[Coen]

Continuing learning some of the "lesser" constellations. Notes from a recent set of observations:

19&20 December 2008 local time +10.5 to UT, no Moon

Telescope is 70mm Skywatcher refractor with the 15mm GSO (60x), 10mm basic (90x) and 6mm Plossl (150x).

Seeing very poor and strong breeze makes for shakes.

Planning using Taki's double star atlas, CNebulaX: list of objects compiled. Cartes du Ceil & Star Calc used after observation to orientate sketches and determine what, if anything, was seen.

Night clear, windy: good transparency and bad seeing. Wind strong led to abandoning the viewing by about 11pm.
Viewing commenced around 9:30pm.

Taki's double star atlas map 36. TriAtlas B series map 96 & 107.

RMK3 Theta Ret
Can just see secondary with 60x framed with faint stars near - overall nice.
Increase to 90x definitely see secondary, perhaps greenish - attractive.
Documented: Magnitudes 6.7 & 9.0 at 19.1" - actually a triple but can not split the other with this scope.

60x has NGC 1559 in the same FOV (just) as RMK3. Hard to see, roundish blob perhaps barred? Alpha Ret interfers due to its brightness. Bit of a dancing ball.
Documented: Magnitude 10.4, surface brightness 12.4; 3.5' by 2.0' an SBc.

Zeta 1 & 2
Easily seen, stars down to 11.5 viewed. No chance of seeing third.

Kappa (HJ 3580)
Attempted but not successful. TriAtlas lists star as 7 magnitude companion but CdC has magnitude 10.4 to the 4.8 primary with a separation of 54", the WDS has 4.75 & 10.75 at 54.4". Perhaps the sky was still too bright? Given 11.5 was seen around Zeta this is unlikely.

Inn 150
Just south of Zeta - quickly attempted, not much time spent. Not split. 8.3 & 10.5 separated by 3" according to CNX and 8.2 & 11.0 by CdC at 3.8".

Dun 12
Just south of Zeta 1 and 2 is Inn 150 and just south of Inn 150 is Dun 12. Attractive triangular grouping with stars from neighbouring constellation. Two of the triangle stars are doubles with a further faint double in the middle of the triangle.
Dun 12 is a nice and wide double that has another wide and faint star nearby (magnitude 11.3).
The other triangle double is HJ 3559 at magnitude 6.7 and 10.7 separated by 43" and is located in neighbouring Hor. The secondary is faint and jumps out with averted whilst disappearing with direct vision, also occurs at 90x when it is wider but still blinking.
The faint middle double, also in Hor, is HJ 3562 equalish pair at 9.0 and 9.3 separated by 34" which makes the entire grouping attractive in the wide GSO eyepiece.

HJ 3592
Took a while to find and confirm as it is located a fair way north in the constellation away from its main body. View with 60x was not conclusive but indicated possible faint and close, 90x made the impression stronger, the 150x cased the view to disappear.
Overall hard to tell. Try when the seeing is better.
Documented: Magnitudes 6.5 and 9.3 at 5"

HJ 3670
Nice pair in a sprinkled field, primary is bright and orangish, secondary is faint and distant with colour hard to tell.
Documented: Magnitudes 5.9 and 9.3 at 32"

Viewing on 20th similar to 19th with regards to visibility and seeing, from about 10pm to 11:30pm.

Stumbled upon RMK 4 double nice tight and almost equal, on the Dor/Ret border. Yellow and yellow-orange split with 60x.
Documented: Magnitudes 7.1 & 7.5 at 5.7"

NGC 1574 on the Ret/Dor border near RMK 4. Star appears superimposed on or near the core (unless it is part of the galaxy itself as star is faint). Object seems extended with almost hint of brighter bar across a longer axis. Viewing CdC afterwards indicates an almost elliptical galaxy with a star nearby.
Documented: Magnitude 10.3 Surface brightness 13.3, classed E/SO 4.0' by 3.6'

NGC 1543
Distinctive triangle of stars, galaxy near one of the points. Hint of a fuzzy object almost round near one of them - this is the object. Other almost fuzzy patch near the other point is a group of faint stars.
Documented: Magnitude 10.5, surface brightness 13.2, classed SBO ring 4.7' by 3'

Dun 14
Wide pair with another bright star nearby. Pale yellow and orangish.
Documented: Magnitudes 7.0 & 8.3 at 57"

GLI 28
Faint unequal pair secondary wide but at 10.5 faint, averted makes clearer. PA is towards east from north.
Documented: Magnitudes 8.9 & 10.5 at 41" PA 35deg

HJ 3662
Faint unequal pair primary orange, secondary a challenge & perhaps bluish, nice. PA just south of east.
Documented: Magnitudes 8.3 and 9.8 at 14" PA 111deg

HJ 3600
Similar to HJ 3662, challenging also.
Documented: Magnitudes 8.6 and 9.8 at 22"

NGC 1313
Large faint glow situated between 3 stars in almost equilateral triangle (faint). Picture dances in and out and is very faint.
Documented: Magnitude 9.1, surface brightness 13.5, classed SBcd, 9.2' by 7.2'