In the garden 23/03/20

[Merak]

Hi all.
        For the second night running I was able to get the scope out for an observing session.    Tonight I was concentrating on open clusters in Auriga and Cassiopeia, having planned a couple of dozen objects to observe with Stellarium earlier in the day.      Before I went looking at the open clusters, I had a look at a few other objects - a couple of globs, comet Y4 Atlas and a few galaxies .  As in the previous night transparency wasn't too great so didn't spend too much time on them.

As is popular with some objects, some of them have been named, such as NGC1502 - the Jolly Roger Cluster.  With that cluster it's easy to imagine two crossed cutlasses.
Then there's M38 which has been called the Starfish.  I can sort of see a starfish, albeit with 4 points.

Others, I'm not so sure about, such as NGC663 - 'The Lawnmower Cluster'   Perhaps I was looking at the wrong angle but I couldn't make out an obvious shape similar to some sort of Lawnmower this time.   One to look at again.

Didn't stay out too late as I was getting tired so had a reasonably early night.     Apparently it will be clear again tonight and if it is then the scope will be out again - may as well make the most of it!       Judging by the present high altitude hazy cloud, transparency might be so-so again... We'll see eh?

Mark

[Ciaran Meier]

Hi Mark,

Yep, some weird names out there. I recently discovered the "Klingon Battle Cruiser " asterism NGC 1662 in Orion.  

Enjoyed reading your report. 

Ciaran. 

[mark81]

Nice session Mark. I always look around Cassiopeia and Auriga, you never get bored...

I'm taking as much of Orion and Monoceros as I can at the moment. Very nicely placed and not around for much longer....

Mark

[Merak]

46 minutes ago, Ciaran Meier said:

Hi Mark,

Yep, some weird names out there. I recently discovered the "Klingon Battle Cruiser " asterism NGC 1662 in Orion.  

Enjoyed reading your report. 

Ciaran. 

I'll have a look out for more weird n wonderful named things and see if they actually resemble them!

[Merak]

24 minutes ago, mark81 said:

Nice session Mark. I always look around Cassiopeia and Auriga, you never get bored...

I'm taking as much of Orion and Monoceros as I can at the moment. Very nicely placed and not around for much longer....

Mark

Hi Mark, Unfortunately they're both not that well placed for me  as I have a north facing garden and light pollution to the south of me.   Did show the kids the Orion Neb and Venus and they were impressed.

[cotterless45]

Try " Hagrid's dragon", NGC 2301 in Monoceros. Grandchildren love it , it's a dragon !

Nick.

[wookie1965]

NGC 457 "ET cluster or Owl cluster" a favourite of mine 

[Merak]

Another one if anyone decides to look tonight - NGC2169, the shopping cart cluster in Orion.   It does actually resemble the outline of a shopping trolley as well!     

 

Did look at NGC457 a couple of nights ago and if I remember rightly, there's a pair of brighter stars at both ends of the cluster.

 

Will try for 2301 tonight if it's clear.