Dear all,
Here are some notes from a most enjoyable session. The aim was in part to try out one of my LMC charts on a fairly busy area and I was very happy with the result. I found it fairly easy to navigate and also to be sure that I knew what i was looking at.
Thanks for reading.
Telescope 410mm (16) f4.9 tri-dob reflector
Eyepieces 28mm UWAN, 17,13,9 mm Naglers, Paracorr
Navigation: My own charts of LMC Chart (#9 in particular) available at cloudsofmagellan.net.au
0030
Seeing good 2/5
Transparency good 6/7
Position data for NGC objects are from the NGC/IC Project web site (
http://www.ngcicproject.org/ngcicdb.asp) and those for SL objects from Mati Morels revised Shapley Lindsay catalogue at
http://www.asnsw.com/articles/clouds/lmc-sl.asp and Henize nebula data from his similar work at
http://www.asnsw.com/articles/clouds/lmc-henize.asp
NGC 2018 Open Cluster and emission nebula in LMC
Right Ascension (2000): 05h 30m 45.3s Declination (2000): -71Ί 04' 06"
135X Located by going directly across the bar of the LMC from NGC2070 (Tarantula nebula) 2018 is the bright large patch once the bar is crossed to the southern side, and obvious in 8x50 finderscope. Quite intriguing, large in AFOV of 37 at this magnification. I estimate the radius to be about 18. The nebulosity is irregular in outline, but roughly circular with 4-5 knots of enhanced luminosity there appear several bright notches around the perimeter and another oval shaped one elongated N-S in the centre. A few resolvable stars are apparent in the brighter patches. To the west is a lobe of nebulosity that spills out from the main body. 175X Appears similar to obs at 135X UHC filter does not diminish the brightness appreciably suggesting some nebulous element. To the west another outlier stands out more with uHC
To the NW is a flattened triangle of stars near the apex of which is a faint glow which is NGC 2010
NGC 2010 Open Cluster in LMC
5h 30 35.0 -70 49 11
135X This is a somewhat elongated and slightly irregular glow with no resolvable stars, appearing about 2 across. Brighter in the centre, but not very regular in shape. As its fairly faint, discerning its exact shape is a little tricky. 175X Appears similar to obs at 135X .Not enhanced by UHC filter, but still visible
Further to the north is a brighter object, Shapley Lindsay 539
Shapley Lindsay 539 Open Cluster in LMC
5 30 56.4 -70 41 43
135X Significantly smaller and brighter than NGC 2010.
To the NW of 2010 near a little line of 3 stars is
NGC 1987 Open Cluster in LMC
05h 27m 17.2s -70 44' 15"
135X Similar in size to 2010, about 2, but fainter and quite round with a distinct brightening towards the core. Not enhanced by UHC filter, but still visible
Heading NE from 2018 by about 17 is
NGC 2031 Open Cluster in LMC
05h 33 41.9 -70 59' 13"
135X Brighter than 2010, round with brighter core fading smoothly to the surrounding halo. 175X Appears similar to obs at 135X. Not enhanced by UHC filter, but still visible
A line from 2010 through 2018s brightest patch leads to another small gossamer disc that I have not labelled need to update the chart.
About 10 to the east of 2031 is
NGC 2051 Open Cluster in LMC
05h 36m 07.4s -71 00' 41"
135X Significantly fainter than 2031, about half the size of 2031 this is nonetheless a very distinct circlet of light.
About 10 to the southeast is a close pair of small clusters
SL617 & 624 Open Clusters in LMC
5 36 42.5 -71 8 57 and 5 37 19.2 -71 6 58
135X 617 is the one closer to NGC 2018 and looks brighter and larger than 624, but both appear about half the size and luminosity of 2051. 617 is close to a bright foreground star. 617 looks almost stellar with direct vision, but averted vision reveals its greater extent
To the east is
Henize Emission Nebula N214
5 40 54 -71 14 43
135X This is a broad area of luminosity elongated SE-NW with a few scattered stars across it. I estimate that its about 8x4. The western end is the brighter part, N214A. (browsing the Henize catalogue as write this up I find that N214 extends to and includes NGC 2103). Brightens significantly with UHC filter especially in comparison to the SE extension towards NGC 2103. Becomes a bright double knot with UHC.
Further to the SE is
NGC 2103 Emission nebula in LMC
05h 41m 40.4s -71Ί 20' 00"
135X Another bright SE-NW oval of haze about 2x3. This completes a very handsome stream of nebulosity and stars extending from the NW edge of N214A to 2103. Distinctly enhanced by UHC filter.
A line drawn from 2031 through 2018 and extended about 35 leads to the intriguing N200/N198 complex
Henize Emission Nebulae N200 and N198
5 23 18 -71 22 46 and 5 22 27 -71 35 56
135X These shapely nebulae are somewhat faint without UHC filter, but still observable. Together they appear a bit like a propeller, N200 to the north and N198 to the south with a bright star at the centre. At 175X the shape remains quite clear, with UHC filter both components stand out more against the background. N200 is slimmer than its southern counterpart and arcs slightly towards the west. N198 is shorter N-S and arcs more markedly to the east. N200 appears to span about 18 N-S and N198 about 10.
