Feb 13 - Big Dob enjoys Supernova and Galaxy pancake delights

[alanjgreen]

Date: Tuesday 13^th February 2045-0130am        Scope: 20” f3.6 Lukehurst Dob with Paracorr (fl = 2089mm)

[It was Pancake day, so I just had to add a Culinary spin to my nights observing]

 

Get out the Ingredients (Earlier)

1.Create a new “observing list” in sky safari which contained the 5 SuperNova (SN) and 1 Nova targets.

2.Make “identification sketches” for each of the SN with galaxy and nearby star patterns on small pieces of paper based on before/after images from the web.

3.Consider Dob position in the shed = Big Dob was still positioned at the front of the shed aiming back north for Ursa Major & Polaris.

 

Prepare the Pancake Mixture

I headed outside at 2030pm with my eyepieces and SN sketches. I removed the AstroSystems Scopecoat from Big Dob, inserted the ParaCorr2 and set about collimating the scope using my Glatter tools, making a few small adjustments to get everything centred in the TuBlug.

Time to roll back the roof...

The final task was to perform a 2-star alignment to setup the Nexus “push-to”.

 

Fuzzy Comet Pancakes

As it was still quite early, I decided to begin with some Comets and using Sky Safari I worked my way through the brightest comets in the sky above.

C/2016 N6 (Panstarrs) was out of range

C/2010 U3 (Boattini) – I set about searching for the mag 15 comet. I centered up the push-to with the ethos13 (x150) inserted and then moved to ethos10 (x200). I could not find the comet for definite. There were two possible glimpses (1) I did spot a small fuzzy blob near a patch of stars but failed to re-find it (it did not tally with the Sky Safari location but it was close) (2) I thought I saw a tail cutting through the fov (this was the same experience that I had on Sunday when searching for the same object) but the scale of the tail seemed too long and wide to be true. I will keep trying but could probably do with some better conditions.  

 

Galaxy Ring Pancakes

M81 – starting with M81. E10 (x200). It showed with a bright core with a large dusty area surrounding it. Black patches were seen to both sides and above (maybe some arms on a better night?).

M82 – The view was pretty good (better than Sunday). The galaxy was very bright at x200 and stretched out over a decent width. The black dart intersecting the galaxy was clear in direct vision.

 

Sauteed Supernova Pancakes

UGC5049/SN2018pc – with the ethos8 (x250) inserted I centred up on UGC5049. The galaxy was a faint streak at the edge of the fov. Straight away there was a faint dot visible within the dusty streak! The star pattern matched my sketch and therefore I notched up a success.

NGC2746/SN2018iq – The galaxy was easily found and centred. The SN is tight in but was coming and going as the galaxy drifted across the fov. I switched to the E10 (x200) and the galaxy got brighter, I could see the SN near the centre. 

NGC3941/SN2018pv – I had seen the SN on Sunday, so back for another visit. With the E10 the bright SN was hard to split from the bright core. With the E8 a clear separation was seen and so another success.

My other supernova targets were out of range (due to the shed walls) so I went back to galaxy observing to pass some time while I waited for the earth to spin hoping that targets would come around into view later in the evening.

 

Caramelized Ursa Major Galaxy Pancakes

M108 – E10. The galaxy had a long broken shape with a bright patch off to the left. The core is not in the centre.

M51 – The E10 revealed nice circling arms which could be traced with averted vision. The first arm curved out into space and the second arm curved around the top. The bridge was not obvious at all but with some concentration a faint wisp of arm could be followed out toward ngc5195. The core of 5195 seemed to be outshinging the core of M51.

M106 – Looked good in the E10. Big and bright. No arms.

3990+3982+3972 – A nice triple galaxy in the fov. One big side on, one long thin edge on and a smaller side on made for a nice galaxy combo.

3898+3888 – Little and large side on galaxies. A nice pairing.

3913+3921 – Another pair of side on galaxies

2841 – nice bright side on galaxy

 

More Sauteed Supernova Pancakes

NGC3367/SN2018kp – NGC3367 was located under Leo and I had a short opportunity to get it over the shed wall (not with the whole mirror). I quickly matched the field stars to my sketch and saw a bright dot coming from within the area of the faint galaxy. I switched between the E10 and E8. At one point a saw two dots within the galaxy dust and tried to draw two lines showing the dot orientation compared to the field star orientation. These don’t seem to match the images when I check this morning. The core appears as a bright dot so it seems more likely that I was seeing the galaxy core rather than the SN. But checking an image from 10 Feb, the SN has brightened but I cant say I had success at this point.  I will try again…

 

One last Savoury Zenith Pancake Mix

M101 – Initially a large dusty mist. After a few seconds it started to form into a meaningful structure. I could see the outer arms (containing bright NGC paches). The inner core filled the x200 fov. I could make out three swirling arms. I started to sketch them out on paper. If only the conditions could have been a bit better (Grrrr).  

Conditions seemed to take another dip as I watched the galaxy detail seemed to dip away. I decided to take a quick snap tour…

Keenan system – As recommended by @mdstuart, I headed for NGC5216/5218 and was rewarded with two bright galaxies with dust halos. They looked like a pair of “eyes”. I will have to return on a better night…

4605 – lovely bright edge on galaxy. A clear M82 rival!

Cor Caroli – A lovely bright double. One big white star and one small yellow star. I love this double as it seems to look a different colour depending on the aperture of the scope you are using or maybe depending on your aging eyes (I don’t know) but tonight it was white/yellow (for me).  

Whale – One of my favourite galaxies. It fills the fov at x200.

Silver Needle – very long edge on galaxy. Quite dim.

Cocoon galaxies – A nice “angular” pair with bright cores and dimmer halos.

M3 – To finish a bright globular cluster. Plenty of resolved stars at x200. Lovely.

 

Now I’m stuffed after all those pancakes...

By now, the sky has brightened considerably. I had been watching the sky reflections gradually move up from the horizon towards the zenith. Its time to pack up for the night. Just two hours earlier I had seen M101 naked eye averted (with my glasses on) shows how things can change.

 

Oh No! Time for the washing up

I close the roof and switch on the light. Thermometer says -2 but my toes say that its colder than that! The UTA of the scope is covered in ice as is the upper shroud – I fetch a towel to wipe it down...

After securing the roof and switching on the dehumidifier, I head back to the house and my favourite “hot water bottle”!

I did manage three supernovas so you have to be pleased with that!

Clear Skies, Alan

[MarsG76]

Reads like it was a awesome night of observing.... other than the frozen toes...

 

[scarp15]

Another successful night Alan, with added spice - concerning those supernova observations.

[Paul73]

I like the sound of this "Shed" observing! Very civilised.

Will have to try Keenan's System. I'm assuming that the bridge is never going to be visible?

Paul

[alanjgreen]

4 hours ago, Paul73 said:

I like the sound of this "Shed" observing! Very civilised

It certainly enables me to get regular use from big dob. With a bit of planning and a good low horizon then a dob in a shed can work. We dug out 2' deep piece of ground larger than the shed and built the shed in effect below ground level to enable a lower horizon.

[Paul73]

Local planning constraints are an issue here...... She is also not keen on me cutting down all of the trees in the garden. ?.

Building a low level structure could be the way forward. Do you have heating to keep the damp down?

Paul

[alanjgreen]

33 minutes ago, Paul73 said:

Local planning constraints are an issue here...... She is also not keen on me cutting down all of the trees in the garden. ?.

Building a low level structure could be the way forward. Do you have heating to keep the damp down?

Paul

I will send you a PM