Urban observing - galaxies galore!

[Stu]

I'm just warming up with a bowl of cereal, (DOH!) and a cup of tea having had probably my best ever deep sky session from home.

I'm always complaining about how bad my skies are, but actually I think they've improved since the new streetlights were fitted. Although it doesn't look great out there tonight, the SQM measured at between 19.05 and 19.23, again my best ever reading at home. Previously 18.5 to 18.7 were about as good as it got.

EDIT Further reading of 19.28 later on.

I had the Tak out looking at Jupiter from quite early on, while it was still light, something I still find amazing. The seeing wasn't brilliant so I mainly switched to the Portaball on the EQ Platform and have had a....... well if it's not too corny I've had a 'ball! ?

I'm really enjoying the scope, and the platform just makes life so much easier. Although not perfectly aligned, it's still good enough to track objects for quite a period, and having faint objects remaining in the field of view whilst you change eyepieces is really useful.

Starting off with M51 again, I settled on a winning combination which was the 24mm Panoptic as a widefield/finder and the Docter 12.5mm for closer observing. This gives around a 2.2mm exit pupil and works very well. I could potentially go a little higher but didn't tonight. Regardless, M51 looked impressive given that it was not yet fully dark. Likewise M3 was lovely in the PB, resolving into a ball of stars with averted vision.

M81 and 82 were a little better than the other night, particularly in the 12.5mm M82 showed some very nice structure. The tiny double near M81 was an added bonus, as was NGC 3077 which I have never been able to get here before. Careful identification of the star field pinned it down though, a faint round glow.

M97 was also a little better than my previous view, a little more definition. I tried various filters on this PN. The OIII was best, but both the UHC and the NPB did a good job on it too. It was all but invisible without a filter. Interestingly, the NPB did not give me the double star effect I had seen previously and I was very pleased with the performance on both stars and the nebula, despite PNs not being its intended target really.

Back to the triplet in Leo, I was determined to get the third Galaxy, and am confident that I did. It was tough going, needing averted vision and scope jiggling but I repeated it several times so I'm happy.

Izar split nicely despite the seeing, although the view in the refractor still wins it for me, just perfect!

M53 was a relatively easy find, but despite repeated attempts, NGC5053 was a fail. In theory I should have been able to get it at mag 9.5 and good surface brightness, but no luck.

For Melotte 111 I used the BO triplet and 30mm ES eyepiece which framed it nicely. The ES seems good, the star images tail off in the outer regions a little but the overall impression is nice.

Back to the PB, and up to the Black Eye Galaxy M64, again a relatively easy find and hints of the dust lane giving it the name. The Needle Galaxy took a lot more finding though. It didn't help that I could barely see Gamma Comae Berenices as a starting point, but again I got there eventually. It was a shadow of the view in my 16" at Lucksall in 2015 but rewarding to catch from home, the shape quite clear to see.

Getting more adventurous now, I embarked on a star hop across to the Whale Galaxy. Using SkySafari to find my way, I was pretty chuffed to get it. Quite faint, and easily missed but definitely seen. Nearby NGC 4656 was a fail though.

Back to M51, and another star hop across to M63 which was relatively bright but with no real structure to it, just the overall shape seen. Down to Cor Caroli and a short hop the M94, then to Chara to catch the Cacoon. More careful star hopping took me first to NGC4449, and then on to M106, both of which are firsts for me.

Emboldened by my successes, I thought I would give the Virgo cluster a whirl. Starting at Rho Virginis, I hopped up to M87 which in itself wasn't bright, but I was amazed to also get NGC4478 which I shouldn't have been able to at mag 11.2. I can only assume higher surface brightness due to its small size?

From 4478 I hopped across to NGC4461, on Markarian's chain. 4458 was a fail, too faint, but I went down to 4473 and 4477 successfully, before heading back through to the Eyes Galaxies 4435 and 4438 and finally to M86 and M84. NGC 4387 and 4388 were fails, too faint. I thought I might get 4388 at mag 11.1 given my success with NGC4478 but no. Surface brightness again?

