Galaxy M101

[glenc]

I drove 5km up to Naughtons Gap last night to look at some northern galaxies.
Saw M51, M63, M94, N4631, N4449 and M106 with 20x80 binoculars. :)
Also looked at them with the 12" Dob later in the night.

Tried to see M101 with 20x80 binoculars but the light pollution from Brisbane washed it out.
Brisbane is 150 km away in a straight line!!!! :(

[CoombellKid]

I was going to set up for a lil observing last night, but beer, wallabies and
the jet stream kinda killed the idea. When I got up about 5am this morning
it appeared the jet stream had gone, which was confirmed online.

So tonight hopefully it'll stay clear.

regards,CS

[CoombellKid]

Re: Naughtons Gap

how was the chilly wind up there last night, must of been cold eh'

regards,CS

[glenc]

I could hear the wind but the ridge on the south side protected me from it.

[astroron]

Glen M101 is just to far north for me as I have a 10deg high ridge just where it would transit.
I have observed 99 Messier objects, the 99th a long time ago.
I will have to go further North to get the whole lot.

[glenc]

I propose an astro camp next year inland from Cairns at the new moon in August/September. The northern Milky Way should be visible then. Is anyone interested? e.g. Mt Surprise 30/8/08.
Latitude 18.25 S, elevation 450m, 17.6 clear days vs 2.1 cloudy in August.
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_030036.shtml

[CoombellKid]

Would you be able to nab the rest of the messier objects from the Cairns area?

I would have to go back over my logs, but I'm sure I've nab 100 messier objects
from Coombell. Although the objects in my list at the very northern end were
quite difficult.

regards,CS

[glenc]

M81 & M82 are the most northerly M objects at dec +69.
M81 transits nearly 9 degrees above the horizon in Darwin.
Darwin is usually clear from May to Sept. (Climate change excepted!)
You can see M81, M82 from Darwin at 8pm in May.
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_014016.shtml

[astroron]

I would be in that,but would have to give Duckadang a miss to be able to afford it:(
Maybe we could pool transport araingments ;) :thumbsup:

[glenc]

Pooling transport is a good idea Ron.

[CoombellKid]

I would be keen too : ) pooling transport would be a great idea

I'm giving Duckadang a miss this year. Too much on, plus I want
to save for a bigger scope. Thinking of building a 16" dob either
that or buying one, but I hear the LB 16" a top heavy so my
ep's might have a lil problem considering they weigh upwards
of 390gm each.

But I would be keen on the Cairns trip next year.

regards,CS

[glenc]

M31 would be 30 degrees above the horizon at 2am on 30/8 from Mt Surprise.

[astroron]

M31 gets up to a reasonable hight from my location, but I was amazed how much higher it seemed from Mackay.
I think that would be a Astrocamp to look forward to.

[CoombellKid]

Glen,

Have you been to Mt Surprise before?

Can you give me the coordinates so's I can plug them into SNP.

We got cloud coming in from the SW at present Grrrrr!!!!....

regards,CS

[glenc]

Been there once.
Latitude: 18.15 °S Longitude: 144.32 °E

[duncan]

Hi all,
I'd certainly be in a camp to Mt Surprise. I usede to go up there a lot years ago to dig for gemstones in Particular, Topaz,Amethyst and Aquamarine (Beryl). September is ideal, not to hot and still nice and cool at night.
Cheers.:thumbsup:

[glenc]

Looked at 3 galaxies last night with the 12" Dob @ 115x, N3621 was nice and bright, N2997 was faint and N3109 was long and very faint.
The bright star in N2997 was not a SN.

[glenc]

An alternative to Mt Surprise is Undara Lava Tubes.
http://www.undara.com.au/

I wrote to them and this was part of the reply.
"Thank you for your interest in Undara Experience.
We do offer a 15% discount for all group reservations. (To apply for a group reservation you will need to have over 10 people in your group.)
We also have a large open area within our lodge. The ground however is extremely hard, however throughout past experiences it has been a prime area for star gazing and astronomy."

I notice on Google that they have an airstrip which might be suitable for astronomy.(lat -18.191, long 144.611, alt 750m)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=-18.191,144.611&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&ll=-18.204404,144.606514&spn=0.114475,0.167542&z=13&iwloc=addr

There prices per adult per night are normally.
Carriage Rooms - Standard* $75
Carriage Rooms - Ensuite* $85
Wilderness Lodge* $25
Swags Tent Village (Excludes linen) $20
Safari Shelter (Includes power) $12
Camp Site or Van Site (no power) $8
* Single room supplements may apply.

[CoombellKid]

Too much cloud interference for observing here last night, the jet stream
wasn't much help either.

regards,CS

[astroron]

Contrary to my earler post I was able to see M101 last night , my report in my log as follows.
20:00 temp 9.5 C seeing 8-10 trans 8-10.this (was not the conditions at this galaxy as it is very low down) but the seeing was still very good for a so far north object, only 8.5 degs above the horizon
Large grey oval with exstensions, brighter in the centre, 14th mag forground stars seen in front of the galaxy.
Spent quite some time trying to tease as much detail as I could.
This observation makes this my 100th Messier object:astron: :thumbsup:

[glenc]

Excellent Ron. :thumbsup: Which M objects are you still looking for?

[astroron]

Thanks Glen, I will have to dig my list and get back to you:thumbsup:

[davewaldo]

Congrats on your 100th Messier Ron. Well done! :)

[astroron]

[QUOTE=davewaldo;227166]Congrats on your 100th Messier Ron. Well done! :)[/QUOTE
Thanks Dave, I found two more tonight M97, The Owl Planetary Nebula, and M 108 ,a spiral galaxy.
I thought I couldnt see them from my observatory, but Wes (Zubanel) when I showed him M101 said that M97 could be also visible and also M108,so three Messiers in 2 nights:lol: :lol: :lol: :astron:
They where not visible in the 8" because of the hight of the walls of the observatory so I never thought to try in the 16":thumbsup:

[glenc]

These M objects are north of dec +55. They are listed in RA order.
M103, M81, M82, M108, M97, M40, M102 & M52
Congratulations Ron on seeing M97 & M108.

[LX200]

:shrug: too far north for me

[astroron]

:hi: Glen, after checking my observing for my Messier observations I only need 5, M40 M52 M81,M82 and M103.
M102 is classed as a duplicate of M101, but when I looked up SEDS this is what I found. http://seds.org/messier/m/m102.html.
Needless to say they are all to far north from this location to observe:astron:
I hope to bag a t leaste a couple more next year on the trip north:astron: :stargaze:

[Gargoyle_Steve]

I have the May 2007 edition of Astronomy Now mag, which included a wonderful colour poster of all Messier objects and it indeed lists & shows M102 as follows:

"M102 - Spiral galaxy.
RA 15h 06.5m, Dec +55° 46',
mag: +10.7
Constellation : Draco"

The image is a wider field view of the same galaxy shown in that SEDS link you posted Ron.

http://www.3towers.com/sGrasslands/viewImage.asp?Caption=NGC5866&ImagePath=%2FFingerLakes%2FFingerLa kesMessier%2Fm102color%2Ejpg

[glenc]

Thanks Steve, I came across this Messier page the other day.
http://www.ngcic.org/dss/dss_messier.asp
Click on M x data to get more info. The historical notes on M102 are interesting.