[ngcles]

Hi All,

Well last weekend provided some really quite nice conditions for observing in Sydney. The sky was basically clear all day, though there was a jet-stream flowing up most of the east coast most of the day.

Having disposed of my regular Saturday commitments by early afternoon, I packed early and left for my regular "nearly dark" site in the Southern Highlands about 3.30pm. Arriving early (and all by myself) I was set-up, collimated and ready to go by 5.30pm -- just had to wait for it to get dark. It was a very warm day and the night never really got cold -- trackies and a light jacket only required.

The night remained completely cloud free and the seeing was ... not bad. I'd give it a 6/10 but it was certainly one of the best nights transparency-wise for quite a while. At 7.15pm the SQM reading was 21.08 (ZLM = 6.17) and steadily improved all night. By the time 1am came the reading was 21.47 (ZLM = 6.37) -- not too shabby at all! We listened to quite a bit of Floyd (Animals, Meddle & Atom Heart Mother) to commemorate the passing of Rick Wright and some Oldfield, Enya and David Bedford.

I started off as darkness was falling with the usual spring favourites like M2, M15, M30 and the Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009). Then some of the brighter spring showpiece type galaxies like NGC 6907, 7606, and 7184 (a particular fav). After this, when it was properly dark at about 8pm, I settled into my list of things to do with some galaxies in Aquarius.

Later on in the evening I had a bit of a tour through the Fornax cluster and some of my assorted summer fav galaxies like NGC 247 and Burbidges Chain, NGC 7090, Grus Quartet, 1448, 1566, 1549 & 1553, 1097, 1291, 1232, 1300 and others I can't remember right now. There was also of course 47 Tucanae (NGC 104) and The Tarantula (NGC 2070).

To be brutally honest, nearly all of them were very, very small and very faint or worse -- but they were there to be seen so ... There were two highlights among them -- IC 1433 is the first -- take a look at the image on Sky-Map.org compared to the observation.

Later on when I switched over to Cetus and took in an excellent view of the large group of faint galaxies around NGC 345 -- 9 in very small faint galaxies in one field which took some time to sort out which is which.

Anyway on to the observations (18") from Aquarius and Cetus starting with some galaxies that surround NGC 7184:

x185 27' TF


ESO 601-7 PGC 67893 Galaxy *
RA: 22h 02m 21.8s Dec: -21° 02' 31"
Mag: 15.2 (P) S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 1.8'x0.4'
Class: SB(s)m: P.A.: 148 Inclination: --- R.V.: +1781 Source: RC3 *

This is a very faint and tiny eg found one medium power field S from the bright NGC 7184. Very, very faint edge on eg in PA 150, very tiny too. Near two stars that almost run NS in the field. Edge on at a slight angle to those -- in PA 150, a sliver of gossamer, 1' x 10" with virtually no central brightening.


x185 27' TF


NGC 7180 Galaxy *
RA: 22h 02m 18.5s Dec: -20° 32' 51"
Mag: 13.6 (B) S.B.: 11.7 B-V: +0.92 Size: 1.5'x0.8'
Class: S0^? P.A.: 65 Inclination: --- R.V.: +1467 Source: RC3 *

NGC 7185 Galaxy *
RA: 22h 02m 56.7s Dec: -20° 28' 16"
Mag: 12.5 (V) S.B.: 13.0 B-V: +0.83 Size: 2.4'x1.5'
Class: SAB(rs)0- pec? P.A.: 29 Inclination: --- R.V.: +1838 Source: RC3 *

NGC 7188 Galaxy *
RA: 22h 03m 29.0s Dec: -20° 19' 02"
Mag: 14.0 (P) S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 1.7'x0.7'
Class: (R')SB(rs)bc P.A.: 44 Inclination: --- R.V.: +1767 Source: RC3 *

Thes three are found not far from NGC 7184 and just fit in the same field running NE - SW 22' long. -80 is 15' N of NGC 7184. It is a very small oval eg of pretty good SB, seems to be in PA 70, about 1' x 40" diffuse indefinite edges growing broadly and moderately to the centre without zones and there is a small slightly brighter spot in the centre.

