I've had triplets

[Capt Slog]

I looked out last night, and it seemed to be clearing, so I thought I'd have another try at The Leo Triplets.

As I set up the telescope it seemed that it might be another night where I was going to unsuccessful, just the brightest stars visible in the constellations i recognise, but then it REALLY cleared.  I don't have good skies here, with Bortle approaching 6 most of the time.  Last night though, there were suddenly stars like dust.  

I lined up on the right place just below Leo, and found what I think of as the "question mark" in my FOV.  It took several trips to the PC to check exactly where I was supposed to be looking, but eventually, there they were.  VERY faint, the merest suggestion of some haze.  I found them to be more obvious if I moved slightly, I could see the patch of haze move across the field.  I was using a 32 mm EP (Skywatcher 150, f=750) to see them all, but managed to find some detail with 20mm and x2 Barlow on the individuals.

I've read that  if the sky isn't great, using an eyepiece which gives a brighter view, can also just make the background brighter, and this seemed to be the case.

 

As it was working well, I felt I was on a roll, and so went to the next target that has eluded me over several sessions, M101.   I've found the exact place several times, but could never really say that I'd seen it.  This time the exact spot took some finding.  To me (in the eyepiece), the stars next to M101 look like a dining chair tipped backwards.  I got there eventually and managed to see the same suggestion of haze as for the Leos.

 

I made it a goal to 'collect' Messiers, it's slow progress, and perhaps I've picked some difficult targets.   The next one I'll try for is the 'Beehive' M44.  To find that I've first got to learn what Cancer looks like, it isn't a constellation I've ever recognised in the sky.

 

EDIT.  I forgot this.  As I was walking back inside for the tube to put on the tripod, there was a massive meteor.  It came downwards from about 80 degrees, due east, to out of sight behind the house (45?) and broke into two pieces during that.  Quite slow for a meteor, and with a huge trail.  about 22:30.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2021 by Capt Slog

[tripleped]

Hey I'll trade  your  Bortle  6 for  my Bortle 8 ! (lol)   I'll take  Bortle  6 anyday compared to what  I've  got.   I recently saw M44 Beehive cluster- its really, really nice. Quite  a dazzling  display of stars. It's become  my second favorite, second  only to the double cluster  NGC 869/884 which is fantastic.  From  where  I'm at (39 N, middle of the U.S.) its  a bit to the left of Pollux and   Procyon sort of forming  a triangle  with those stars.   If you're not already doing  it try using  Sky Safari it should help alot to find  it.  After  reading  your report  on the Leo triplets I suspect  they're probably a lost  cause  for me in Bortle 8.  Good luck on  M44.  Clear  skies!

[Pixies]

Hi @Capt Slog. Sorry if I'm preaching to the converted, but I'll show how I find them and perhaps it'll help. I have Bortle-6 skies, too. And it's worse in a southerly direction, which makes these a little tricky. I can usually see the brightest 2, and occasionally all 3.

Start by getting the finder on Chertan. I have a Telrad and a RACI finder, so this is where the Telrad comes in:

Next, in the RACI, I'll head south, about 3 degrees, to where there's a small asterism of an angle of stars:

Bear in mind that this is with a RACI, so it's normally orientated. If you have some 10x50 binoculars, they should show them too. Then east by a degree to a small star HD98388. Centre on this star. If I use a wide-angle EP, having the star central in the FOV will now show all 3 galaxies (30mm plossl in a 8" F/6 dob):

Of course, in a reflector (if that's what you are using), it will look like:

Indicated is the Hamburger galaxy NGC 3628, which is the faintest one.

You will need to be well dark adapted.

[Zermelo]

With your skies I think you've done well to get the third member of the triplet, it's shyer than the Messiers.

You'll love the Beehive when you find it.  Cancer is dim, but if you have a Telrad and RACI you should be fine, M44 is quite obvious.

[Capt Slog]

16 hours ago, Zermelo said:

With your skies I think you've done well to get the third member of the triplet, it's shyer than the Messiers.

You'll love the Beehive when you find it.  Cancer is dim, but if you have a Telrad and RACI you should be fine, M44 is quite obvious.

No RACI and no Telrad.  It's a bit of sky I'll have to learn.  I've always known The Plough and Cassi, and Orion of course.  Others I'm a bit hazy on, such as Gemini and taurus, They'll become familiar with time 

[Stu1smartcookie]

Love reading posts like yours . I am due for a 2 hour clear sky this evening, so I will  try  also . The beehive is one of my favs .  Well done on the Leo triplet .  

[Capt Slog]

1 hour ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

Love reading posts like yours . I am due for a 2 hour clear sky this evening, so I will  try  also . The beehive is one of my favs .  Well done on the Leo triplet .  

Although I'm calling them as seen I can't really say that they were any thing but the slightest difference in shade to the eye.  This was the reason I had to be so careful as to where to look.  It wasn't a case of "find the right patch and there they are", it was down to the exact location, I counted off lengths from the the nearest two stars in the correct direction.  It's the problems of light pollution, can't be helped and I'm chuffed to tick them off. 

This is the astro equivalent of the birdwatchers' "twitching",  I know, but it's harmless and I like to have a target.

[wulfrun]

Glad you found them, even if you're not 100% sure. I've had two clear nights on the trot and searched for them with no success. To the eye it all looked wonderfully clear but both nights I've found a vague halo around anything bright-ish, in the scope. All looks nice & steady but clarity is obviously not good, there's a haze of some sort. I'm wondering if it's even possible to see them from here. I did get a hint of maybe, perhaps a smudge in the 10x50s, with averted vision/shaking, hand-held view but not enough to say "tick".

[Zermelo]

5 hours ago, Capt Slog said:

No RACI and no Telrad. 

I read the wrong posting 🤦‍♂️
Anyway, good luck, it looks promising this evening.

[John]

3 hours ago, Capt Slog said:

....  It wasn't a case of "find the right patch and there they are", it was down to the exact location, I counted off lengths from the the nearest two stars in the correct direction....

 

That is a very good description of the process of finding these fainter targets