Observing report with sketches 1-2 Oct 2010

[SAB]

Had some unprecedented clear sky activity in Melbourne on Friday Oct 1 and Saturday Oct 2. That particular weekend saw 3 clear nights in a row, which is a new world record for the 4.5 billion year history of Melbourne.

Seeing was exceptionally poor both nights transparency was better on the Friday. Saturday started off a bit hazy, but seemed to improve in the early hours.

This report combines the observations from both days.

Scope: 12" F/4.4 dob

FRIDAY 1/10

Time: 8pm-1am

Seeing: 2/10

Transparency: 4/5

Dew: Light

SATURDAY 2/10

Time: 9pm-3:30am

Seeing: 2/10

Transparency: 3/5

Dew: Light

IC 5181

Grus, GX, RA 22 13 21 , DEC -46 01 07, Size= 2.8x1' , Mag V= 11.5

267x - Strongly brightens toward center with a quasi-stellar nucleus. Bright, strongly elongated ENE/SSW with fainter extensions stretching out from the core.

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NGC 7232

Grus, GX, RA 22 15 37 , Dec -45 51 03 , Size= 3x1' , Mag B= 12.6

NGC 7233

Grus, GX, RA 22 15 49 , Dec -45 50 49 , Size= 1.8x1.6' , Mag B=12.9

Nice pair of galaxies located 2' SE of a pair of 9th mag stars. NGC 7233 forms an equilateral triangle with the pair. 267x - 7232 brighter of the two galaxies, elongated E-W. 7233 fainter, rounder although a slight E-W elongation was noted. DSS images show the bright core slighted elong E-W, so this confirms my obs. A stellar core was noted. A 3rd galaxy, NGC 7232B lies 4' NNE of the pair but much too faint to see visually.

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NGC 7793

Sculptor, GX, RA 23 57 49 , Dec -32 35 32 , Size= 9.1x6.6' , Mag V= 9.1

102x - Fairly large hazy smudge, roughly circular. No details seen. Brightens toward core, with the core itself hinting at a stellaring. A mag 12.4 star lies near the galaxy's northern edge.

NGC 7462

Grus, GX , RA 23 02 46 , Dec -40 50 10 , Size= 3.7x0.6' , Mag V= 11.9

102x - A thin streak of light, fairly faint. Elongated E-W, a mag 11 star is located at the western end of the galaxy. Set in a relatively rich star field.

NGC 7410

Grus, GX, RA 22 55 01 , Dec -39 39 46 , Size= 5.5x2.0' , Mag V= 10.6

41x - Bright, elongated NE-SW. A mag 12 star lies adjacent north of the galaxy's NE end. At 166x the galaxy is seen as a wide streak of light, brightest in the core. SW end appeared slightly brighter than the NE end.

IC 5096

Pavo, GX , RA 21 18 22 , Dec -63 45 42 , Size 3.4x05' , Mag B= 13.3

267x - A small, faint stubby streak elongated NW-SE. Forms an equilateral triangle with a mag 10 and mag 12 stars 4' to the NE and NW. Hint of stellaring in core at 381x. Striking edge on galaxy on DSS images -smaller and fainter version of NGC 891.

IC 5052

Pavo, GX , RA 20 52 07 , Dec -69 12 21 , Size 6.5x1.2' , Mag V= 11.2

166x - A faint, narrow streak of light, much fainter visually than the V mag would suggest, due to low surface brightness.

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IC 5250A

Tucana, GX , RA 22 47 17 , Dec -65 03 40 , Size 3.1x3.0' , Mag B= 12.1

IC 5250B

Tucana, GX , RA 22 47 22 , Dec -65 03 33 , Size 3.0x2.9' , Mag B= 12.2

381x - An excellent very compact pair, accidently swept up while looking for another nearby galaxy! Both galaxies are high surface brightness and were very easy to spot. Visually, the B component is the brightest and largest of the two. It appeared slightly elongated roughly NW-SE, with a mag 12.9 star superimposed on the SE edge of the halo. An elongated bright patch could be seen in the centre. The A component lies approx 1' W of B and is slightly smaller and fainter. The A component is round, with stellar nucleaus. It doesn't show the bright central region that B does, but still features fairly high overall surface brightness. Visually both galaxies are much smaller than the quoted 3' sizes, as those values include tidal streamers that are much too faint to see visually. At the eyepiece the apparent size for both components is about 30".

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ABELL S 585

NGC 2235

Dorado , GX, RA 06 22 22 , Dec -64 56 06 , Size 1.3x1' , Mag V= 13.1

NGC 2230

Dorado , GX , RA 06 21 28 , Dec -64 59 35 , Size 1.1x0.9' , Mag V= 13.2

NGC 2229

Dorado , GX , RA 06 21 24 , Dec -64 57 26 , Size 1.4x0.4' , Mag V= 13.6

NGC 2233

Dorado , GX , RA 06 21 40 , Dec -65 02 01 , Size 0.8x0.2' , Mag V= 13.9

267x - Four brightest members of rich galaxy cluster Abell S 585 all seen. NGC 2235 is the brightest of the four, is located approx 40' SSW of an 11th mag star. Small, faint and round, with a slight brightening towards the core. NGC 2230 slightly fainter, small and round. 2' to the N lies NGC 2229 which has a higher surface brightness than 2230 and appeared slightly elongated SE-NW. NGC 2233 is the faintest of the four, and was small and faint in the eyepiece with no obvious features.

