggrin: Properly inspiring to see what you're hooking with a modest scope, and an infectiously enthusiastic report! Keep up the good work. 

Thanks Paul!

Eh eh, I was actually! I was fishing with my super Delos 8! :rolleyes: 

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Knighty2112

Knighty2112

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19 minutes ago, Size9Hex said:

Wow! That's an immense catch! You're sure you weren't fishing with dynamite? :icon_biggrin: Properly inspiring to see what you're hooking with a modest scope, and an infectiously enthusiastic report! Keep up the good work. 

The thought of throwing dynamite in the sky and having M31 or M82 come crashing out of it is some how poping into my head right now! Hehe! ;) 

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