A Swift look at Ceres and other stuff

[Stu]

Still feeling a bit grotty after an encounter with the delightful covid but getting there. Anyway, I didn’t feel like getting a scope out so I just had a quick binocular session as the skies looked clear again.

First target on my mind was Ceres after reading @CentaurZ posts on its pass by Aldebaran. I was using my old Swift 10x50s (hence the cheesy title 🤪) and found it very easily with Aldebaran centred in the field of view. It was forming a roughly right angled triangle with HD29117 which was similar brightness (mag 7.7 vs 7.8 for Ceres). Nice to spot, and hopefully I can pick it up again soon to watch the movement.

I then just had a tour around old favourites, starting overhead at M31. My old neck doesn’t enjoy craning upwards that much, so I found my observing chair to make things easier. It looked surprising large in the field of view, showing the darker skies I now have. No sign of M110 though, not sure if that is doable in small binos?

Next up M45, lovely as always, followed by the Auriga clusters M36, 37 and 38, with 38 looking the larger and more diffuse of the three. Gemini was starting to show above the neighbouring rooftop so I found M35 off the base of that, looking larger again than the others with a very fine peppering of stars showing.

I found the ET cluster’s eyes quite easily, and with averted vision his body came into view, but he looked odd with no arms! From there I found the DC (which was visible with the naked eye), looking very nice, and followed the curve of stars up to Stock 2, a large open cluster.

Kemble’s Cascade was positioned towards a streetlight but I kept myself in the shadow of the garage and found it easily. Again, a much better view down here than back in London, with NGC1502 sitting nicely on it towards the end.

I found M15 looking like a fuzzy star off Pegasus, but couldn’t find M1 so will have to try again for that when it is better placed. Maybe I didn’t look far enough from Zeta Tauri.

Finally, I thought I would revisit M31 and see if M33 was visible. Panning down from Mirach what felt like too far and sure enough, there it was! Faint but definitely there, it showed as an irregular oval glow. Delighted to be able to see that from my back garden!

A fun little session showing just how much is visible in small binoculars with reasonable skies.

[Alan White]

Glad you are feeling a bit better now @Stu, not a pleasant encounter to have.

[Stu]

43 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Glad you are feeling a bit better now @Stu, not a pleasant encounter to have.

Thanks Alan, yes getting there. Got away with it quite mildly compared with others but still not pleasant.

[Saganite]

I wish you a speedy recovery Stu .

It is good that you had a session under the stars....

[Mark at Beaufort]

 Thanks @Stu for the heads up on Ceres. I have no record of observing this minor planet so because of its ideal location I will give a go over the next few nights.

last night I visited a new dark location close to Hereford with 360 degrees viewing with almost no light pollution. A local farmer has given his approval to use his site. Anyway like you I used binos (15x70) and saw the same objects as you recorded. I was pleased to observe both M33 and M101 so things are looking good for taking larger scopes.

[Stu]

Sounds good @Mark at Beaufort. Ceres should be easier in your 15x70s but was quite straightforward even in my smaller binos. There is a great image and a finder chart for it in this thread, although it will obviously move each night. You might also be able to get the asteroid Crimea in your 12”, it is mag 13.6 currently and will brighten slightly to 13.4 over the next week. I’ve made a little SkySafari video to show the motion  of both over the next days.

M101 should be possible but was not well positioned here at the time I was observing. I think in spring time it should be much easier.

[Stu]

Caught it again tonight in the binos, exactly where predicted on SkySafari. Nice to see the change in position since last night.

[Mark at Beaufort]

Yes @Stu I observed it using my Heritage 130p having obtained its position from Stellarium.

[Stu]

8 hours ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Yes @Stu I observed it using my Heritage 130p having obtained its position from Stellarium.

Nice one Mark, it’s good to be able to follow its progress night to night.

[RT65CB-SWL]

Ceres would have to pick the week I am on a 4:00am shift! 

Edited November 3, 2021 by Philip R

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

That was hard from my back garden with the 10x50s. Bagged Ceres though just now...😁

Edited November 3, 2021 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[Stu]

1 minute ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

That was hard from my back garden with the 10x50s. Bagged Ceres though just now...😁

Well done! 👍👍

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

8 minutes ago, Stu said:

Well done! 👍👍

Thank you. I had to quadruple check hah. It was ghostly fading in and out. I actually ran outside because of an Aurora red alert. lol. Then remembered Ceres. It's turned into nice night out. 👍

Edited November 3, 2021 by ScouseSpaceCadet
Speeling

[Stu]

I caught Ceres again last night but it was very tough. The transparency was poor so it was an averted vision job! Just about got it.

[Captain Scarlet]

Not sure how I missed this thread. Glad you're not too bad with the virus. I was due last Thursday to meet up in Dublin with some former work colleagues the evening before a wedding they were going to, but I baulked at the last second because the reason for me being in Dublin at all was to visit my mother-in-law who is 83, and I decided the risk wasn't worth it. In the event, 30% of the people who'd been at that wedding now have COVID. Bullet dodged.

Anyway, on to your topic: I'll have to have a go at Ceres when the sky next clears, I hope soon. M110 should be doable through your bins, certainly I've seen it in my 10x50s from here. M1 though I've tried for a couple of times and no sign yet for me through either the 10x50s or 15x56s. M101 readily detectable if you know it's there, though noticeably fainter than M33.

M

[Captain Scarlet]

A clear night tonight so I briefly specifically tried for M1 Crab with my Zeiss 15x56s. Not a sausage, or any imaginative hint of it. But I’ve readily seen in my 6” from here.

Edit: this was bothering me so I went out again. At about 0115 I bagged M1. A fuzzy patch completing an equilateral triangle with a couple of slightly brighter local stars all about a degree NW of Zeta Taurii. Quite happy with that. IE: just visible, in 21.5 skies, 0115, with 15x56 binoculars. Perhaps a wisp of lightest cloud.

Edited November 7, 2021 by Captain Magenta