UGC 10822, Sharpless 91 and The Draco Triplet

[Helix]

Hi all,

Clear skies and few days off. This is what I was waiting for a while. I spend two enjoyable nights observing and in between I had a privilege to hear Matt Taylor's (ESA's top scientist) brilliant talk on Rosetta mission. Thanks to @Cjg for organising this event.

As some of you may know I am still learning to observe with the new aperture (20") and very short focal length (3.5). My main scope used to be 10" dob and I had many enjoyable nights with it seeing faintest possible stuff. Now it is time to readjust eyes, find favourite eyepieces and to confirm or  not previous observations with 10"

Some of my comparisons lately proved that 10" is an amazing aperture and 20" even better:

UGC 10822: Dwarf spheroidal galaxy in Draco. Angular size (arcmin):  37.15 x 23.98 according to Simbad. Low surface brightness (?). 

10" : observed 3/5/2014. Possible to spot location of the g-xy only by slight brightness difference between background and the galaxy itself. Nearly invisible oval shape. Intense, focused observation required to spot it and see the "borders" of the g-xy. Structure: none, except some stars in the field of the galaxy.

20": observed 1/5/16, seeing 6/10, transparency 5/10, humid over 80%, same location: distant street lights. Shadow like elongated ~1/2* spot. Featureless, just some bright stars visually in the field of the galaxy itself. Confident observation. I think with this galaxy only Hubble can help

Sh2-91: "Shadow of the Veil" nebula. Supernova remnant in Cygnus. The brightest part is located 15' south from Φ Cygni. I was intrigued by Gerry's report on this one and kept it in mind till now.   

Date: 30/4/16, 
NELM 6.5
MPSAS: 21.73
Transparency and seeing: 7/10
Filter: OIII Lumicon
EP: 13 Ethos

10" and 20": Wispy streak of nebulosity around 1-2'x18-20' in size. Some filamentary structure in 20". Well visible in both scopes but obviously brighter in 20". Must see object! One of finest DSO. So grateful to Gerry @jetstream for mentioning it on the forum. Some people say that it is impossible to observe Sharpless 91 with 10" in the UK. POSSIBLE. I would not be surprise if some can see it with 8".

I will come back to this SNR again because, I think, there is more to observe. Reports to follow

Date: 01/05/16
Transparency: 6/10
Seeing: 7/10
Weather: humid above 80%
Site: distant street lights
EP: 13E, 20XW, 30XW.

The Draco Triplet. NGC 5981, 5982, 5985 and in addition 5976. 30' of a beautiful line like demonstration of the edge-on spiral galaxy (5981) following the elliptical galaxy (5982) and on the top the nearly face-on spiral galaxy (5985).  I do not want to go to details. There is plenty of information around but just to say that 

10": it is a real struggle to observe the edge-on 5981. I observed the triplet a few years back and I had a feeling that something is not complete. 5982 (12mag) and 5985 (12 mag) observed with direct vision but 5981 (13.6) was flickering in and out. It was hard to keep it still  (I have to be honest I observed it with distant street lights). Untamed galaxy  

20": Well. I like it even more than the Leo Triplet. It was a treat for my eyes. It is like an artwork when models are posing under the right angle for an artist. Plenty of details in each galaxy: 5985-spiral structure is just visible, 5982-different rings of brightness, 5981-dust line. And in addition NGC 5976 (14.8 mag), a small galaxy  about 10' W from 5981. Buy three get forth for free . New object on my list. I am sure there is plenty more to observe but for the next time.  

 

Brilliant two nights with plenty targets observed in 10" and 20" to compare and not to go to details at the minute. I am not taking myself as a 'serious' observer so please keep it in mind when you read this post  . I just love the skies dearly  

 

Thank you for reading,

Tatyana

[rwilkey]

Hi Tatyana, a great report, what a difference a 20" scope makes!  Such a fast focal ratio though, what eyepieces did you use?

[YKSE]

Excellet report Tatyana and thanks for the heads up about the Draco triplet, have just added thm to my list, I may have some clear nights towards the weekend for the fuzzy-hunting, before the white nights come.

[jetstream]

Great report Helix! There are some other do able areas of the Little Veil that should be a nice challenge coming up in the fall, this object is actually really big ( and faint). Congrats for seeing it!

[laudropb]

Lovely report. I really enjoyed the read.

[Piero]

Hi Tatyana, first of all I would like to thank you for writing this up and let us know about some of the view differences between such telescopes! Not many people have the opportunity to see through a 20" and it's always intriguing to read about something as big as that, particularly in comparison with a more modest but also more common aperture like a 10".   I enjoyed reading it a lot and to me the work you did is of great inspiration as it shows rigour, diligence and most importantly a lot of passion.

I really hope to read more and more reports from you and Chris in the future!  

Cheers, Piero

[Helix]

8 hours ago, rwilkey said:

Hi Tatyana, a great report, what a difference a 20" scope makes!  Such a fast focal ratio though, what eyepieces did you use?

