60+ Galaxies in a 10"

[jetstream]

Great night tonight and after an early Easter feast I came home to a cooled VX10 sitting outside. Collimation was checked and was still excellent- 3rd time out with it with no change. Sky is very dark and transparent.

I'm trying to get my galaxy eyes back and switched from the nebula observing so much practise is needed. All of tonights obs was point and shoot with the Rigel, no DSC. I use the 42mm LVW-shhh- as a finder eventhough the exit pupil is 8.75mm, but regulated by my eye.

Markarians Chain! It felt so good to visit this friend out there and tonight brought 13 members into easy view. The Nikon 14 HW/EIC did a good job but was out "deeped" by the 12,5mm UWA Docter, the deepest widefield Ive seen yet. All told in Virgo I counted 27 galaxies before moving on.

The Leo Triplet was stunning but the best view was of the Hamburger- the Docter brought out the dust lane very nicely! Got to love this one. 4 more in the interior of the Leo triangle and time to move on to UMA. So many.. got 8 inside the dipper , many more outside including in the area of the Owl neb, many just over from this one. M51 was excellent and a companion galaxy was seen not far off. M101 has many galaxy friends near it and spotted 4 of them, the spirals of M101 were reveal very nicely.

M81 very lightly showed its 2 short spikes of arms buried in the glow using averted, the 15" brings them right out easily. M82 excellent and companions were seen in this area too. In reality I saw over 60 galaxies but whos really counting. I could go on the map and get the names but I dont care, I just like seeing them.  I got all these from memory having viewed these areas many many times.

BUT

I should have done my homework because I coudnt find my favourite- the Needle galaxy 😔 Coma can give me fits and practise and map study is needed as a reminder here. Always had trouble remembering where things are in Coma.

All in all a great day and an excellent obs session 👍

Gerry

[Sunshine]

Amazing night out! I have to make the short 17hr drive out to your part of the province where dark skies are abundant.

Edited April 9, 2023 by Sunshine

[mdstuart]

Wonderful. That edge on galaxy is just left and up a bit from the bottom left stars in the Meliotte cluster. Worth the hunt.

So many galaxies and so little time!

Mark

[jetstream]

6 hours ago, Sunshine said:

Amazing night out! I have to make the short 17hr drive out to your part of the province where card skies are abundant.

C'mon over! stopping in Quetico to rent a canoe and paddle a few miles out might reveal some of the best skies anywhere in the world and just got the top dark sky rating. Years ago outdoor people from around the world went here but sadly its not that busy now, not like before.  I think that the true outdoors people are getting older and few and far between.

Quetico is huge and is linked together with Voyageurs NP and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) for a massive chunk of protected land and lakes.

My views last night were seen toward these skies, a few miles away.

https://www.darksky.org/quetico-provincial-park-awarded-international-dark-sky-park-designation/

 

 

[jetstream]

4 hours ago, mdstuart said:

Wonderful. That edge on galaxy is just left and up a bit from the bottom left stars in the Meliotte cluster. Worth the hunt.

So many galaxies and so little time!

Mark

Thanks Mark, I was so excited seeing all these galaxies and kept looking up and to the right of the bottom of the cluster! 😬😁 I wont forget this now lol The Needle galaxy is spectacular and simply amazing to me. I saw so many in Virgo I stopped counting at 27 and checking the Rigel at times had me all over the place.

Its really something what a 10" can do, fast and easy to set up, collimate and get going. Glad I didnt sell it.

[Whistlin Bob]

Super report- thank you for sharing.

For me there's nothing quite like a low mag view of Markarian's Chain to put me in my place- it's just  a wonder  

 

[DavidR100]

A great haul related with enthusiasm!