Hunting down DSOs in Coma Berenices

[Mark at Beaufort]

Yes another night of observing with the 12" Dob this time checking out DSOs in Coma B.

Before I started I wanted to view the Comet - C/2019 Y1 (Atlas) because reports had indicted that it was getting brighter. The Dob was not in the best position to view North so rather than move it I used my Heritage 130P. Checking out its position on Stellarium I was able, using my TeleVue 8-24mm zoom, to view it. Its position was slightly different to that indicated but easy to find.

With regard to Coma B I started with M53 although I have seen it many time before. I moved the scope to view NGC5053 but I tried viewing the area with various EPs but could not see it.

My main task was to view galaxies in Coma B that I had not seen before. The view of Mel 111 Coma cluster in my 80mm Altair finderscope was magnificent so I started at the Gamma (Al Dafirah) and viewed the following - NGC 4278, 4274, 4314, 4251 and 4448.

However, before I finished the night I wanted to have another go at the GC (NGC 5053). I would say that I have tried for years to see this GC but never succeeded. So I checked out the surrounding star patterns using Stellarium  and my atlas Interstellarum and noticed a mag 9.7 star was in the same FOV as my 6mm Ethos. I studied the area for some time using averted viewing and eventually I could make out a very faint area of extremely diffused stars. This object is a challenge in my 12" but I ended the night feeling good that I had seen it.

[John]

Nice report as ever Mark

It was a little "milky" here last night so I concentrated on other things rather than galaxies but I did do a slew of globular clusters at the end of my session and an attempt at NGC 50503 was one of them. This is the 2nd time I've tried to view this rather strange globular cluster and last night, again, I found the results rather inconclusive.

I may have seen a very faint smattering of stars in the right spot but then again my tired observing eye might have been playing games !

It's certainly a challenging one. I note that the Skyhound (Greg Crinklaw) used an 18 inch for this observation of it and it did not sound that distinctive even with that aperture:

https://observing.skyhound.com/archives/may/NGC_5053.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

[miguel87]

Great report thanks.

I have never viewed a comet and would be interest to have a go.

Are there any good websites or similar with current viewable comets listed with an idea of their size/brightness?

Glad I'm not the only one who thought it was a little murky last night.

 

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Nice report. I've tried C/2019 Y1 (Atlas) two nights in a row, but no luck.

Miguel type "comet" into the search box:

https://theskylive.com/c2019y1-info

 

Or tick "Show Comets" in the Sky Safari Solar System settings...

 

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[Mark at Beaufort]

1 hour ago, miguel87 said:

Great report thanks.

I have never viewed a comet and would be interest to have a go.

Are there any good websites or similar with current viewable comets listed with an idea of their size/brightness?

Glad I'm not the only one who thought it was a little murky last night.

 

Hello Miguel I usually look at this website https://cometchasing.skyhound.com/

I also cross reference Stellarium having updated the website. Although it was not totally accurate last night the Comet was in the same FOV as was indicated. I only used a 5" Newt so you should be okay as long as you don't have too light pollution in your area.

[Mark at Beaufort]

2 hours ago, John said:

Nice report as ever Mark

It was a little "milky" here last night so I concentrated on other things rather than galaxies but I did do a slew of globular clusters at the end of my session and an attempt at NGC 50503 was one of them. This is the 2nd time I've tried to view this rather strange globular cluster and last night, again, I found the results rather inconclusive.

I may have seen a very faint smattering of stars in the right spot but then again my tired observing eye might have been playing games !

It's certainly a challenging one. I note that the Skyhound (Greg Crinklaw) used an 18 inch for this observation of it and it did not sound that distinctive even with that aperture:

https://observing.skyhound.com/archives/may/NGC_5053.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the link John. I have a copy of Walter Scott Houston's book called Deep -Sky Wonders produced by Sky and Telescope. I have tried for years to view this GC but now that I have seen it, and know its exact location, I will return and view it again.

[John]

I find Cartes du Ciel pretty accurate with regards to the positioning of comets. It's quick to do an update of them as well.