Meade Lightbridge Observing report as of 7.4.2010

[Doc]

7.4.2010

Meade Lightbridge 16" F4.5 FL1829mm

No Moon

Cold

Seeing Mag 4.1

Started observing 21.40.

My first target of the night was Ngc 4526 a bright and pretty large lenticular galaxy. It sits halfway between two mag 8 stars so finding it is quite easy. Through the 28 Uwan I can detect this mag 9.7 galaxy with direct vision and I can also make out that it's core and overall shape. In the same FOV of my 28 Uwan I can also make out another galaxy this time Ngc 4535. This is a S shape spiral galaxy 6.9' x 5.4' in size and shines at mag 10. I can only see this with averted vision when I placed the galaxy at the far edge of the field of view. No core was detected and no defined shape was seen. But they looked pretty together and I took the time to sketch what I saw. To see sketch: http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-sketches-unconventional/101128-ngc-4526-ngc-4535-a.html

Staying in Virgo I went hunting for a trio of galaxies, the main one being Ngc 4216 this one is a edge on galaxy and is 7.8' x 1.8' in size and shines at mag 10. It was very easy to find and looked amazing through the 28 Uwan. I couldn't believe how bright this galaxy was and the shape was very distinctive and it could easily see a star embedded very near it's centre. I placed the 16 Uwan in the focuser giving me a field of view of 0.72° and almost instanly Ngc4206 became visible. It is another edge on galaxy this time a little dimmer at mag 12.1 and 6.4' x 1.1' in size. I spent a good 30 minutes with this pair and in that time I could detect on the other side of Ngc 4216 a very very dim onject which only became visible with averted vision during periods of really good seeing this being Ngc 4222. At a magnitude of 13.3 I'm astonished I saw it at all, and am even doubting myself now. Once again I took the time to sketch what I saw, but I was very confused as I couldn't get the stars to line up with CduC, but the sketch is what I saw. What I do find strange is Ngc 4206 & Ngc 4222 are not on any list such as Herschel or Caldwell. To see sketch: http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-sketches-unconventional/101129-ngc-4216-ngc-4206-ngc-4222-a.html

Moving upwards to the constellation of Coma Berenices I found M88, located about 60 million light-years from Earth, this galaxy is inclined approximately 30 degrees to our line of sight. This gives it an elongated visual appearance, which resembles that of the Andromeda Galaxy. M88 is believed to be nearly 130,000 light-years in diameter and is receding away from us at about 2000 km/sec. I could easily see M88 with direct vision in my 28 Uwan I could also detect a brighter core and the shape was very evident.

Next was M91 a spiral galaxy 5.2' x 4.2' in size and shines at mag 10.1. Until recently, this galaxy had been missing. Messier's notes had given the wrong position for this object. An amateur astronomer from Texas finally figured out its true location in 1969. This galaxy is classified as a barred spiral. The center part of the galaxy displays a prominent bar-shape, M91 is a member of the Virgo cluster of galaxies and it located about 60 million light-years from Earth. It is receding from us at a rate of 400 km/sec. This is one very hard object to see but eventually I managed to stat hop to it's location and eventually M91 became visible but only with averted vision. I noticed that with the 28 Uwan large FOV of 1.26° I could fit both M88 and M91 in the same field of view and done a little sketch of it. Too see sketch: http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-sketches-unconventional/101130-m88-m91.html

Over to Leo next and the wonderful M65 and M66, these objects simply jumped out at me, they were very bright and easy to spot. I have seen these on numerous occasions but have never seen the third member of the trio, will tonight be my lucky night. The object of my desire is Ngc 3628 a 13.1' x 3.1' edge on galaxy that has a Sbr of just 13.4 I spent ages on this one and I know I was in the right spot as I star hopped to it and after about 20 minutes of dark adaption I saw it, a long streak of light, extremely dim with no apparent core. I made a quick sketch of the trio but to say I was elated would be an understatement. To see sketch: http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-sketches-unconventional/101131-m65-m66-ngc-3628-a.html

Back over to Coma Berenices and another Messier object that being M98. Once again very dim and very hard to see with direct vision but eventually found by star hopping from the star 6 Com. It's 9.4' x 2.3' in size and shines at mag 10.1, through my 28 uwan I could detect the galaxies overall shape as elongated but could not detect a core. It appeared brighter with averted vision and at times was lost completely. A very hard galaxy to detect and one I'm glad I've seen.

Another 2 Messier's and 3 Herschel's to tick of my list.

It was now nearly 01.00 O'clock and my eyepieces were started to fog up and of course this makes fuzzy hunting very hard to do so decided to call it a night.

[DarkerSky]

Just brilliant Mick - sounds like a very exciting night! All works out so well when it comes together. I was on M98 about the same time as you last night - around 1am. It is how you describe, altohugh I did get a brighter core, but only in a filtered view with averted vision. What struck me is the extent of the elongated middle. It seemed to stay fairly evenly bright for quite a distance either side of the pinpoint core.

I've had a look at your sketches. Some wonderful captures.

To get NGC 4222 and NGC 3628 is a fantastic achievement. For me I know it is hard to describe the elation you feel when you realise you've found something so extemely faint - and all from your back garden !!

a magical night

[Doc]

Cheers Seb, imagine the scene I had a blackout curtain over my head for a good 15 minutes to enable me to see those two galaxies, I can tell you I was sweating and it was cold outside.

[Beulah]

Excellent, Mick.