Bright Southern Objects

[glenc]

This is a list of the 20 brightest galaxies south of declination -20 degrees.
The list gives the name or NGC number, the constellation, the visual magnitude (brightness), the size in arc minutes, the RA (x axis) in hours and the declination (y axis) in degrees. The list is sorted by magnitude.

Name Con Mv Size' RA Dec
LMC DOR 0.4 645.7 5.393 -69.75
SMC TUC 2.3 316.2 0.878 -72.83
5128 CEN 6.8 25.7 13.425 -43.02
253 SCL 7.2 27.5 0.793 -25.29
M83 HYA 7.5 12.9 13.617 -29.87
55 SCL 7.9 32.4 0.252 -39.22
300 SCL 8.1 21.9 0.915 -37.68
6744 PAV 8.3 20.0 19.163 -63.86
1291 ERI 8.5 9.8 3.288 -41.11
1316 FOR 8.5 12.0 3.378 -37.21
4945 CEN 8.6 20.0 13.091 -49.46
1313 RET 8.7 9.1 3.304 -66.50
7793 SCL 9.1 9.3 23.964 -32.59
247 CET 9.1 21.4 0.786 -20.76
2997 ANT 9.4 8.9 9.761 -31.19
1553 DOR 9.4 4.5 4.270 -55.78
1097 FOR 9.5 9.3 2.772 -30.28
1399 FOR 9.6 6.9 3.641 -35.45
1395 ERI 9.6 5.9 3.642 -23.03
1365 FOR 9.6 11.2 3.560 -36.14

[glenc]

This is a list of the 20 brightest globular clusters south of declination -20 degrees. The list gives the name or NGC number, the constellation, the visual magnitude (brightness), the RA (x axis) in hours and the declination (y axis) in degrees. The list is sorted by magnitude.

Name Con Mv RA Dec
5139 CEN 3.7 13.446 -47.48
104 TUC 4.0 0.401 -72.08
M22 SGR 5.1 18.607 -23.90
6752 PAV 5.4 19.181 -59.98
M4 SCO 5.6 16.393 -26.52
6397 ARA 5.7 17.678 -53.67
2808 CAR 6.2 9.201 -64.86
6541 CRA 6.3 18.134 -43.71
M55 SGR 6.3 19.667 -30.96
362 TUC 6.4 1.054 -70.85
M62 OPH 6.5 17.020 -30.11
6388 SCO 6.7 17.605 -44.73
3201 VEL 6.8 10.294 -46.41
M19 OPH 6.8 17.044 -26.27
M28 SGR 6.8 18.409 -24.87
4833 MUS 6.9 12.993 -70.87
6723 SGR 7.0 18.993 -36.63
1851 COL 7.1 5.235 -40.05
6441 SCO 7.2 17.837 -37.05
M30 CAP 7.2 21.673 -23.18

[glenc]

This is a list of the 20 brightest planetary nebulae south of declination -20 degrees.The list gives the name or NGC number, the constellation, the visual magnitude (brightness), the size in arc minutes, the RA (x axis) in hours and the declination (y axis) in degrees. The list is sorted by magnitude. Objects less than 0.2' across are not included.

Name Con Mv Size' RA Dec
7293 AQR 7.6 14.7 22.494 -20.84
3918 CEN 8.2 0.3 11.838 -57.18
5189 MUS 9.5 3.1 13.559 -65.97
5882 LUP 9.5 0.3 15.281 -45.65
1360 FOR 9.6 7.7 3.554 -25.87
2867 CAR 9.7 0.3 9.357 -58.31
3132 VEL 9.7 1.0 10.117 -40.44
6302 SCO 9.7 1.4 17.229 -37.10
IC4406 LUP 10.2 1.7 14.374 -44.15
lC4191 MUS 10.6 0.3 13.147 -67.64
6153 SCO 10.6 0.5 16.525 -40.25
3211 CAR 10.7 0.3 10.297 -62.67
M 3-6 Pyx 10.8 0.3 8.678 -32.37
6563 SGR 10.8 0.8 18.201 -33.87
6445 SGR 10.9 0.6 17.821 -20.01
3699 CEN 11.0 1.2 11.466 -59.96
IC5148 GRU 11.0 2.0 21.993 -39.39
5307 CEN 11.2 0.3 13.851 -51.21
6629 SGR 11.2 0.3 18.428 -23.20
6072 SCO 11.3 1.2 16.216 -36.23

[dannat]

do you have them in a word doc or something - so I can get them all at once - it will be a great list to chase with the 20x80's
thanks daniel

[Zuts]

Cut and Paste :)

[glenc]

Here is an Excel file with 30 OC, 20 GC, 20 PN and 20 Gxy south of dec -20.
It is sorted by magnitude but can easily be sorted or filtered in other ways.

