Galaxy night (19-12-2009 with Orion XT8i)

[pvaz]

Last night I got home at 3:30am after my company's business dinner.

The night was amazing and leo, bootes, virgo and other constellations I didn't have the chance to observe before where high in the sky.

I went for the Coma-Virgo section and it was a hands full. I had to restart hopping three times to make sure I went through all the Messiers there. This is the entire list of what I sow in about 2 hours panning that small patch of sky: M53, 64, 85, 88, 91 , 98, 99, 100, 49, 58, 59, 60, 61, 84, 86, 87, 89, 90 and 104. Except for M53, which is a nice and large globular cluster, all the others ware galaxies. I won't describe this in detail cause it would be a loooong report. I just want to say from all the objects I enjoyed this the most:

M58, 89, 90: With the 32m I could barely frame all 3 galaxies in the FOV which made it a great sight.

M84, 86: These 2 also are very close together and make a nice pair.

All these galaxies showed similar circular/oval shapes varying in size but there is no obvious characteristic to tell them apart. Tracking all the ones I was seeing and making IDs was a tricky task. Unless you really wan't to check the Messiers on a list, like I was doing, I would recommend a more relaxed session and just panning the area. In between the Messiers you can clearly see smaller patches of light from the other many NGCs in the area.

After Coma I went through Leo's M65, 66, 95, 96 and 105. All of them ware galaxies too, the M65/66 pair with their distinct shapes was the most impressive on this constellation.

Then I moved to the Canis Venatici - Ursa Major area. I observed the following in the area: M3, 51, 63, 94 and 106

M3 is a large globular cluster I enjoyed a lot.

M51 was the highlight of the night! It's a round galaxy where I could clearly see an S shape that seams forced into a circle. For the 1st time I sow a very apparent spiral form on a galaxy. The main structure was clearly visible and become more and more apparent with averted vision. Whenever I have to show a galaxy to someone in the future, this is it!

By now it was 6:30 am. I took a long look at Saturn for the next 30 minutes while having a warm drink and just enjoying it with a feeling of "Mission Accomplished" after scratching another 29 objects off the Messier list

EDIT: I just realized I forgot the 5 Messiers I sow in Leo in between!

Added now.

[mdstuart]

Absolutely fantastic report. What a night! When you saw M84 /86 did you have a go at the chain of galaxies that runs away from these two. That is a real fun thing to do next time you are looking at this lot.

I agree with you that it is tough to tell the galaxies apart. Sometimes I get an idea on whether it is oval or round etc but they are often to faint that it is tough to make out.

Anyway loved the report. Now try some NGC galaxies NGC 2841 in UMA is fine! As good as some of those fainter messiers.

Mark

[pvaz]

I started with M59/60 and went along. But got lost a few times and had to restart. Really a tricky area when you are trying to keep count! Must be a joy to do it in a more relaxed way, I'll try next time.

I'll have a go at 2841 next time. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Doc]

I'm so envious of your skies. I cannot see these at all. Imagine my 16" under your skies.

Well done and fantastic report.

[pvaz]

Indeed, the 16" with it's 400% more light gathering power then an 8" would certainly make objects such as galaxies a joy.

I wonder how much more detail M51 would show on it.

[Doc]

I can see m51 pretty well. I can see both cores and once I've seen a hint of the bridge.

[DarkerSky]

A very impressive haul of objects. I love that M65 and M66 pairing when you can get them in the same FOV

[Talitha]

What a great session! You'll be ready to hit the sky running in a few months when it's time for the Messier Marathon.

[pvaz]

Yeah it was a great night. The fact that it wasn't planned made it even better. I just toke the opportunity and used some messier telrad charts I already had print.

Doing a Messier Marathon sounds nice, although I'm not sure I can be fast enough to go through all of them in one night! What time of the year is better to get them all in a single night?

[pvaz]

I can see m51 pretty well. I can see both cores and once I've seen a hint of the bridge.

I see! At the time I thought that other core, where one of the spiral arms of the galaxy leads to, was in fact another galaxy with another object number. I found now that NGC catalog separates them into 2 different numbers but Messier classified the hole system as one.

[Talitha]

The Messier Marathon is done in March during the days surrounding the New Moon. I've only been able to do it once (when i was a Newbie) and got about 80 of them. An early Spring melted the snow at my observing site, enabling me to drive out there and set up.

Basically you get as many as you can, and it's a real test of your starhopping, navigating, and observing abilities. It's exhausting, but lots of fun and a worthwhile experience.

[fmeireso]

Paulo,

Sounds like a great night. I remember years ago when I hunted the Messiers galaxies in that area with my 10", wich was great fun.

You really did catch alot of them in one night, that's for sure!

Congratulations.

[oceanheadted]

Paulo,

that's a great report of what sounds like a great nightt. M51 sounds like a very useful target to look up in 2010. Thanks for sharing,

Alan

[pvaz]

Yeah. Probably the best night I had though in the end there was a thin mist and some dew forming. I had better views of Saturn before, still I would rate the conditions from average to good.

M51 was a real surprise indeed! I'm fortunate to have real dark skies so that helps a lot, but to be honest I wasn't expecting any structure on the spiral. Best I had seen 'till now was a dust lane in M31, only twice, both times on excellent seeing conditions and using averted vision.