A challenge for those with a 16" scope. Can you see the magnitude 13.4 galaxy NGC 2573? It is 1 degree from the mag 5.5 star sigma Oct.
The attached wikisky.org image shows the galaxy and the star with yellow circles around them. The yellow square is the south celestial pole SCP.
Polarissima Australis NGC2573 is 1.9' by 0.8' and 93 Mly away.
This “Holy Grail” was discovered by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "Neb Polarissima Australis. Faint, round, gradually a little brighter in the middle, 25 arcsec across. Situated nearly halfway between a star of 10th magnitude south of it, and a small triangle of stars 11th, 13th and 13th mag. north." http://www.fortunecity.com/roswell/borley/49/u472.htm
We can give this one a try on the weekend, weather permitting. I dont
think I've ever tried for galaxy targets in that area. Looks like it will be
an interesting if not difficult target.
Rob, you should be able to see it because you have a dark southern horizon.
Hartung never saw it with his 12" despite it being high in the sky for him.
I have observed it on a number of occasions with both with Peter Robbins 30" and my 16" from Cambroon
There is also another galaxy close by NGC 2573A which is visible in a 16" scope
It is a good test of the sky conditions and your observing skills
Np's Glen, have you been able to nab it in your 12" by chance?
Ron, that sounds cool, we'll try for both. Not sure about observing skills
these days. I haven't had the scope out in ages... mostly due to weather,
and when it has been good I've had some other commitments : ( but I
sure am looking forward to this weekend, first get together in a long
time. Is A in the Argo?
Hope this jet stream does a runner by the weekend.
Yes Rob, both A and B are in the Argo Navis.
I think You may be pushing it for a 12",but you never know? with a good sky seeing and Transparency and YOUNG eyes it may be possible.
The only thing to do is give it a try.
Always wanted to see this one, but never got round to it till now! A small moderately faint eg -- impossible to determine PA!!. Elong 1.25 x 30" with a faint outer halo and a slightly brighter core area but no nucleus.
-73 A & B I've not tried but will have a go next time I think of it. I'm impressed that Ron has seen them with 40cm -- well done. From looking at the DSS, they look to me like a small, disrupted barred spiral (A) interacting with a barred magellanic-type irregular (B). Small, distant, faint and very LSB -- just the sort of thing I like to look at !
hi glen and rob i tried to see it a couple of years ago with my lx90 i was not that experinced at observing and wasnt use to averted vision id like to try again but ive built my pod with the southern having the state forest tree height at scp not worth looking with those trees
mozzie
This map from Guide 8.0 shows the SCP for 2010. The circle has a radius of 1 degree and mag 6.9 BQ Oct is the star 11' to the right of the pole.
Mag 5.4 Sigma Oct is near the top of the map. To find North I point my 50mm finder to BQ Oct then look along the scope in the opposite direction.
I have tried for this with a 16" Lightbridge and my 22" reflector but form Newcastle there was no luck. Will give it a shot when I set up the 22" in Clarencetown in the coming weeks. It is also a challenge to get the alignment right for the goto of the 22" as well with an object this close to the pole.