[ngcles]

Hi Glen & All,

Good work in posting those lists Glen.

Just to show how blest the southern observer is so far as globulars are concerned, consider the "mirror" list of best G.Cs north of +20 dec -- it is a pretty mediocre crew. There are really only 4 worthwhile ones, of which only two or three would be "good enough" to be "among peers" in Glen's list of clusters below -20 (above).

(From memory) M13, M3, M92, M56, NGC 6229 (poor) NGC 5466 (poor), NGC 2419 (poor), Pal 1 (shocker) , Pal 2 (shocker), Pal 4 (2 x shocker) --

and that is it -- only 10 entries in their "top 20" list!

At least 7, and possibly 8, or 9 (depending how you see it) of our top 20 (best visually, _not necessarily brightest in magnitude_) are arguably better than their No 1!

In an all-sky composite list, I reckon only 3 globs north of the celestial equator make it into the top 20 visual visual clusters. M5 (just sneaks over the equator on their side, but precession will bring it back someday) probably about 6th or 7th, M13 probably about 8th, M3 about 15th.

If (poor ol' unloved) NGC 362 were situated at say +35 deg dec, we'd never stop hearing them rave about it!

I love this hemisphere!

Best,

Les D
Contributing Editor
AS&T

[glenc]

Yes M5, M13, M3 and M15 are the only top 10 GC north of dec -20.

[ngcles]

Hi Glen & All,

Thanks Glen, I'd forgotten about M15 whiich does't make the +20 and above list as it is at +12dec, but it certainly does make the all-time all-sky top-20 GCs list. That means now 4 of the top-20 are above the celestial equator with M15 probably ranking in the mid-teens.

Best,


Les D

[wasyoungonce]

Hi Glen..I wanted to ask why the RA is in degree decimal format not hh:mm:ss. I can convert them but....!

I am trying to organise a list of my own user objects (in excel) for my gotostar and maybe include some of your objects but I need to put them in the controller in hh:mm:ss so I wanted excel to be the same format.

It's not that the objects are not in the controller memory list it's just easier to access "my own list".

P.S.
Anyone know how to format an excel cell for RA in hh:mm:ss. I can do this but excel keeps putting in AM or PM as well!:shrug:

Ta!

[glenc]

I think that decimal is better than pounds, shillings and pence but you can convert using = int() and 60 times (original - int) etc.
I have done this in the attached file.

[wasyoungonce]

Thanks Glen.

I was mucking around with excel and managed to convert RA from decimal format in one cell by using (in this case cell G3 has the decimal RA coords):

=(INT(G3)/24)+((G3-INT(G3))/24)

Then format the cell using custom format:
[h]:mm:ss

This gives RA in hh:mm:ss

I'm just mucking around with DEC now.:D

Thanks again.

[dannat]

Glen, thanks for the doc - I have started ticking a couple off aleady
daniel
PS. if you can be bothered with the degrees conversion (from decimals)

Converting Decimal Degrees to Degrees/Minutes/Seconds
The following Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications custom function accepts an angle formatted as a decimal value and converts it to a text value displayed in degrees, minutes, and seconds.

Function Convert_Degree(Decimal_Deg) As Variant
With Application
'Set degree to Integer of Argument Passed
Degrees = Int(Decimal_Deg)
'Set minutes to 60 times the number to the right
'of the decimal for the variable Decimal_Deg
Minutes = (Decimal_Deg - Degrees) * 60
'Set seconds to 60 times the number to the right of the
'decimal for the variable Minute
Seconds = Format(((Minutes - Int(Minutes)) * 60), "0")
'Returns the Result of degree conversion
'(for example, 10.46 = 10~ 27 ' 36")
Convert_Degree = " " & Degrees & "° " & Int(Minutes) & "' " _
& Seconds + Chr(34)
End With
End Function

To use this function, create a conversion formula, as in the following example:
1. Start Excel and press ALT+F11 to start the Visual Basic editor.
2. On the Insert menu, click Module.
3. Enter the sample code for the Convert_Degree custom function described above into the module sheet.
4. Press ALT+F11 to return to excel.
5. In cell A1 type 10.46.
6. In cell A2 type the following formula:
=Convert_Degree(A1)


The formula returns 10°27'36"

[wasyoungonce]

I just knew there was a better way...there's always a better way!:lol:

Thanks dannat for VBS script. :thumbsup:


P.S.

The VBS script works a treat! A big Thanks!

P.P.S.

mmmmm dannat...the VBS returns decimal degrees into degrees minutes and seconds not hh:mm:ss or hh:mm'ss"

It doesn't do negative DEC degrees it converts lets say the LMC from -69.75° degrees to minutes -70°15' degrees..it should be -69°45'

P.P.P.S.

