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Old 22-04-2010, 08:41 PM
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barx1963 (Malcolm)
Bright the hawk's flight

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Observation Report 15/4/10 - 16/4/10

Observing Report 15/4/10 –16/4/10

Just a couple of nights getting and few obscure OCs and GCs in the lMC area, Ara and Scorpius, as well as a couple of Galaxies around Virgo.

All observations made using Dobsonion mounted 305mm Newtonian reflector at f/5. Eyepieces use are 32mm (47x) 24mm Panoptic (67x) 13mm Nagler T6 (115x) or 13mm Nagler with Barlow (230x)

Charts - Uranometria 2000 (2nd ed.) Data derived from Uranometria (2nd ed) Deep Sky Field Guide.

Observations 15/4. Seeing very good, transparency fair, skies clear but cloud came over about 11.30pm.

NGC 5084 Galaxy in Virgo
RA 13 20 17.6 Dec -21 49 31 Mag(V) 10.5 Dim’ 9.3x1.7 SB 13.4 Class S0 sp Spindle Lenticular
Locate Gamma Hydrae by naked eye. A line of 3 stars mag 7/8 form an obtuse angle approx. 40’ to f side. Two brightest stars point to galaxy which is about 1deg to North. Small but fairly bright, clear elongation and spindle shape. Aligned pf. Core is easily visible at 115x. Extensions beyond core only visible with averted vision.

NGC 1901 Open Cluster in Dorado
RA 05 17 48.0 Dec -68 26 00 Diam’ 40 No of Stars 40
Locate NGC 2070 (Tarantula Nebula) in finder. Two bright stars mag 6.5 and 5 located 2deg to Np and the second one is 2deg further. This is Theta Doradus. From this star scan 1.5deg S to a very large grouping of stars which is the target. Consists primarily of 2 groups about 0.5deg apart NS. Both groups form rough diamond shapes. Very Large and sparse.

NGC 1910 Open Cluster in Dorado
RA 05 18 23.8 Dec -69 14 00 Mag 11.2 Diam’ 8.5 Type : Association
Southernmost brightish star (Mag 7.5) in NGC 1901 points at a fairly bright OC about 40’ to S. Cluster is about 5’ across. Half a dozen brighter stars and maybe 50 faint stars.

NGC 1916 Globular Cluster in Dorado
RA 05 17 26.7 Dec -69 22 34 Total V Mag 10.4 Diam ‘ 0.5
About 10’ to Sp of NGC 1910 is a conspicuous globular. Small but fairly bright. Not resolved at 115x. Fair amount of central condensation.

NGC 1898 Globular Cluster in Dorado
RA 05 16 42.0 Dec -69 39 24 Total V Mag 11.9
About 20’ further on from NGC 1916 is a very faint Globular. Just visible with averted vision.

NGC 4753 Galaxy in Virgo
RA 12 52 22.2 Dec -01 12 01 Mag(V) 9.9 Dim’ 6.0x2.8 SB 12.9 Class I0 Non-Magellanic Irregular Galaxy
From Gamma Virginis (Porrima) move with finder just over 3deg in f to a pair of mag6.5 stars about 1deg apart aligned NS. About 1deg to p of southern star is a mag 7.5 star just visible in finder. 62x reveals a glow about 10’ to 15’ to south of this star. Galaxy appears as an elliptical with a bright round core. Extended viewing and averted vision reveals an extended halo. Possibly some structure is evident but almost gives impression of a spiral rather than an irregular.

NGC 4517 Galaxy in Virgo
RA 12 32 45.8 Dec 00 06 52 Mag(V) 10.4 Dim’ 10.5x1.5 SB 13.2 Class SA(s)cd: sp S Shaped non barred Spiral (spindle) DDO Lum class III-IV
From Porrima there is a mag 7 star 50’ to Np, this points at galaxy which is about 1deg 45’ away to Np. Detected an extended streak aligned pf. Very faint with a star in centre. Little structure revealed.

IC 4651 Open Cluster in Ara
RA 17 24 42.0 Dec -49 55 00 Mag 6.9 Diam’ 10 Number of Stars 102 Brightest Star 10.0 Type : Open Cluster
Locate Alpha Arae by naked eye. A pair of stars mag 4.5 and 5.5 lie 1deg to Sp. Scan about 40’ to N and slightly p with a wide angle eyepiece until large open cluster is detected. No bright stars. Maybe 20/30 major stars and 70/80 very faint stars. Major stars form a “snake like” ribbon winding through cluster which is very clear at low power.

