[Lismore Bloke (Paul)]

Well, it's been a long time between observing reports or anything else. First look through the telescope since last year. Fortunately it was a great session. The Argo alignment stars were too close together for much accuracy, but there are ways around that. I didn't take anything much in the way of notes, just a record of objects and a few comments here and there.
Object details are from the Historically Corrected NGC-IC, here:
http://www.ngcicproject.org/public_HCNGC/HCNGC.htm

12" DOBSONIAN
NO WIND, MINIMAL DEW, SEEING AND TRANSPARENCY 4 OUT OF 5
12mm Nagler for PN's (X125) and the 9mm for the others (X167), O-III filter for some PN's.

PLANETARY NEBULAE (NGC):
3918 11h 50m 17.8s -57º 10' 56" Centaurus
5189 13h 33m 32.9s -65º 58' 26" Musca
4361 12h 24m 30.7s -18º 47' 05" Corvus
5882 15h 16m 49.9s -45º 38' 57" Lupus
This was a very small, but vivid round planetary which was one I tried with the O-III. Very good response to the filter. Very much planet-like.
5873 15h 12m 50.7s -38º 07' 33" Lupus
6153 16h 31m 30.5s -40º 15' 13" Scorpius
A quite bright planetary, slightly bluish, oval shaped with the centre seeming darker, but I will have to go back with the 5mm and an O-III filter for another look. It forms a cross or trapezium shaped group with three stars. Quite a striking sight.
6563 18h 15m 49.9s -22º 08' 09" Sagittarius
4361 12h 24m 30.7s -18º 47' 05" Corvus

GALAXIES: (NGC)
3904 11h 49m 13.2s -29º 16' 35" Hydra
4594 12h 39m 59.4s -11º 37' 23" Virgo
4699 12h 40m 27.1s +01º 11' 47" Virgo
4697 12h 48m 35.7s -05º 48' 03" Virgo
4636 12h 42m 49.9s +02º 41' 16" Virgo
4526 12h 42m 25.4s -07º 02' 39" Virgo
4472 12h 29m 46.7s +08º 00' 00" Virgo
4365 12h 24m 28.1s +07º 19' 03" Virgo
4649 12h 43m 39.7s +11º 33' 07" Virgo
4579 12h 37m 43.5s +11º 49' 05" Virgo
4552 12h 35m 39.9s +12º 33' 23" Virgo
4621 12h 32m 47.7s +63º 56' 20" Virgo
4569 12h 36m 49.9s +13º 09' 45" Virgo
4486 12h 30m 49.3s +12º 23' 26" Virgo
4473 12h 29m 48.9s +13º 25' 49" Coma Berenices
4501 12h 31m 59.1s +14º 25' 15" Coma Berenices
4406 12h 26m 11.9s +12º 56' 47" Virgo
4374 12h 25m 04.7s +12º 53' 13" Virgo
4762 12h 52m 56.0s +11º 13' 52" Virgo
4762 is a really beautiful galaxy, edge-on and quite large with an elliptical, concentrated central disk. The arms are needle like but the light is very even and the object sharply delineated. No need for averted vision here. It is bracketed by a trio of stars. Very nice group.
IMAGE AND SKETCH HERE: http://observing.skyhound.com/archiv.../NGC_4762.html.
I know I saw many more galaxies scanning around Virgo, but these are only a selection. I spent much time re-aligning and doing thumbnail sketches for objects in this region to ensure greater accuracy. It is very easy to misidentify galaxies in this crowded area.

GLOBULAR CLUSTERS (NGC):
5286 13h 46m 26.5s -51º 22' 24" Virgo
5927 15h 28m 00.4s -50º 40' 22" Lupus
5946 15h 35m 28.5s -50º 39' 34" Norma
5986 15h 46m 03.4s -37º 47' 10" Lupus
6139 16h 27m 40.4s -38º 50' 56" Scorpius
Quite large globular with a small, very prominent almost stellar core. Averted vision helps show the edges better.
5824 14h 54m 31.5s +18º 38' 32" Lupus

All in all, a most enjoyable night. Apologies for any errors in the above, I'm a bit rusty. Paul.