-85 is NE by 10'. Slightly larger though a little fainter and somewhat lower in SB than -80, is elong in PA 43 and has either a double condensation or a very faint superimposed star SW of the core, very faint. Grows broadly and slightly to the centre without zones 1.25' x 50" with a small slightly brighter spot in the centre. -88 is to the NE by 13'.

-88 low SB, somewhat lower than -84 and -85, very diffuse about 1' x 45" in PA 45 with a broad weak central brightening without core, zones or nucleus.



x185 27' TF


IC 1370 Multi-Galaxy Sys *
RA: 21h 15m 14.3s Dec: +02° 11' 31"
Mag: 15.1 S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 0.4'x0.4'
Class: C P.A.: --- Inclination: --- R.V.: --- Source: PGC *

This eg makes an almost perfect RA tri with 8th and 9th mag *s to the N and E by about 4'. It is a tiny eg, round, diffuse about 20" diameter with a consistent SB halo and a tiny faint spot, hardly brighter than the halo in centre and a 15th mag * superimposed just E of centre.



x185 27' TF

NGC 7047 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 16m 27.6s Dec: -00° 49' 37"
Mag: 14.1 (P) S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 1.2'x0.6'
Class: SAB(r)b: P.A.: 107 Inclination: 5 R.V.: +5765 Source: RC3 *

This eg appears making a long RA tri with two stars to the S and SSW mag s 11 and 10. Not far off the halo to the NE is a mag 12.5 *. Not hard, mod faint, slightly elong in PA 120, pretty small, 1' x 40" growing broadly and slightly to centre with no evidence of zones or nucleus.



x185 27' TF

NGC 7051 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 19m 51.4s Dec: -08° 46' 57"
Mag: 13.6 S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 1.3'x1.0' Class: SB(r)a pec
P.A.: 138 Inclination: --- R.V.: +2706 Source: RC3 *

This eg appears not far from a mag 10 + 13 pair to the W that are in PA 45 and pretty wide. Pretty easy, visible immediately, no prob with DV, small and possibly slightly elong in PA 90, 40" diameter growing broadly and mod to a small almost stellar streak near centre also in PA 90.



x185 27' TF

IC 1371 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 20m 15.6s Dec: -04° 52' 38"
Mag: 14.1 S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 1.1'x0.7'
Class: S0- pec: P.A.: 20 Inclination: --- R.V.: --- Source: RC3

This eg appears to the E by 5' from a mag 10 + 11 pair with a 13th mag * too. Fairly easy to see, small just under an arc-min, round growing broadly and slightly to the centre and at centre is a small slightly brighter zone about 5-10" diameter -- otherwise unremarkable.



x185 27' TF

IC 1373 Multi-Galaxy Sys *
RA: 21h 20m 37.2s Dec: +01° 05' 32"
Mag: 15.4 S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 0.3'x0.3'
Class: P.A.: --- Inclination: --- R.V.: --- Source: PGC *

MCG +0-54-14 PGC 66590 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 20m 38.2s Dec: +01° 02' 51"
Mag: 15.0 (P) S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 1.5'x0.3'
Class: SBcd: P.A.: 145 Inclination: 6 R.V.: --- Source: RC3 *

These two eg's in Aquarius are pointed at from the N by mag 8 & 9 *s about 5' away. The 9* has a companion too. IC 1373 is a very faint & small eg, 20" diameter very LSB hardly to be seen spot of gossamer. Further to its S by a couple of arc-mins is MCG +0-54-14 which is slightly elong, extremely faint, 30 x 10" of similar SB, possibly fainter even with no central brightening. Both are very faint and quite difficult objects.



x185 27' TF
x247 20' TF

IC 1374 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 21m 02.5s Dec: +01° 42' 47"
Mag: 15.9 S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 0.4'x0.3'
Class: S P.A.: 111 Inclination: --- R.V.: --- Source: PGC *