Ahhh fixed the RA degrees..now reads for LMC 5h23'35" in stead of 5°23'35".

I changed the VBS line 13 to: "Convert_Degree = " " & Degrees & "h " & Int(Minutes) & "' " _"

This VBS is neat!

[eze]

Hi

From all the elements in the list. Does somebody knows what I should be seen with a 12x60 Binocular from Melbourne polluted skies .

At the moment I have seen (without counting open clusters)

LMC
SMC
5139
104
2808. ( i am not sure about this last one, I think I saw some light)

Tonight I will try to see 6752, although I think it should be seen later ( maybe around 2 or 3?)

Is there semothing else I can expect to see during this time of the year?

Great list
Cheers
Eze

[erick]

Hi Eze

There is a lot to see, what do you have in mind?

Remember the Moon is intruding at present, making the sky a bit bright for fainter objects, but don't forget to have a good look at it - see what is illuminated along the Terminator.

Here are a few suggestions:-

Open Cluster NGC 4755 - "The Jewel Box"
Open Cluster NGC 3532 - "The Wishing Well Cluster"
Emission Nebula NGC 3372 - The Eta Carina Nebula - but you might want the Moon out of the way first.
Open CLuster IC 2602 - "The Southern Pleiades" - can you see the "Five of Diamonds"?

Let us know how you go. Do you have a tripod to steady the binoculars? Otherwise find a way to balance them on something steady while you look through them.

Eric :)

[eze]

Hi Erick

Thanks again for your help

I have seen many open clusters, but I found them hard to recognize, specially NGC3532, NGC 3372, NGC 3293. That part of the sky is so crowded.

NGC 4755 is easy to recognize because is very close to Crux, but I can see it very small in my 12x60 binoculars.
IC 2602 is easy to found and recognize. Is always my starting point for the Carina constellation.
I have also found 3114 ( not very clear) , 2516 ( that one looks OK since it is quite isolated)

And I am not very sure about IC2391, 2547, 2477 and 2451.

To the north is even worse, because I have all the light pollution from Melbourne.

I am following the maps from Skymaps.com. I found them very good and easy to understand.

But I am enjoying the nights a lot. Hopefully this year I will buy a 8'' Dobsonian.


I don't have any tripod. MAybe I will buy someone in the future. In the meantime I think I am doing it quite well with the chair with armrests and that can recline. I sometime found it difficult to get a good focus, or the focus seems to change a lot for different objects. Is it better to keep the eyes touching the eyecups or to keep them one or 2 cm away from the eyes.Because sometimes I get better vies with my eyes apart from the eyecups, but I get distracted by the ligth and images coming from the sides.

[dannat]

I just knew there was a better way...there's always a better way!
Thanks dannat for VBS script.
P.S.
The VBS script works a treat! A big Thanks!
Glad you liked the vbasic stuff - thanks for the tweak as well

[erick]

Woops, Eze, I overlooked your "without counting open clusters".

OK, here is a challenge. It can be done with 12x60s if you are patient and let your eyes "see". Look for a faint red star (DY Crucis) near Beta Crucis (Mimosa). Initially you might have to move Mimosa just out of the field of view to remove its glare. Check the charts so you know where DY Crucis is relative to Mimosa. Stare directly at the star when you locate it and your eyes will slowly see the colour better.

Here:-

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=2397

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=27083

Apologies, glenc, for hijacking the thread :doh:

Eric :)

[glenc]

That is fine, Eric. See #11 for the list of 30 OC, 20 GC, 20 PN and 20 Gxy south of dec -20.

[erick]

#11, Glen? Sorted by ascending magnitude, I get 47 Tuc GC? I'm obviously missing something here. Sorry.

[glenc]

Post #11 is sorted by type then magnitude and gives RA in hms and dec in dm. Post #6 is sorted by mag only.

[erick]

Sorry, 11am is too early in the morning for me. :ashamed: Post #11! I was looking for item #11 on the spreadsheet. :screwy: :whistle:

Yes, I have the spreadsheet down and have already embedded the code to display deg/min/sec as well - thanks Glen and Daniel. Now to order it the way(s) I would use the most and laminate it for outdoor use for when the lappie is not available!

[wasyoungonce]

Hi dannat...can I grovel for some more help.....:D

I'm trying to use the spreadsheet to convert decimal DEC degrees to DEC degrees minutes seconds so I can order all DEC angles.

I know it's been done and I can do it with excel but it would sure be nice to do it with a VB script.;)

At the moment the script (I fiddled with) won't convert the -ve DEC degrees..It returns 0°0'00".


