Observation Report: 17th October 2007

[DougAdams]

Assorted Objects: 10:30pm - 12:30am

4" Refractor
Seeing: 2 (very good)
Transparency: 4.5 (good)

A glance outside at 10pm saw a starry sky, and barely any twinkle. The seeing looked very steady, and too good to pass up. The moon was low in the west, and Jupiter had gone, so it was deep sky time. I set up in ten minutes, and took out the 24mm Panoptic, as well as the 11mm and 5mm Naglers.

Everything viewed tonight was rock steady in the eyepiece - no boiling stars tonight.

M15 - a globular cluster near the star Enif. It was just slipping behind the house to the west, I visited here first before I lost it. It's near a 6th magnitude star, and forms a triangle with a 7th magnitude star. At 49x it appears almost stellar with direct vision, quite small, and no stars resolved. At 108x, still no stars resolved, but I got the impression it was lop-sided rather than the usual circular globular - was than an illusion?

M31 - a low glow in the north. I've observed this object a bit lately, with binoculars mainly. Every time I've only seem a large round glow. This time I could see a little elongation, but it's still rather indistinct. Washed out in the glow of suburban Melbourne low in the north.

Almach - a double star in Andromeda. This was a struggle to get in the field of view, being about 15 degrees off the northern horizon, and peeking between the neighbours trees. The split was very easy, even with a lot of atmosphere wobble. A golden star of magnitude 2, with a fainter (mag. 5) companion.

M33 - while I was in the area I thought I'd try this object, notoriously difficult from light polluted skies. I thought I saw a brighter patch as I swept back and forwards over the area at 23x, but couldn't confirm anything. Using averted imagination helped a bit.

Mesartim - Gamma Ari- a double star in Aries. Easy to locate. Couldn't split at 23x, but easy at 49x and drove a bus through it at 108x. A white pair, both around magnitude 5, quite close (separation under 10").

Lambda Ari - another double star near Mesartim. It wasn't naked eye, but easy to put in the 1x finder as it's due west of Hamal. Easy split at 49x, bright golden primary with a fainter white companion.

Carbon Star in Pisces - located between Nu Psc and Phi Psc. A dull vivid orange star of magnitude 7.

M74 - a galaxy in Pisces. Couldn't see it.

M79 - a globular cluster in Lepus. Easy to find by tracing a line from Arneb through Nihal. A fuzzy patch near a 5th magnitude star at 23x. The view didn't improve at 49x, no resolution. I resolved two or three stars at 108x. The star nearby resolved into a very tight double at 108x - a nice surprise!

Hind's Crimson Star - also in Lepus. Easy to pick out as a dull red/orange star surrounded by white neighbours. Looks a bit like Sauron, glaring down at you! Brighter than I was expecting.

Rigel - just for a lark, I thought I'd try and split Rigel. I don't recall ever doing this with my 8" or 12" Newtonians in times past, due to boiling tube currents, etc. This time, a suspicion of a split at 49x. The companion appeared to be just west of Rigel. Bumped it up to 108x and there it was. Very easy.

47 Tuc - couldn't resist a look. Spectacular. Stars resolved everywhere at 49x and 108x.

M42 - spent twenty minutes studying the Trapezium. Easily picked out five stars, A to E. Couldn't see the F star, which was troubling. Still, Orion is low and there is a long summer ahead.

M45 - looked at this through my DGM narrowband filter at 23. Interesting view, the stars in the cluster appearing against a mottled background. Was I seeing bits of nebula? Not sure.

Sigma Ori - one of my favorite multiple stars. Resolved A/B, D and E. Couldn't see C, which was a shock. Perhaps I did see it - I sketched the view to check later.

A great night. Reluctantly packed up. You don't like wasting nights when the Magellanic Clouds are naked eye from the suburbs.

[erick (Eric)]

Isn't it fantastic when that special night comes along. Great report Doug - you've given me some tempting targets to chase. Eric

[§AB]

excellent. Makes me regret not going outside last night I just had this gut feeling that last night would've been good. But I was rather tired so I went to bed instead and never quite made it back until sunrise lol

Did you check out Jupiter? Shouldve been good in those seeing conditions! Too bad my damn roof is in the way now

Bring on Friday night

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by §AB

.....Bring on Friday night

Agreed - forecast is excellent!

[Rob_K]

Another great report Doug - lots of variety in your viewing! Must have a look at some of these doubles & interesting stars too - it's so easy to get sidetracked on DSOs, like nothing else matters!

M15 does appear slightly off-circular to me too - it's one of the densest Milky Way globulars as well, having suffered "core collapse". It may even have a black hole at its centre.

I went outside very late last night, and the stars were magnificent with Orion climbing up in a jet black sky. Was just transfixed and stood staring for 10-15 minutes (or more?) - didn't even grab my scope . Saw a few Orionid meteors too, but nothing spectacular......

Cheers -

[DougAdams]

Originally Posted by §AB

Did you check out Jupiter? Shouldve been good in those seeing conditions!

I agree, but I think it had already set. Where I set up in the backyard, my east/west view is pretty tight, but it's the darkest spot.

Mars was just rising as I was packing up. It would have been another 90 minutes before it cleared the neighbours houses.

[DougAdams]

I saw a couple of Orionids too - at least they were heading away from Orion, so I assume they were appearing from a radiant.