This is an extremely tiny and faint eg that I'm 95% certain of. Took some time to convince myself I was seeing it. Found pretty much to the NW by a couple of arc-mins from a 9th mag star -- nothing more than a 10-15" diameter spot of gossamer with no central brightening. Extremely faint.



x185 27' TF
x247 20' TF

NGC 7069 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 28m 05.8s Dec: -01° 38' 45"
Mag: 14.4 (P) S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 1.3'x0.8' Class: SAB(s)0-?
P.A.: 20 Inclination: --- R.V.: --- Source: RC3 *

This is a mod low SB small eg in a field of a few scattered faint stars -- nothing close-by to the eg. Appears to be slightly elong in PA 30. Strangely, the ep view seems brighter than the DSS. Pretty small, 40 x 30" brightening broadly and slightly to a very small streak in the axis and maybe a tiny stellaring in the centre.



x185 27' TF

IC 5111 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 28m 10.9s Dec: +02° 28' 27"
Mag: 15.0 S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 0.8'x0.8' Class: Sa
P.A.: ---Inclination: --- R.V.: --- Source: PGC *

This is a very small, round, faint eg that makes a RA tri with 10th and a 12th mag *s to the N and E respectively each a few arc-mins away. Very small, 20-30" growing broadly and slightly to centre with no evidence of core or nucleus.



NGC 7077 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 29m 59.5s Dec: +02° 24' 49"
Mag: 14.1 (P) S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 0.8'x0.6' Class: S0- pec?
P.A.: 28 Inclination: --- R.V.: +1123 Source: RC3 *

This eg is found to the SSW of an 8th mag * by about 6'. Fairly small and faint, 40" dia growing mod and evenly to the centre azonally with a faint only slightly brighter spot in the centre. Not too hard to see.



IC 1385 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 28m 51.2s Dec: -01° 04' 11"
Mag: 15.5 S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 0.5'x0.4' Class: SBcd
P.A.: 27 Inclination: --- R.V.: --- Source: PGC *

This eg makes a very small RA tri with two *s to its N and ENE a couple of arc-mins away. Quite to very small, 30" dia, round growing broadly and slightly to the centre azonally without evidence of nucleus.



x185 27' TF

IC 1387 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 29m 34.4s Dec: -01° 21' 03"
Mag: 15.2 S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 0.4'x0.4' Class:
P.A.: --- Inclination: --- R.V.: --- Source: PGC *

This eg sits very, very close to a 14th mag * immediately to its N and has a 15th mag sparkle just outside the NE edge, a very small mod LSB round spot of haze, 20" diameter growing broadly and slightly to the centre azonally without nucleus.



x185 27' TF

IC 1388 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 29m 52.2s Dec: -00° 37' 52"
Mag: 15.2 S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 0.5'x0.3'
Class: P.A.: 144 Inclination: --- R.V.: --- Source: PGC *

This eg forms a short curved line with two faint stars, about mag 14, to its NE that are about 2 and 4' away. It is of similar brightness to them, but has lower SB. It is very small, probably only 15-20" diameter growing mod and evenly to the centre azonally without nucleus.



x185 27' TF

NGC 7081 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 31m 24.2s Dec: +02° 29' 28"
Mag: 13.5 (P) S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 1.3'x1.2' Class: Sb pec?
P.A.: 44 Inclination: 1 R.V.: +3251 Source: RC3 *

MCG +0-55-2 PGC 66904 Galaxy *
RA: 21h 31m 39.9s Dec: +02° 27' 04"
Mag: 14.2 (P) S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 1.2'x0.9' Class: SAB(s)bc pec?
P.A.: 153 Inclination: 2 R.V.: --- Source: RC3 *

There is a 13th / 15th mag ** just on the S edge of -81 that is slightly distracting . About 50" diameter, round growing evenly and slight to centre and no apparent zones but a faint weak spot in the centre. +0-55-2 is to the SE by 3' as a slightly lower SB patch of haze, a little smaller 30" diameter with a slight central brightening but no apparent nucleus.


Part 2 follows ...

Best

Les D