Photon Collecting Last Night

[Sam]

It was a fantastically clear night last night once the moon had gone to bed. I had the imaging rig collecting data on NGC925 so also took the big 16" out for run. The first object for the evening was M2. This is a really nice globular cluster a little to the right and below the square of Pegasus. It's a very compact glob and quite bright. I wasn't looking for M2 it just happened to be in the eyepiece. Next up was M15 as this was close by, I spent a bit of time just marvelling at this nice big bright glob. The centre of the glob is just one big mass of light but the outer bits show loads of little pin sharp stars.

Next up was M31 which was clearly showing the big dust lane at the front and the two other little galaxies, M32 and M110. Very very bright and brilliantly clear, this is the best I've seen M31. The other night I was imaging NGC891 so I thought I'd have a wee look at that to. NGC891 is just off the end of Andromeda (constellation not galaxy). At first it was a little tricky to spot but once my eye got used to seeing it the galaxy popped out of the gloop quite well. With averted vision the dust lane in the middle was quite easily seen and the characteristic shape of the galaxy was very much evident.

Next to Mirach is a little galaxy known as Mirach's Ghost (NGC404) as it's quite close to the bright star, it's sort of shaped like a fat ellipse on an angle and it's bright enough to see without averted vision. I reckon it would make quite a neat image with such a bright star and the galaxy in the one frame. Since I was imaging NGC925 I always like to try and observe as much as I can of the targets I'm imaging so I had a wee look at that as well. It's down and to the left of the lower left star of the Triangulum constellation and relatively easy to find though very very faint. The central elongated core is visible with averted vision at first then the contrast difference with the background becomes a bit clearer once the eye gets used to it. No detail of any spiral arms though.

Just above and to the right of the square of Pegasus is NGC7331 which is a galaxy I like to have a look at most times I go out. Last night there there was some detail visible around the core and some of the surrounding galaxies were faintly showing their cores. The big hit for the night was finally seeing Stephen's Quintet without a doubt. They were difficult to spot at first but the contrast change was easy to spot with a slight nudge to the scope showing the movement and pinpointing where they were. They were visible with direct vision though quite a bit more detail showed through with averted vision.

M76, the Little Dumbbell is a favourite because it's quite challenging to see any details. With conditions being pretty good last night I had another look at M76 and could make out a bit of detail in the lobes and some mottling in the hour glass shape of the nebula. The final object for the night was M33 which was looking very bright. Even in the finderscope the galaxy stood out against the dark background. The bright core showed up well and there was even the structure of the spiral arms faintly visible. What was quite neat that I hadn't seen before were some little clumps of brightness around the galaxy with the biggest being NGC604, pretty sure it was that.

Amother great night of observing with brillinat conditions.

Sam

[ashenlight]

Brilliant write up Sam, I would love to see some dust lanes on M31 - all I see is a bright fuzzy blob with my 5"! And wow, seeing Stephen's Quintet must have really sealed the deal on a brilliant night hope you get another good night soon too, all my 'clear' nights have been clouded out by 9pm recently

[iamjulian]

Can we give the people with big light bucket scopes their own observing section so that the rest of us don't get jealous? just kidding of course. Love reading about the details that I cannot see. I saw M33 for the first time last night, but not in any detail and the cloud quicky washed it out. I'd love to see the Stephen's Quintet too, it looks incredible in photographs.

[Doc]

Fantastic report Sam it made great reading. Well done on finally seeing SQ. I'm still trying hard to see it.

[Craig H]

Hello Sam,

Great report mate, very enjoyable to read and you've given me something to go at tonight.

regards craig.

[albedo0.39]

Hi Sam - great report and can also recommend that to find SQ - you need nice skies, and that trick of "knocking" the scope to tune your eyes in

Oh... and some good eyes !

I'd love the skies that showed M33 in the way you have mentioned - I'm guessing you don't have polluted skies ?