Southerly Messiers

[Littleguy80]

Experience has taught me that I enjoy my observing more if I keep my plans loose. I keep track of what I've seen on the Messier list and a couple of others but I don't set goals around completing lists. That's just what works for me. Having said that, a scan of the objects I haven't seen showed that I was mostly missing the southerly Messiers. I love my dob but it's quite heavy which doesn't lend itself to moving around trying to find the best spot to get low down towards the horizon. Now that I have a light refractor in the form of an Equinox 80, I can easily move around to find the perfect viewing spot. Whilst out observing the Europa shadow transit on Jupiter Tuesday night, I realised that I had a chance of observing M6, the butterfly cluster. I did some Feng Shui in my garden, which involved dragging a 12 foot trampoline out of the way, to get the right position but was then beaten by clouds. The idea was now set in my mind though, ready for Wednesday nights clear skies.

With the preamble out of the way, on with the observing! After a short power nap, I headed out to observe around 23:30. My first target was M8, the Lagoon nebula, which even filtered, was showing some nice nebulosity. I now jumped in with trying to observe M6 but just couldn't find a position in my garden that didn't end up with M6 behind a tree. There's a large green out front of my house but there are also street lights which isn't ideal. Carrying the light frac round front, I set about searching for M6 again. This time I was able to find a good spot to observe it. I was using my ES68 24mm eyepiece which gives a 3.26 degree TFOV at 21x magnification. M6 was not obvious in this with around 5 of the brighter being visible. I retrieved my Baader Zoom and started to increase the magnification. On the 8mm setting, I could more of the fainter stars of the cluster giving a much more satisfying view. I'd like to see M6 with better skies or in the dob but there was a definite sense of achievement at finding this. Why stop there I thought! Let's try for M7, Ptolemy's Cluster, which is even lower. This time my challenge was arriving at M7 without a Chimney stack being in the way. I moved position several times, gave up, looked at M6 again and then decided to try one more time for M7. This time with the Zoom on the 24mm setting, I could see the main stars of the cluster just above the roof tops. I actually had the chimney stack in the FOV at this point. Clicking up the magnification a little showed me the core of M7 with a few more stars revealed. I felt very pleased with myself! A car pulled up close to me and I felt quite inconspicuous with my black observing hood on and my telescope pointing just above the houses. My wife has expressed concern that she may wake up one day to find I've been arrested on suspicion of trying to looking through people's windows! For the record, I have never done this!

I decided to return to my back garden before the police arrived following reports of a shadowy figure on the green. I now sat down with my dob and decided to have a try at observing Pluto. From my garden, Pluto only rises to around 15 degrees and is mag 14.2. It's very close to a star listed at mag 11.79 in SkySafari. Using my 3-6mm Nagler zoom, I let that star drift through the eyepieces several times, trying different magnifications, looking for any hint of the dwarf planet. I had no trouble holding the star in direct vision. Like the hedgehog I could hear rustling around nearby, I knew Pluto was there but I couldn't see it. Perhaps when the skies are darker I'll have manage to glimpse it. I turned my attention to Saturn now. The view was simply stunning. I picked out 2 or 3 of the tiny moons around it, the Cassini division was clear as day and the planet itself was showing some lovely banding. Superb!

My thoughts now returned to those southerly Messiers. I re-positioned the dob and the trampoline, and went after M54. At low power it was tricky but I just managed to spot the globular cluster about the tree tops. Increasing power gave a more satisfying view of a dense core. I started to look for M55 but soon realised it was hiding behind a tree. The Milky Way was showing quite well under my surburban skies and I noted that Cygnus was close to the zenith. I decided to return to the frac for some widefield views. Using an OIII filter and my APM HDC 20mm (4 degree TFOV), I could just make out something of the western veil but it was a struggle. I then managed to find the curving nebula of the Eastern nebula. This was much clearer to see. I decided to try my ES82 30mm eyepiece. This is a big heavy eyepiece and I really wasn't sure how usable it would be with my light setup but I was pleasantly surprised. The still challenging western veil could be seen in the same FOV as the brighter eastern veil. This really needs darker skies but I was very happy with what I'd managed to see given the lack of astronomical darkness. It also felt liked an achievement to see the veil using an 80mm scope. 

For a final flourish, I went for a widefield view of the Andromeda galaxy. M32 was an easy spot but I couldn't see M110 on this occasion. The sky was getting quite bright night so it was time to head in a grab a few hours sleep before work. I really love summer observing!

[John]

Great report Neil !

At 15 degrees Pluto's visible magnitude will be lower than it's quoted figure I think - probably mag 15 or a touch more. I can't get better than mag 14.7 (as yet) at zenith for point sources so it's probably just out of reach for my 12 inch currently. Worth a try though - you never know what might happen !

 

[Littleguy80]

Just now, John said:

Great report Neil !