These were all pretty challenging and largely just were seen as classic fuzzy glows, but highly rewarding none the less from this site. Plenty more up there I could have gone after but tiredness and the cold were getting hard to ignore.

Three final targets before bed. M57 which looked fabulous with the OIII filter in. The double double was nice in the PB, but nicer in the Tak, lovely stuff.

The last surprise was Mars which just got itself into a position where I could get the Tak on it. Given the low elevation and proximity to houses, I was surprised by the detail seen. Polar cap, and two large areas of dark markings which matched the view on SkySafari. A great way to finish an excellent session, my best ever at home. I shall spend more time in future exploring the Virgo cluster as there were plenty of visible galaxies which I missed.

Thanks for sticking with me if you got this far!! ????

Stu

EDIT How could I forget M13 which was fabulous, and M92 just a little less fabulous but still great.

In accordance with tradition, I tried and failed to split Zeta Herc! ??

[alan potts]

Superb piece of writing Stu, sounds like you had a great time, we have drizzle and I don't mean the type connected with Astrophotography. I must try and get into galaxies a bit more with the big scope, I enjoy the more obvious ones where you can see structure but I am a bit cold about the faint blobs, maybe it's my lack of skill finding them.

Alan

[cloudsweeper]

A nice report of an enjoyable occasion.  There's a lot in there for relative novices like me to learn from, thanks!

Doug.

PS: Stu - glad to note you used averted vision on a globular!

[cotterless45]

Superb Stu ! We had very clear skies, but binaries and the planets were mostly jellyfied. Always worth having a shot from town,

Nick.

[Owmuchonomy]

Obvious from your report you had an enthralling session. It all came together nicely. I was amazed when I first saw the whale through my 9.25" as to how big it is!

[Stu]

3 hours ago, alan potts said:

Superb piece of writing Stu, sounds like you had a great time, we have drizzle and I don't mean the type connected with Astrophotography. I must try and get into galaxies a bit more with the big scope, I enjoy the more obvious ones where you can see structure but I am a bit cold about the faint blobs, maybe it's my lack of skill finding them.

Alan

Thanks Alan. Do give it a go. Under your skies, with your scope I'm sure you would enjoy it.

The Needle is brilliant in a big scope, huge spikes extending either side, and Markarian's chain is equally good but for very different reasons; less detail in the galaxies, but so many to see and in wonderful pattern too.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, cloudsweeper said:

A nice report of an enjoyable occasion.  There's a lot in there for relative novices like me to learn from, thanks!

Doug.

PS: Stu - glad to note you used averted vision on a globular!

Cheers Doug, glad it is of interest.

p.s. Touché ??????

[Piero]

Super report Stu!

It's amazing how much just half mag enables one to see more!

[Size9Hex]

Awesome! Great to hear you've had such a great session. Inspiring stuff.

NGC 5053 beat me too a couple of weeks back. I was expecting it should have been easy and even wondered whether it was marked in the wrong location!

[laudropb]

Terrific report Stu. You obviously had a great time. I envy your 19.8 urban skies. I once had a 18 but normally it's a good bit worse.

[Stu]

2 hours ago, Piero said:

Super report Stu!

It's amazing how much just half mag enables one to see more!

It is isn't it! I've tried for some of these objects in the past with no luck, so it's great to be able to see them from home. Need to get this scope back to a dark site though.

[Stu]

2 hours ago, Size9Hex said:

Awesome! Great to hear you've had such a great session. Inspiring stuff.

NGC 5053 beat me too a couple of weeks back. I was expecting it should have been easy and even wondered whether it was marked in the wrong location!

Thanks ??

5053 was the most confusing of the night probably, should have been possible but nowhere to be seen. Strange one.

[Stu]

2 hours ago, laudropb said:

Terrific report Stu. You obviously had a great time. I envy your 19.8 urban skies. I once had a 18 but normally it's a good bit worse.

That sounds tough John. Do you ever get anywhere darker?

