Identifying galaxies in Virgo

[AlanK]

HI

Was looking at the galaxies in Virgo the other night and counted around a dozen by sweeeping through the area. My question is how can I be sure which fuzzy I can see through the eyepiece relates to which messier object. My Norton’s sky map shows the M objects and NGCs all seemingly on top of each other, and I am not sure if the NGCs will also be observable in my 12” Dob.

I am thinking of trying to plot the positions of these fuzzies on to a blank sheet of paper using the telrad to get the approximate positions in the sky, and see if any match up with the Nortons or Stellarium – or is there an easier way without using goto (which I don’t have).

I think I identified M49, M87, M86, M84, M59, M60 and M89 by galaxy hopping, although I wouldn’t bet the house on it.

Advice would be most welcome.

[Merlin66]

Doing a field sketch is the way to do it.

You can plot the positions relative to a couple of suitable stars from CdC and work in from there.

I did find it easier with a polar mounting - you could swing in Dec and with the drive off, let the galaxy drift into the FOV.

[JamesF]

That's pretty much the way I did it a week or so ago.

I found one, but didn't know which it was, so found a few more and drew them out on paper and compared the results to stellarium to get some kind of identification, then predicted where the others should be and found them in the right places, so assumed I'd got things right.

If there's an easier way then it didn't occur to me at the time.

James

[Ben Ritchie]

I think Virgo is particularly difficult due to the number of galaxies visible in a medium-sized instrument. What I do is identify a couple as 'anchors' that I can easily return to when I get confused - quite frequently! - and work outwards from those. Asterisms are useful too. As Ken says, sketch them out to try and work out where you've been.

Gets easier with practice, and as the number you can recognise increases.

[acey]

I am not sure if the NGCs will also be observable in my 12” Dob.

If your sky is dark enough for the Milky Way to be visible naked eye then your scope will show literally hundreds of galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, as well as many other much fainter clusters. As suggested, draw a sketch then check with a detailed chart.

[AlanK]

Thanks guys

thats my next session planned then - out with the pencil and paper.

Awaiting clear skies .......

Regards

[mdstuart]

Also take out a good map with you printed from the free carte cu ciel!

I normally start at M87 then go up to M84/6 and work up the chain of galaxies to the left of M84/6....

Mark

Mark

[acey]

I never figured out how to print from Cartes du Ciel so that galaxies are labelled.

JR's TriAtlas is an alternative.