Arp 229 and some more

[YKSE]

2017-01-02
A second straight clear night, heading to my dark site 15:30 just the sunset, trying to catch the two early evening comets.

Temprature: -2 to -7°(forecast -1° to -2°)
Wind: 2-1m/s(forecast3-1m/s)
Humidity 70-79(forecast 76-89%), dew heater on (frozen car windows),
SQM  20.7-20.9,  transparency good, seeing good, slowly twinkling Sirius(faster than yesterday), steady Rigel.

A picture when waiting for darkness.

Comet 237P/Linear: behind the distant trees when it was somewhat dark (still bright sky though).

45P/Honda Mrkos-Pajdusakova: only a faint patch in 43x in Ddirect vision (DV), when sky darkened to about 18.7, averted vision(AV) showed a larger size, no tail could be detected.

NGC 59(galaxy in Cetus, mag 12.1, SB 13.2): bright core seen in 71x in DV, AV showed oval shape, up to 123x slightly better. PA150

Galaxy group Arp 229 in Pisces:

NGC 507(mag 11.3, SB 14.1): the brightest in the group, DV in 71x, 123x slightly better, the 0.6°TFOV in 123x framed the group quite well.
NGC 495(mag 12.9, SB 12.6): AV in 123x, about round
NGC 499(mag 12.2, SB 12.8): DV in 123x, about round
NGC 503(mag 14.1, SB 13.3): tried 71x to 200x, couldn't see it
IC 1687(mag 13.7, SB 11.4): AV in about 200x, when zooming.
NGC 504(mag 13.0, SB 12.3): AV in 123x, about round
NGC 494(mag 12.9, SB 13.2): brighter core in DV in 123x, AV showed elongation, PA90
NGC 515(mag 13.1, SB 13.3): AV in 123x, about round
NGC 517(mag 12.5, SB 13.0): almost DV in 123x, AV showed oval shape, PA30
NGC 508(mag 13.1, SB 13.4): AV in 123x, about round
IC 1689(mag 13.7, SB 11.4): AV in 123x, about round

Some more nearby galaxies around brighter NGC 524:

NGC 524(galaxy in Pisces, mag 10.3, SB 12.6): easy DV in 71x
NGC 518(galaxy in Pisces, mag 13.4, SB 13.1): bright core almost DV in 71x, AV showed elongation, PA100.
NGC 525(galaxy in Pisces, mag 13.3, SB 13.1): bright core almost DV in 71x
NGC 532(galaxy in Pisces, mag 13.0, SB 13.3): bright core almost DV in 71x, AV showed elongation, PA30
NGC 503(mag 14.1, SB 13.3): tried 71x to 200x, couldn't see it
NGC 613(galaxy in Sculptor, mag 9.9, SB 13.0): failed to make it out this time too.
NGC 1052(galaxy in Cetus, mag 10.4, SB 12.0): a easy galaxy with bright core in 71x, got to know that it is a Seyfert II galaxy, with strong bright core almost DV in 71x

C67(galaxy in fornax, mag 10.4, SB13.7): spent good quarter on it when nearing its height, only spotted in AV in 71x, oval, PA170. checking pictures afterwards, it's like I saw only the brighter core.

NGC 1360(planetary nebula in fornax, mag 9.5, SB 13.3): about 4° higher than C67, invisible without filter, AV in 71x with UHC, Oval, PA150
NGC 1535(planetary nebula in Eridanus, mag 13.3, SB 13.1): suspected in 71x becuase of slightly more bloated than a star, also the faint blueish glow around it. Up to 250x made it non-stella size.

Looking up, the dog was twinkling, a bit faster than last night, but Rigel still very steady. Looking into trapezium, the E and F were readily seen in 130x to 180x in both zooms.

A few galaxies and planetary nebulas, a comet and the last doable Caldwell, you just can't complain on a

Clear sky!

[cloudsweeper]

Fine, illustrated log of a great session.  Reinforces what a thrilling pastime astronomy is!

Doug.

[estwing]

All these wonderful reports coming in are very pleasing to read..glad you're getting time at the ep and soaking up the fantastic sights of the winter skies, thanks for sharing,clear skies!

[YKSE]

Thanks mates, appreciate yoru comments.

I've learned a lot from site members' reports, trying to make mine better also for my own sake when revisiting old targets. On the field, there is only notes of my own abbreviations, it takes time to put it together. 

[cloudsweeper]

Yes - I make scrappy notes in the field, then try to write them up ASAP while I can still understand them!  I also keep a log of targets arranged by type or catalogue.  

Doug.

[mapstar]

Nice report

Looking back through my notes the only ones I have noted from that area is NGC-524 and 488 which are marked on one of the star charts I use as the best deep sky objects. I have nothing else noted after in that area?

I have spent quite a bit of time in pisces so must've had cloud or been distracted at the time as it looks like I moved off to another area of sky? 

Thanks for posting and keep up the dark sky trips out as seeing these depends on getting out of urban pollution.  

[YKSE]

Thanks for the comments, Damian.

The other galaxies are quite smaller and fainter, e.g. those around NGC 524, are either around 1' size, or have bright core, so with mag lower than 100x, they don't really stand out as galaxies, more stella like. Knowing they're there, then looking after makes the hunting easier.

[Pig]

Fantastic report Yong with so many bagged targets, I like the way you mention the trapezium E & F duo like they were a breeze to see  Keep it up my friend.

[Tyson M]

Very thorough!