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ABELL S 463

IC 2082

Dorado , GX , RA 04 29 08 , Dec -53 49 12 , Size 1.5x1.0 , Mag V= 13.2

PGC 15255

Dorado , GX , RA 04 29 36 , Dec -53 47 14 , Size 0.8x0.7' , Mag B= 15.7

ESO 157-G036

Dorado , GX , RA 04 29 49 , Dec -53 48 52 , Size 1x0.2' , Mag B= 15.0

IC 2079

Dorado , GX , RA 04 28 31 , Dec -53 44 19 , Size 1.5'x0.5' , Mag B= 14.76

All observed at 381x - This galaxy cluster is located some 580 million light years away! The largest and brightest member, IC 2082 was easily spotted at 166x. At 381x it appeared moderately faint, not hard to see though. This is actually a binary galaxy, the 2nd member is much to close to resolve visually. PGC 15255 is located about 2.5' E of IC2082 and I caught fleeting glimpses of it at 381x, extremely faint and featureless dust mote. Despite this, it was not too difficult to catch it, due to its high surface brightness. Another 5' to the east lies ESO 157-G036, which, although very faint, showed clear elongation. About 10' NW of IC 2082 is IC 2079, which at 381x was extremely faint and only glimpsed intermittently. This galaxy lies 494 million light years away, so it may infact be a chance foreground object.

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ABELL 151

IC 80

Cetus, GX, RA 01 08 48 , Dec -15 24 35 , Size 0.5x0.5' , Mag B = 14.4

267x - The only member of Abell 151 visible. Located 731 million light years away!! Very faint, nothing but a tiny gossamer of light.

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ABELL S 921

NGC 7012

Microscopium , GX , RA 21 06 45 , Dec -44 48 54 , Size 1.5x1.0' , Mag V= 12.8

ESO 286-IG052

Microscopium , GX , RA 21 06 51 , Dec -44 49 07 , Size 1.3x0.9' , Mag B= 13.8

267x - NGC 7012 was spotted with relative ease, although fairly faint it does have high surface brightness. It is the brightest member of this cluster. It is located 1' ENE of a mag 12.1 star. Visually it measures about 30" across, much smaller than the size quoted as alot of this is actually the very faint outer halo. ESO 286-IG052 is located 2' ESE of 7012 and appeared smaller, more diffuse with lower surface brightness than it's neighbour. A mag 15.1 star located about 30" ESE of 7012 was seen.

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ABELL S 301

IC 1860

Fornax, GX , RA 02 49 34 , Dec -31 11 20 , Size 2.3x1.7' , Mag V= 12.7

6dFGS gJ042919.4-534859

Fornax , GX , RA 02 49 45 , Dec -31 09 31 , Size - , Mag B= 15.69

IC 1859

Fornax , GX, RA 02 49 04 , Dec -31 10 21 , Size 1.5x1.0 , Mag B= 14.2

IC 1858

Fornax , GX , RA 02 49 08 , Dec -31 17 24 , Size 2.5x0.7' , Mag B= 14.1

267x - IC 1860 is the brightest and largest member of Abell S 301.Slightly elongated N-S at 267x with a condensed core. About 3' NE is 2dFGRS S467Z714, which at 381x appeared extremely faint, small and round. Approx 7' W of IC1860 is IC 1859, which at 267x was very faint, but a slight N-S elongation could be seen. Further afield about 7' S of 1859 is IC 1858, which visually appeared to be the second brightest after IC 1860 and at 267x I noted it as small, faint but it brightens towards the core.

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I also observed M42 at the end of the Saturday session and blumming hell it was AMAZING! I never seen such detail in it before, and it was just so bright. Several faint stars were seen around the central region, which last time I observed it back last year were spotted with only some difficulty, but now they were as plain as day! All 6 trap stars were clearly seen at low magnification, despite the poor seeing, and the central bright area was nothing short of spectacular, detail I don't think I've seen before. Just the vividness of the entire object was quite extraordinary.

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that's it, back to clouds now...

Cheers

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attached is a sketch of NGC 253 and IC 5250a/b.

[DarkerSky]

Wow!!! Now that's an observing bonanza! Very impressive haul including some really quite faint objects. Nice one Sab!

I appreciate the work you put into those sketches. 253 is a beast! Lovely detail you've picked up.

[SAB]

Wow!!! Now that's an observing bonanza! Very impressive haul including some really quite faint objects. Nice one Sab!

I appreciate the work you put into those sketches. 253 is a beast! Lovely detail you've picked up.

Thanks Darkersky! These sessions are all too rare thanks to Melbourne's poxy butthole climate

This particular scope is no slouch when it comes to reeling in the faint ones, it's performance has really improved since I had it upgraded.

[Doc]

Amazing work SEB, I would love one day to see some of these southern jewels.

Keep up the good work and look forward to the next lot.