On the opposite side of 2031 to 2018 is a bright star. A line drawn from 2031 through this star and extended about 20 leads to
NGC 2075 Open Cluster and emission nebula in LMC
05h 38m 20.5s -70Ί 41' 09"
175X This forms the apex of a squat triangle with two stars. The object itself appears roughly triangular with one apex east and the others north and south. Appears about 2 across. Best with averted vision, it contains a few resolvable stars, the brightest at the northern corner. With UHC filter, the nebula brightens strongly especially in the centre. The object also appears about 50% larger along each side and the triangular appearance remains.
To the west is
NGC 2056 Open Cluster in LMC
05h 36m 34.1s -70Ί 40' 19"
175X This is a smaller circular object, but just as bright as NGC 2075. Dims with UHC filter.
To the north west is
NGC 2038 Open Cluster in LMC
05h 34m 42.3s -70Ί 33' 47"
175X brighter and smaller than NGC 2056 and less perfectly round. It appears to have a strong core and more area of faint haze to the east than the west. Dims with UHC filter
A line drawn from the star to the west of 2075 through 2075 to the east and extended 15 or so leads to two clusters NGC 2107 and SL676
NGC 2107 & Shapley/Lindsay 676 Open Clusters in LMC
05h 43m 12.9s -70Ί 38' 24" and 5 43 8.8 -70 34 19
135X 2107 and SL676 are in the bar of the LMC, so contrast is reduced significantly compared to the previous objects in this session. 2107 is the southerly of the two and is about 1 across. SL 676 is about half this size and significantly fainter. Both are soft smoky discs against the myriad stars of the LMC bar.
I cluster hop to 2122 using the Inset A chart. A line from NGC 2074 through the NGC 2078 complex leads to SL 654, to the east of which is Hodge Sexton 400 then further east ot NGC 2113, then SE to NGC 2122/Henize N180.
NGC 2122 OC in LMC + Henize Emission nebula N180
05h 48m 52.6s -70Ί 04' 12" and 5 49 13 -70 6 23
135X At first the dominant feature is the large nearly circular 2122 which is slightly elongated N-S about 7x5 and slightly peanut shaped with a dip on the eastern side. About 8-9 faint resolvable stars with a grainy haze somewhat brighter in the middle. Several patches of haze surround the object. Notable is a large wedge to the south east (mainly visible on chart 7) and another smaller one to the north west (N180C). The main nebulosity is N180B. 175X The are is much more interesting at this power with much more structure visible. N180C is more obvious as is the tail to the south-east and this appears to contain a long sinewy curve of haze. More stars can be resolved and there is more variation in the brightness of the nebula. UHC filter brightens the N180B component and 2 wide parallel E-W channels of diminished luminosity are apparent so it looks like someone has run their fingers across the nebula. It also looks more contiguous with N180C, which appears larger than without the filter. The haze to the S-E is more distinct and looks 2-3 times longer than NGC 2122 but less coherent than 2122.
To the north-west, half way between 2122 and 2113 is the complex of emission nebulae that is Henize N 179
Henize Emission Nebula N179
5 48 2 -69 53 50 (N179A)
175X with UHC filter. This is quite a faint patchy luminosity with a number of segments, but not nearly as distinct as the N180 complex. Without the filter its still visible but less distinct. The brightest component N179A is quite marked compared to the rest of the complex.
NGC 2113 Open cluster and nebula in LMC
05h 45m 24.7s -69Ί 46' 27"
175X A reasonably sized object, a bit faint against the background of the LMC bar. Somewhat elongated and has an inner brighter crescent, convex north. Brightens with UHC filter and the impression of a brighter crescent inside a softer halo is accentuated. Some faintly resolved stars in the centre. Looks about 2 across.
Hodge Sexton 400 Open cluster and nebula in LMC
5 43 10.5 -69 45 26
175X with UHC filter. This intriguing object looks almost as if it contains a small barred spiral galaxy. An oval of haze elongated N-S with several resolvable stars. Looks about 5x3. Without the filter this is much less distinct but still obvious. It looks more like a disc and loses the impression of the barred spiral, but a curve of 4 resolvable stars is still apparent, giving rise to a horseshoe shape (points to the east) embedded in a larger softer haze. The whole thing is a bit lost against the bar of the LMC.
As the mosquitoes increase the ferocity of their attack and ignore my insect repellant, I have a quick visit to NGC 2070, which appears absolutely stunning and then Eta Carinae. The dark lanes of the nebula are crisp, the clusters in the nebula are sharp and clear and the homunculus nebula very distinct. The two small side jets are quite obvious, the one to the south longer and straighter than the northern one.