NGC 6281 Open Cluster in Scorpius
RA 17 04 47.2 Dec -37 53 00 Mag 11.8 Diam’ 5 Number of Stars 35 Brightest Star 12.0 Type : Open Cluster
Locate Mu Scorpio which is a bright wide pair in the tail. A mag 6 star lies 1deg15’ to f and slightly N. Two further mag 6-6.5 stars lie 1deg to f. Cluster lies just to f of these. Large and bright with prominent North pointing “V” which has another line of stars running NS that forms a vague ‘arrowhead’.

NGC 4636 Galaxy in Virgo
RA 12 42 49.7 Dec 02 41 16 Mag(V) 9.5 Dim’ 6.0x4.7 SB 13.1 Class E0-1 Elliptical Galaxy with slight flattening
Located Delta Virginis, 37 Virginis lies 1deg to p. From it proceed 1.5deg in p and slightly S to a very faint line of 3 stars running NS about 15’ long. A mag 8 star lies 1deg p of this. Target is in same field as this star. Small and faint. Only core is visible. Sky transparency is deteriorating, so may need better conditions.

NGC 6144 Globular Cluster in Scorpius
RA 16 27 14.1 Dec -26 01 29 Total V Mag 9.0 Brightest Star V Mag 13.4 HB V Mag 16.5 Diam 7.4’ Concentration Class 11
About 30’ p and just N of Alpha Scorpio (Antares) Very faint. 1 bright star in foreground. Moderate power (115x) reveals some stars. Like M4 (NGC 6121) nearby it appears to be dimmed by dust and by brightness of the milky way around this area.

Observations 16/4. Seeing very good, transparency good, only managed about 1 hour due to late start at 12-30pm.

NGC 6541 (Caldwell 78) Globular Cluster in Corona Australis
RA 18 08 02.2 Dec -43 42 20 Total V Mag 6.3 Brightest Star V Mag 12.1 HB V Mag 15.3 Diam 15’ Concentration Class 3
From Theta Scorpio, move 4deg just S of f to a mag 4 star. 2 other stars form a wide triangle within a 3deg wide field in finder. Target is just S of northernmost star, same field in 24mm at 62x.
Fairly small with bright core. Resolvable at high power, several field stars surround cluster. Appears to have a very wide, faint halo of very faint stars.

NGC 6496 Globular Cluster in Scorpius.
RA 17 59 02.2 Dec -44 15 54 Total V Mag 8.6 Brightest Star V Mag 14.3 HB V Mag 16.5 Diam 5.6’ Concentration Class 12
Move back to mag 4 star at p end of triangle referred to above. Target is 30’ to f side within field of 24mm eyepiece at 62x. Very faint, detected mainly with averted vision. Small and nor resolved.

NGC6388 Globular Cluster in Scorpius
RA 17 36 17.0 Dec -44 44 06 Total V Mag 6.8 Brightest Star V Mag 14.8 HB V Mag 17.2 Diam 10.4’ Concentration Class 3
From Theta Scorpio located Sigma Scorpio in same field in finder. Target lies halfway between. Has 2 stars mag 7+8 on either side aligned NS. Very bright core but still fairly small. Unable to resolve at 115x. Pretty with many field stars.

NGC 5897 Globular Cluster in Libra
RA 15 17 24.5 Dec -21 00 37 Total V Mag 8.4 Brightest Star V Mag 13.3 HB V Mag 16.3 Diam 11’ Concentration Class 11
Locate Iota Librae by naked eye. A mag 5.5 star lies 3def to SSf. About halfway between this and Iota Librae and about 45’ to f is a line of 5 very faint stars running NS. Target lies just p of these. Large and irregular but very faint. No core visible.

Malcolm
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  #2  
Old 22-04-2010, 08:46 PM
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duncan
Duncan

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What a great report Malcolm. You obviously had a great time doing it all. Well Done.
Cheers,
Duncan
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Old 23-04-2010, 07:00 PM
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Paddy (Patrick)
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Some interesting targets there Malcolm. I do love the LMC. NGC 4753 is one that I haven't looked at - sounds quite interesting.

Thanks for the report.
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