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Old 30-12-2010, 02:06 PM
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barx1963 (Malcolm)
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Between a furnace and a wet place Observing Report 29/12/10

Got out and did some galaxy hunting around the borders of Eridanus the River and Fornax the furnace. Also had another look at the flame, split the double Theta Eridani (Acamar) and generally enjoyed a pleasant couple of hours under some clear skies. Also had a patch of brilliant seeing that enabled me to get out and barlow my 13mm Nag to bet 230x and see the best view ever of the Homomculus around Eta Car. Just wonderful!


Observing Report 29/12/10


All observations made using Dobsonion mounted 305mm Newtonian reflector at f/5. Eyepieces use are 34mm Meade 4000(44x) 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 29/12. Seeing good, transparency very good. Some Light Pollution as usual

NGC 1300 Galaxy in Eridanus
RA 03 19 41.3 Dec -19 24 36 Mag(V)10.4 Dim’ 6.2X4.1 SB 13.8 Class SB(rs)bc I

Locate 15 and 16 Eridani (16 Eri is also designated as Tau4 Eridani). A wide isosceles triangle lies 1deg to Nf consisting of mag 6.5 and 7 stars. This points Np at a pair of mag 7 and 5.5 stars about 2deg away. Target lies 40’ to S of fainter, nearer star. Object has very low surface brightness. At 67x only bar with slightly brighter core is visible. At 115x hints of spiral structure can just be seen with averted vision.

Additional notes added post observation. NGC 1300 is a classic barred spiral which was discovered by John Herschel in 1835. It is 110,000 light years across, making it a large galaxy of its type and similar in size to our own. Its interesting feature is that the core has a classic grand design spiral within the bar. The HST image at http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/arc...05/01/image/a/
Shows it really clearly and the same image featured as APOD on 12/1/2005.

NGC 1332 and NGC 1331 Galaxies in Eridanus
NGC 1332 RA 03 26 17.0 Dec -21 20 06 Mag(V)10.3 Dim’ 4.5x1.4 SB 12.2 Class S(s)0-:sp
NGC 1331 RA 03 26 28.4 Dec -21 21 19 Mag(V)13.4 Dim’ 0.9x0.7 SB 12.9 Class E2

Locate star at f corner of isosceles triangle mentioned above. A mag 8 star lies 20’ to Sf which points at target which is a further 20’ away. NGC 1332 has a very bright core and a spindle shape aligned roughly EW. Very faint knot on f end is NGC 1331 which is a small elliptical. 1331 is really only visible with averted vision at 115x.

Additional notes added post observation. NGC 1332 and 1331 can be seen on DSS image here
http://spider.seds.org/ngc/ngcdss.cgi?obj=NGC!1332&r=3:26.3&d=-21:20&e=J2000&h=15&w=15&f=GIF&c=non e
This image shows an irregular galaxy off the other end of 1332 from 1332. I haven’t been able to identify it from any sources.

NGC 1395 Galaxy in Eridanus
RA 03 38 30.0 Dec -23 01 40 Mag(V)9.6 Dim’ 5.0x4.5 SB 13.0 Class E2

Locate 19 and 27 Eridani (also known as Tau5 and Tau6 Eridani) by naked eye both being about mag 4. There a number of mag 8.5 to 9 stars to be found in the area half way between these two. About 40’ to S of these is the target. Fairly bright compact galaxy, clearly a flattened elliptical and has a mag 9.5 star on S edge(HD 22726).

NGC 1398 Galaxy in Fornax
RA 03 38 51.7 Dec -26 20 11 Mag(V)9.7 Dim’ 7.1x5.4 SB 13.5 Class (R’)SB(r)ab I

From 27 Eridani move 3.5deg to Sf to a pair of mag 7 stars 45’ apart aligned EW. Target is 1deg to Sf of f star. Bright compact core. Some outer structure suggested with averted vision. Maybe a hint of a bar.

Additional notes added post observation. DSS image is available here http://spider.seds.org/ngc/ngcdss.cg...5&f=GIF&c=none
The classification listed in the U2000 DSFG indicate the galaxy is a barred spiral with a pseudo outer ring. The DSS image indicates that the bar is fairly small and the effect I was seeing was more the slight elongation of the spirals.

NGC 1360 PN in Fornax
RA 03 33 15.4 Dec -25 52 13 Diam” 385 Mag(P)9.6 Mag(V)9.4 Mag Cent Star 11.4

Locate pair of mag 7 stars running EW mentioned above. Target lies 20’ to Sf of the p star. Central star is clearly visible with a very faint halo. OIII filter at 67x gives an excellent view showing a large oval glow surrounding central star. Very nice planetary neb.

Additional notes added post observation. I had attempted to find this object the previous night without success, I now realize I was looking at the central star but hadn’t tuned my brain to expect such a large object and missed the faint halo. OIII filters are great for this type of situation. O’Meara lists this object as #16 in his Hidden Treasures book and some interesting information about is included. Originally discovered by Lewis Swift using a homemade 3” refractor in 1857.

NGC 1371 Galaxy in Fornax
RA 03 35 01.4 Dec -24 55 59 Mag(V)10.7 Dim’ 5.6x3.9 SB 13.9 Class SAB(rs)

Located 40’ N of f star in pair described above. Has a mag 9 star on Nf side. Spindle shaped core running EW. No other structure obvious even at 115x

Additional notes added post observation. DSFG notes star on Nf side is mag 8.74 which is pretty close to my visual estimate.

NGC 1400 and NGC 1407 Galaxies in Eridanus
NGC 1400 RA 03 39 30.6 Dec -18 41 14 Mag(V)11.0 Dim’ 2.3x2.0 SB 12.5 Class SA0-
NGC 1407 RA 03 40 12.0 Dec -18 34 45 Mag(V)9.7 Dim’ 4.6x4.3 SB 12.9 Class E0

Tight triangle of mag 7 stars 2.5deg to Nf of 19 Eridani (Tau5 Eridani). These point at a mag 8 star 30’ away to N and slightly p. Both galaxies lie 20’ away to N. Both are visible in field at 115x and make a very nice pair. NGC 1407 is on p side of field and is clearly elliptical with a smooth envelope. NGC 1400 is fainter and slightly elongated.


Malcolm
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Old 01-01-2011, 11:53 AM
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Paddy (Patrick)
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Some more good observations there Malcolm. And again thanks for the post observation notes.
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