In Search of Spiral Arms in the Brightest Galaxies, 2nd pass completed... (Night Vision)

[alanjgreen]

Equipment Used:

Scope: 20” f3.6 Lukehurst Dob with Paracorr (fl = 2089mm & f4.1).

Night Vision: PVS-14 with Photonis 4g INTENS.

Eyepiece: Plossl 55mm (f2 x38).

 

Background.

In spring 2019 I created a Sky Safari observing list of 214 highest brightness galaxies in the night sky above.

I have observed 134 of the 214 (the others have not been well placed over my garden when I have been outside).

In my first pass through these 134 galaxies, they were graded 0-3 (where 3 means "clear spiral arms" and 0 means "nothing to see here!")

I have now completed a second pass through the grade 2 and grade 3 galaxies. This has resulted in some movement between bands based on my now greater experience and having a better idea of what I expect to see.

My latest graded lists contain 38 grade 3 galaxies and 30 grade 2 galaxies (when combined this gives a list of the best galaxies to view when using military night vision technology combined with a low power eyepiece (using the TeleVue PVS-14 adapter).

[Note that lower power eyepieces give the best spiral arm results as they “increase the effective focal ratio” of the telescope/night vision system which really helps increase the detail seen at the eyepiece.]

As we are still in galaxy season 2020, now seemed a good time to re-publish my findings so others have the opportunity to observe some of these fantastic galaxies before they become “unavailable” for another 10 months…

 

Grade 3 galaxies (the best of the best).

1. M51
2. M61
3. M64
4. M65
5. M66
6. M81
7. M90
8. M91
9. M94
10. M95
11. M96
12. M99
13. M100
14. M101
15. M106
16. M109
17. NGC891
18. NGC2403
19. NGC2903
20. NGC3184
21. NGC3628
22. NGC3631
23. NGC3726
24. NGC3893
25. NGC3953
26. NGC4051
27. NGC4216
28. NGC4274
29. NGC4449
30. NGC4559
31. NGC4565
32. NGC4618
33. NGC4725
34. NGC5248
35. NGC5371
36. NGC5746
37. NGC5907
38. NGC6946

 

Grade 2 galaxies (good but the arms are not quite there…)

1. M82
2. M88
3. M98
4. M104
5. NGC2537
6. NGC2768
7. NGC3294
8. NGC3344
9. NGC3373
10. NGC3596
11. NGC3646
12. NGC3675
13. NGC3718
14. NGC3729
15. NGC3813
16. NGC3938
17. NGC4013
18. NGC4214
19. NGC4293
20. NGC4389
21. NGC4490
22. NGC4517
23. NGC4535
24. NGC4625
25. NGC4762
26. NGC5005
27. NGC5364
28. NGC5383
29. NGC5775
30. NGC6015

Hopefully someone will find this useful information, next time they plan a galaxy observing session...

Note that my dobsonian uses an Astrodevices Nexus unit which I control using Sky Safari. Here are my exported observing lists (which you can import into your Sky Safari app should you wish to do so?)

Grade 3 Galaxies.skylist

Grade 2 Galaxies.skylist

1. email them to your phone/ipad,

2. read the email on your mobile device and after clicking on the attachment, you should be offered the chance to “send to Sky Safari” by your email app…

3.Sky Safari will open and give a message “Observing List Created”.

 

Clear Skies,

Alan

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by alanjgreen

[Mike JW]

Great idea to provide this resource. Mike

[RobertI]

Thanks Alan, the sort of list which might encourage me out for some EEA again. Much appreciated.