Galaxy cluster AGC 1367 with 18"

[Nyctimene]

Almost 15 years after my first observations of the Abell cluster AGC 1367 in Leo, I revisited with the 18" f/4.5 Obsession this group of about 60 galaxies, all located within a 1° field of view. Conditions were slightly sub-average (NELM 5.2 mag), but the seeing was, despite the strong wind, rather good. Starting from the easy to find star 93 Leo, the brightest member 3842 (11.8 mag) showed readily in the 30 mmf/77° Wild-Heerbrugg eyepiece. I swapped to the trusted 10 mmf Ortho, giving 205x mag, and worked my way around. The brighter galaxies could be made out with direct vision along a S - N line, beginning with the small, round 3837 (13.2 mag), followed by the bright, round 3842 with a brighter core region. Very close by 3841 (13.5 mag), and the fainter 3845 (14.0 mag). To the west, the 5:1 spindle of UGC 6697 (13.5 mag) was visible readily with AV, at right angles to it, the 13.9 mag 3844 appeared fainter. N of both, the 13.9 mag 3840. Moving to the east, the 12.6 mag 3861 A was visible directly as a 2:1 oval. Following a line through the 7.5 mag star HD 102122, the nice close pair of 12.8 mag 3873 (round, directly visible) and the adjacent faint 5:1 spindle of 3875 (14.0 mag; AV only) appeared. 3862 and 3867 followed. After 11/2 hours, I slowly got tired. The observation was somewhat similar to the observation of the Virgo cluster with an 8" - wherever I looked, another faint galaxy came into view, and at midnight I stopped trying to identify all those pesky specks..... - . SkySafari 6 Pro was very useful, as was the Interstellarum Deep Sky Guide and the ancient Volume Nr.5 of the Webb Society's  Deep-Sky Observer's Handbook. All in all, a rewarding target for scopes up from 12"; quite pleased, and so to bed.

Attached a picture (Sky+Telescope, April 2017):

Thanks for reading

Stephan

Edit: added the link to the excellent S+T article on Abell 1367 by Bob King (the photo is taken from it):

https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/are-you-ready-willing-and-abell/

Edited April 22, 2020 by Nyctimene

[jetstream]

Great report Stephan, pursuing these galaxies is a challenging and rewarding aspect of astronomy. Your report highlights this cluster and it is now on my list- thanks for this.We've had a few snow flurries the past couple of days intermixed with brief clear skies. Hopefully I can try this one out this season. The Abell clusters are very rewarding, seeing so many galaxies in one spot.

[Ships and Stars]

Great report! It has inspired me to try for the Hercules cluster tomorrow night if the weather holds. Wanting to use the 10mm Baader classic ortho some more on the faint fuzzies. Having too many galaxies to identify is a good problem!

[domstar]

Wow. Sounds like a great night. I'd love to see those things- one day maybe.

[Paul73]

Great report. I’ll have a look at that area tonight. 
Thanks for posting.

Paul

[estwing]

Oh man has this put a smile on my face!...Stephan this cluster was observed by me and swamp thing (Steve) at Elan a few years ago now , probably the best weekends observing I've ever had the conditions were fantastic. 

[estwing]

We observed 6 here but NGC 3851 was challenging at 14.7.

[niallk]

Great report - and I'll have to see what's visible in my 15" - thanks for the great write up 👍