Hi Robin,

Thank you for a kind comment. I observe with Pentax XW, TeleVue Panoptic and Ethos, also Takahashi LE. All of my EPs are great for both scopes but I need to find out what is the best for 20". It will take a while as I am picky  . I understand that certain rules/formulas to be applied but I always trust my eyes and brain. For example, I was observing the Bubble nebula in 20" with different eyepieces/filters and I could not see it. I knew I am in the right place. I thought I saw it but could not convince myself. I observed the Bubble so many times in 10". Direct vision with no problems. I even could pick out some details. It makes me wonder  . Same time I saw the Cave nebula and Sh2-91 easily in 20". So I am puzzled at the minute.  Probably it is not what you asked me but here we are ..... Woman  

[Helix]

5 hours ago, YKSE said:

Excellet report Tatyana and thanks for the heads up about the Draco triplet, have just added thm to my list, I may have some clear nights towards the weekend for the fuzzy-hunting, before the white nights come.

I would love to read your report and many thanks  

[Helix]

@Piero Many thanks, Piero. You are always kind to me .

I love reading your reports and I even downloaded them. I admire what you and Chris do with your scopes. That is why we are all here: to inspire each other. 

Kind regards,

Tatyana 

 

[Helix]

@jetstream

Thanks Gerry,

I downloaded some images/maps of Sh2-91 and will go for it. Keep setting us examples of fine observing.

Helix

 

 

[rwilkey]

Hi Tatyana, thanks for getting back to me, I thought you would be using 'top-drawer' ep's.  WOMAN?  Some of the best astronomers are women, it was all Caroline Herschel's fault, but it looks like you are right up there with her.   I wish I had your patience and mobility (I am partly disabled following a stroke)!

[estwing]

Super read and how lovely to compare two scopes with such a difference in aperture...clear skies 

[PeterW]

Good find. How thin are the wisps of sh91 compared to the veil, looks like I need more focal length to up the image scale on this one. One for the Autumn hunting season!

peterW

[Helix]

17 hours ago, rwilkey said:

Hi Tatyana, thanks for getting back to me, I thought you would be using 'top-drawer' ep's.  WOMAN?  Some of the best astronomers are women, it was all Caroline Herschel's fault, but it looks like you are right up there with her.   I wish I had your patience and mobility (I am partly disabled following a stroke)!

Sorry to hear, Robin,  that you have to deal with the health complications. It is admirable that you do what is possible in your circumstances. It is so good that we have this forum and can observe the skies through the eyes of each other with varies aperture, EPs, filters, skies and so on  

Many thanks, Robin, for your kind comment. 

[Helix]

15 hours ago, PeterW said:

Good find. How thin are the wisps of sh91 compared to the veil, looks like I need more focal length to up the image scale on this one. One for the Autumn hunting season!

peterW

Hi Peter,

Size wise it looked as 1 arc minute approx x 18-20 arc minute approx and maybe, I am not sure yet, even 30 arc minutes. Filamentary structure: there is some filaments 10-20 arc seconds approx along the streak.  My main goal was to test my 20" and see what is in the range of it, the best eyepieces and check my previous observations mainly with 10" and also other scopes I used to observe with. So I did not look for details as such yet. I just ticked the box "POSSIBLE"  at the moment I will come back to Sh2-91 and other parts of the SNR again in the future to study it because it is on my favourite list now. I think Gerry can tell you more  . 

Kind regards and thanks,

Tatyana 

[PeterW]

Thin, no wonder I didn't pick it up... Well my excuse anyway. I'll step up to the 8" next time, goto so no looking in the wrong place either. You got good skies and a blazing scope.. Need to find more challenges for you! Try for the eridanus loop next. Where are you getting that kind of  SQM reading?

cheers

peterW

[Helix]

52 minutes ago, PeterW said:

Thin, no wonder I didn't pick it up... Well my excuse anyway. I'll step up to the 8" next time, goto so no looking in the wrong place either. You got good skies and a blazing scope.. Need to find more challenges for you! Try for the eridanus loop next. Where are you getting that kind of  SQM reading?

cheers

peterW

I am a member of Norwich Astronomical Society. We have the best observing site I've ever seen. Any member can observe/image from there at any time. This site is located in the dark area in the middle of nowhere. My readings are from there. 

Eridanus Loop? Do you mean Barnards Loop or Witch Head Nebula?

Regards,

Tatyana

 

[Special K]

Great report and those are challenging targets!  I also recall Gerry's report on the Shadow of the Veil, and thinking at the time it was out of my reach, at least under LP skies here.  I seem to recall he was a little surprised to see it too!  You have a nice dark corner in the uk to observe from, well done!

[PeterW]

You are blessed, I have only got to 21.4 on the Isle of Wight which is not exactly well lit. Have to venture up your way at some time. Barnards is "easy" (if a little on the big side), eridanus loop is another top drawer hard one... http://www.reinervogel.net/index.html?/artikel/Orion_Eridanus_e.html The other one I I'll get if I have to spend all my money on kit is Simeis 147 (sharpless 2-240), spaghetti! I have looked around there a lot too, still not picked it up. http://www.reinervogel.net/index.html?/Sharpless/Sharpless_winter.html

keep us posted with your discoveries!

 

peterW 

[Helix]

Simeis 147: I observed a few years back. I managed to see only a few tiny filaments somewhere at the S. They were extremely dim and I spent a lot of time on it. Very intense observation required to catch a glimpse of it. I still cannot fully convince myself that I saw it. 

Eridanus Loop: thanks for the interesting target. I definitely will go for it  . 

 

[PeterW]

Sounds like my elephants trunk find... Both  a grind and I reported the same thing... So a tentative find. Envious of the sh240 find, we need harder targets!

 

PeterW