[laudropb]

Yes, Stu. I can travel for about 15 miles and get much darker skies, though there is always a sky glow in the direction of Glasgow. I also go down to Galloway a few times a year. 

[Special K]

Wow, that's a whirlwind!  Glad you've been rewarded with excellent results. It's good to hear of someone's skies actually improving rather than getting more light pollution.  We must be on a par in this regard as the third of Leo Triplet is downright stubborn to get from home. I've not given up on NGC5053 though.  Great report!

[Stu]

Thanks Kevin. Yes, the third of the triplet was a right so and so!! Very faint and needed every trick in my book to get it but it was there repeatedly in the end. Tough one from here.

5053 must be doable!! Will try again too.

[Size9Hex]

Couple of interesting topics elsewhere on NGC 5053. Sounds a toughie.

http://www.deepskyforum.com/showthread.php?121-Ngc-5053

http://observing.skyhound.com/archives/may/NGC_5053.html

I rather like it when something like this catches you off guard!

[Stu]

10 minutes ago, Size9Hex said:

Couple of interesting topics elsewhere on NGC 5053. Sounds a toughie.

http://www.deepskyforum.com/showthread.php?121-Ngc-5053

http://observing.skyhound.com/archives/may/NGC_5053.html

I rather like it when something like this catches you off guard!

Hmmm, that might explain it!

I ran the numbers through some surface brightness and visibility calculators and it seems it's pretty tough from my skies with the 8". Interestingly it suggests that the visibility would be better at an exit pupil of 6mm, I was using 2.2mm. Might try experimenting with that next time too.

[Special K]

That's interesting stuff.  For reference 5053 is not much smaller than M53, which could be useful at the EP if you go wide field. Definitely worth a try!  I wonder if a widefield with O-III to darken background might help...

 

[Davesellars]

Great report and thoroughly enjoyable read!  That's certainly a bag full of DSOs...  As you've seen magnitude only tells half the story you need to look at the size for the surface brightness but even then some have a decent core that can be discerned while others are very diffuse across the entire size - alot of face on galaxies are like this and so normally are the most difficult.

 

the difference last night was excellent transparency making everything much darker than normal without light being reflected off particles in the air.  I probably gained an extra .3 of a mag visible which is like a level up.  When it's like this you've gotten grab the bull by the horns and fit in as many very dim fuzzies as you can in to the session as such nights are rare.

[Stu]

2 minutes ago, Davesellars said:

Great report and thoroughly enjoyable read!  That's certainly a bag full of DSOs...  As you've seen magnitude only tells half the story you need to look at the size for the surface brightness but even then some have a decent core that can be discerned while others are very diffuse across the entire size - alot of face on galaxies are like this and so normally are the most difficult.

 

the difference last night was excellent transparency making everything much darker than normal without light being reflected off particles in the air.  I probably gained an extra .3 of a mag visible which is like a level up.  When it's like this you've gotten grab the bull by the horns and fit in as many very dim fuzzies as you can in to the session as such nights are rare.

Thanks Dave, interesting info ??

[Size9Hex]

I tried 5053 again last night from home. Possibly a glimpse of a sprinkle of just a few very faint stars at high magnification. Not with anywhere near enough confidence to call it though. For comparison, M101 was fairly obvious!

[Stu]

5 minutes ago, Size9Hex said:

I tried 5053 again last night from home. Possibly a glimpse of a sprinkle of just a few very faint stars at high magnification. Not with anywhere near enough confidence to call it though. For comparison, M101 was fairly obvious!

Nice one! You'll get there eventually on a really transparent night.

I had word from Gerry (Jetstream) last night that he bagged it! Mag 21.8 skies probably helped!!! I'll let him tell the details

[Special K]

I'd be surprised if Gerry couldn't bag it under his dark skies!  Nice little challenging target with this one.  As for your galaxy list, that's a nice haul. 

[Peter Drew]

"Only half a mag"?, you have to double your aperture to gain one and a half, it's not linear!.