Galaxies on the balcony (hunting the hamburger)

[domstar]

So with no GRS or transits before bedtime I thought I'd just give Jupiter the most perfunctory of glances and move on to some wonders of the deep. I had a plan of action and the motivation to test my own patience. First up was the Clown Face nebula (Ok not that deep), well described in Turn Left at Orion as looking like an out of focus star. Having just read an astronomy book, I was amazed by an old star doing the cosmic equivalent of buying a Harley (if I understand it).

My next new target was the Sombrero Galaxy M104. After checking Stellarium previously and drawing my own star map, I was amazed to recognise it the moment it slid into view. Pleased with myself, I moved up to try to find the higher galaxies in Virgo. This was a challenge. I got to 31Vir and tried to flail around there. The problem was that, spoilt for choice, I didn't know what I was looking for. I stumbled upon one clear one (I'm guessing M49) and the suggestion of fainter ones, but star hopping in that area is a real challenge and my patience and tenaciousness is reduced with every new target. I was also put off by not knowing which galaxy I would be seeing if I managed to find one. 

Then to Leo.Two of the triplet again and then M95 and M96 (not M105) but where was that hamburger? It's as if balconies in a block of flats is not the ideal place to hunt for galaxies.

So I was really pleased, and packing away the scope didn't even freeze my hands to numbness.

Just last of all, though, another look a Jupiter. Wow. The highest I've seen it with my new scope and eyepieces and the best. I saw my first transit on Thursday and my first GRS last Sunday, but the detail yesterday possibly equalled that.

Thanks for reading.

Dominic

[Davesellars]

Virgo/Coma is a challenge for the star-hopper.    It needs a good plan of attack.  Try to plan out a "route" through Virgo's Messier galaxies that you can follow with whatever sky chart you're using.  Stars get quite faint in the actual cluster there's not too many bright ones showing the way and often you find yourself galaxy hopping rather than star-hopping

My favourite way is in starting at Vindemiatrix and then with the finder-scope the bright pair 27Vir, 30Vir which will easily give you M59 and M60 between 34Vir.  From there it's best not to use the finder-scope at all but just the eyepiece you're using with the scope and go slowly from one galaxy to the next using whatever slightly brighter stars you can see as pointers.  It takes a few times to get to know your way but it's definitely worth the effort.

[domstar]

Dave, 

That's a great help. Exactly the advice I need. I've just tracked it like you said on Stellarium and I can see how to go about it now. Thanks for taking the time.