At 15 degrees Pluto's visible magnitude will be lower than it's quoted figure I think - probably mag 15 or a touch more. I can't get better than mag 14.7 (as yet) at zenith for point sources so it's probably just out of reach for my 12 inch currently. Worth a try though - you never know what might happen !

Thanks John. I think you're right regarding Pluto. If I'm getting close to something I'll normally have the occasional flicker of a view in averted vision. Not enough to call it an observation but a hint. I got absolutely nothing with Pluto so I suspect it's well out of range. Worth a shot from dark skies as you say. The hunt is all part of the fun even if it's ultimately unsuccessful.

[Mark at Beaufort]

Well done Neil - I only observed M6 and M7 whilst on holiday in Spain. Never been able to see it in the UK. I live on the edge of the City and nearby is an area with a good southern horizon - will take out the Heritage 130P and see what happens.

I have never tried for Pluto thinking it was too faint for the 12" Dob.

Looking back at my notes my last Messier was M70 and at -32 Dec I am not surprised. I used my 4" APO frac and I recall my excitement completing the Messier list.

[Littleguy80]

24 minutes ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Well done Neil - I only observed M6 and M7 whilst on holiday in Spain. Never been able to see it in the UK. I live on the edge of the City and nearby is an area with a good southern horizon - will take out the Heritage 130P and see what happens.

I have never tried for Pluto thinking it was too faint for the 12" Dob.

Looking back at my notes my last Messier was M70 and at -32 Dec I am not surprised. I used my 4" APO frac and I recall my excitement completing the Messier list.

Thank you, Mark. The Heritage 130P should give some nice views of M6 and M7 if you can get on them.

I just checked and I only have M55, M62, M69, M70 and M83 to go. By the end of the summer I could be down to just M83! 

[Mark at Beaufort]

2 hours ago, Littleguy80 said:

 By the end of the summer I could be down to just M83! 

Neil best of luck with M83. Its easy to star hop to the galaxy but I find it difficult to see in the UK. When I was in the United States last year I was a guest of a large astronomy society who had an 18" scope on a mountain top close to the Lick Observatory. I viewed M83, very easily, in some 11x70 binos - of course the quality of the location and its higher position helped.

[Stu]

Great stuff Neil, really nice report. You are certainly getting there on the Messiers. I'm like you, don't want to be ruled by lists and having to get through a set number of objects. Would be good to get there eventually though

I've had my best success on these low objects with refractors, specifically a Genesis which I observed with near the Dorset coast some years back on holiday. I find dobs quite a challenge down low, particularly the 14" Sumerian. I'm sure a traditional dob would be easier because the pivot point is a little higher. Might try the 8" when I get it on a dob mount soon.

Your report reminded me of those Genesis adventures, sure you've seen this one but just in case.. 

 

[Littleguy80]

3 minutes ago, Stu said:

Great stuff Neil, really nice report. You are certainly getting there on the Messiers. I'm like you, don't want to be ruled by lists and having to get through a set number of objects. Would be good to get there eventually though

I've had my best success on these low objects with refractors, specifically a Genesis which I observed with near the Dorset coast some years back on holiday. I find dobs quite a challenge down low, particularly the 14" Sumerian. I'm sure a traditional dob would be easier because the pivot point is a little higher. Might try the 8" when I get it on a dob mount soon.

Your report reminded me of those Genesis adventures, sure you've seen this one but just in case.. 

 

Thanks Stu. I’m definitely finding the little frac better down low. Going widefield is really nice too. Totally different experience to the dob and fits really well with the relaxed nature of these summer observing sessions. 

I had read that report before but had another read. It’s a great report. I was really impressed that you got the Triffid with the Genesis. I remember struggling with that in my 130mm scope. 

[Paul73]

Dob on the trampoline?

I remember putting mine on a garden table to try for M8. It was with a frac on a tripod that I finally got it!

Sounds like you had a night of great clarity. So often these target are lost in the low murky haze.

Paul

[Littleguy80]

12 minutes ago, Paul73 said:

Dob on the trampoline?

I remember putting mine on a garden table to try for M8. It was with a frac on a tripod that I finally got it!

Sounds like you had a night of great clarity. So often these target are lost in the low murky haze.

Paul

Haha you joke but it has crossed my mind to put some wood across the top and use it as a dob platform!

[Paul73]

27 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

Haha you joke but it has crossed my mind to put some wood across the top and use it as a dob platform!

That’s the spirit!

There is something very satisfying about completing the Messiers from your own garden. For me, it was far more fulfilling than catching them high in the sky from southern France.

Paul

 

[Paz]

Great report. The Messiers around Sagittarius remind me of summer holidays as the only real chance I get to have a go at them is if I have managed to smuggle a scope into the car when we go on holiday.

I do wonder about how to do Pluto, I've not tried yet but it's on my hit list. I think that would require a trip somewhere away from home.