Tricky Double Double In Auriga, And More

[cloudsweeper]

4.45am - still, clear, fairly mild, so got the Bresser Dob out again.  From Mahasim (Aur), an easy hop to the prominent pair Tau and Nu Aur, at a separation of about 0.4deg.  

This pair are each a double, although sources (Haas, CDSA, Stellarium, Sky Safari, Wiki) vary in this respect and in details.  Nu/32 Aur is perhaps an optical double, with a faint companion about 1min away, whereas Tau/29 Aur is supposed also to have a faint companion about 43sec away.  Anyway, at x53 I spotted Tau's companion, and estimated the separation was about as expected.  Nu's companion was seen at x64 + AV, rotated about 180deg relative to Tau's.  Once detected, the whole array could be viewed and appreciated.  

I then aimed the Rigel for the distinctive parallelogram shape of 17, IQ, 18, and 19 Aur and landed right on it.  It served as a good reference while moving round and tracking.  In the same roughly 2deg FOV was open cluster NGC 1893 - pretty, with many brightish stars, fairly loose, sitting in the nebulosity IC 410, signs of which were clear using the UHC filter.  (The OIII was somewhat harsher.)  (To the other side, also within about 2deg was C31 (Flaming Star Nebula, with AE Aur prominent in it), but that one eluded me.)

Then straight down to OC M38 (Starfish) - a nice, tight, dense, but faint array.  Finally, straight across to another OC, M36 (Pinwheel) - very similar to M38, although its stars are generally brighter.

6.05am - finished after a satisfying session, with some new ground broken.

Doug.

[cotterless45]

Super report , some real favourites there ,

Nick.

[domstar]

Great report. I thought of you at 4am Saturday morning as I decided that I wouldn't take advantage of the wonderful sky. It'll happen one day.

[alan potts]

Very nice report, never knew M36 was called the Pinwheel as well as M33.

Alan

[FenlandPaul]

Lovely report. Don’t think I’ve seen Nu and Tau Aurigae - will take a look . I wish like you I’d gone out early this morning rather than last night - the dew and Moon made for a very disappointing session, although a highlight was the simple view of Eta Cas.

[cloudsweeper]

7 hours ago, domstar said:

Great report. I thought of you at 4am Saturday morning as I decided that I wouldn't take advantage of the wonderful sky. It'll happen one day.

Thanks Dom.  At the rate I'm going, I might switch to totally nocturnal mode!  ?

 

7 hours ago, alan potts said:

Very nice report, never knew M36 was called the Pinwheel as well as M33.

Alan

Thanks Alan.  Yes, M36 is often called the Pinwheel Cluster.  P/W Galaxy - that's M101, isn't it?  I notice the latest version of Stellarium uses some new and fanciful names - maybe they'll catch on in the fulness of time!

Edit: Alan - as you so rightly said, M33 can also be referred to as the Pinwheel Galaxy, although M101 usually has that title!  ?

 

 

7 hours ago, cotterless45 said:

Super report , some real favourites there ,

Nick.

Thanks Nick.  I usually like to try some new targets along with the faves!

Doug.

[Mark at Beaufort]

A nice report Doug and some interesting objects to explore.

[Littleguy80]

2 hours ago, cloudsweeper said:

NGC 1893 - pretty, with many brightish stars, fairly loose, sitting in the nebulosity IC 410, signs of which were clear using the UHC filter.  (The OIII was somewhat harsher.)

Great report, Doug. I didn’t realise that NGC 1893 sat within a Nebula. Will be breaking the UHC filter out on that one myself  

[domstar]

29 minutes ago, cloudsweeper said:

I notice the latest version of Stellarium uses some new and fanciful names

I generally like the names as they make it easier to remember the objects but sometimes I find myself getting disproportionately angry. I can just about accept the Vacuum Cleaner but the Patrick Starfish cluster makes me want to ...... go to councelling.

[Knighty2112]

Nice work Doug. Was going to have an hour or so last night, but was too zonked out. Some nice targets. Well done mate!  

[cloudsweeper]

3 hours ago, Knighty2112 said:

Nice work Doug. Was going to have an hour or so last night, but was too zonked out. Some nice targets. Well done mate!  

Thanks Gus.  I shot out when I saw Auriga, because I only spotted one of the Tau/Nu companions the other night.  So mission accomplished!

(BTW - not heard much from you lately - have you been out of action, or have our paths just not crossed?  And I gave the Skytee an outing y'day evening - a great purchase, thanks again!)

Doug.