I tried this VBS (calling the function "Convert_DEC_Degree"):

Function Convert_DEC_Degree(Decimal_DEC_Deg) As Variant
With Application
'Set degree to Integer of Argument Passed
Degrees = Int(Decimal_Deg)
'Set minutes to 60 times the number to the right
'of the decimal for the variable Decimal_Deg
Minutes = (Decimal_Deg - Degrees) * 60
'Set seconds to 60 times the number to the right of the
'decimal for the variable Minute
Seconds = Format(((Minutes - Int(Minutes)) * 60), "0")
'Returns the Result of degree conversion
'(for example, 10.46 = 10~ 27 ' 36")
Convert_DEC_Degree = " " & Degrees & "° " & Int(Minutes) & "' " _
& Seconds + Chr(34)
End With
End Function


To enter the VBS function is "he command function is "=convert_DEC_Degree()"



Any help?Pretty please!:help:



P.S.

I just noticed I get a "!" mark in the RA column and when I hover my mouse over this "!" it states "The formula in this cell differs from the formulas in this areas of the spreadsheet". Of course the RA column is next to the DEC column.

The RA column is ordered by your previous VBS script..except I changed line 13 to: "Convert_Degree = " " & Degrees & "h " & Int(Minutes) & "' " _"

This returns RA in hours minutes and degrees, "10h27'36".



P.P.S

I looked up the help and the above is just a warning that the formula is different from the one in the column next to it .....thats' all

[glenc]

"At the moment the script (I fiddled with) won't convert the -ve DEC degrees..It returns 0°0'00".
Is there an absolute function? In Excel you can use =ABS().
See: http://www.w3schools.com/vbscript/vbscript_ref_functions.asp

[glenc]

The attached Excel file gives the list of 90 objects south of declination -20, sorted by type and RA, a colour coded "map" and a table of dates. If you hover over a point on the map you will get its coordinates.

[wasyoungonce]

Thanks gents...that's a neat map glen:thumbsup:


P.S.

With some fiddling I got the VBS function to return the correct DEC angle, degrees minutes and seconds for a "positive integer decimal degree". For example 69.75° is returned as 69°45'0". Here is the VBS script:

Function Convert_DEC_Degree(Decimal_DEC_Deg) As Variant
With Application
'Set degree to Integer of Argument Passed
Degrees = Int(Decimal_DEC_Deg)
'Set minutes to 60 times the number to the right
'of the decimal for the variable Decimal_DEC_Deg
Minutes = (Decimal_DEC_Deg - Degrees) * 60
'Set seconds to 60 times the number to the right of the
'decimal for the variable Minute
Seconds = Format(((Minutes - Int(Minutes)) * 60), "0")
'Returns the Result of degree conversion
'(for example, 10.46 = 10~ 27 ' 36")
Convert_DEC_Degree = " " & Degrees & "° " & Int(Minutes) & "' " _
& Seconds + Chr(34)
End With
End Function


To enter the VBS function in a cell is the command: "=convert_DEC_Degree(xx)"


But.......for negative DEC decimal degrees it rounds the integer upwards. It returns -69.75° DEC angles as -70°15'0".

Slowly getting there!

[wasyoungonce]

I have been spending some time mucking around with excel macros to convert DMS to decimal and decimal to DMS angles.

Here are some excel macro scripts that convert:
1.RA decimal angle to DMS, ie: convert 10.55 RA to 10h 33' 00".
2.Declination decimal angle to DMS, ie: convert -61.5 to -61° 30' 00".
3.RA DMS to decimal RA angle, ie: convert 10h 33' 00" to 10.55.
4.Declination DMS to Decimal angle, ie: convert 61° 30' 00" to 61.5.

The macro functions are contained in the attached word document. They are not the be all to end all and probably contain many mistakes. But at present they work! With little caveats on data entry.


Please do not confuse me with a “macro” whip! My knowledge on this can be measured between the bottom of a snakes belly and the ground…not much!:whistle:

But if anyone has input pls discuss!

edit:
Amended word doc with some changes I forgot.
Added example excel doc with macros in zip format.

Edit Edit:
Minor amendment in macros:
“=RADECtoDMS”. and
“=DECtoDMS”.
This amendment round seconds integer with zero decimal points. This stops nuisance value decimal points in seconds output ie: instead of -61° 30' 00.955" it will return -61° 30' 01". Of course if you want seconds decimal places you can edit the macro yourself to include decimal values.

Edit completed of above functions:
Original line: Seconds = Round(Seconds, 3)
New Line: Seconds = Round(Seconds, 0)

Edit Edit Edit:
Minor correction to "=Convert_RADecimal". This was done so that it accepted RA hours format 10h 33' 00" as a valid input for conversion to DD.

I had made the change in the sample spreadsheet but the word document scripts were not amended. It now is.

New files uploaded to reflect these changes.
Cheers.

[Screwdriverone]

Thanks Glen,

That one has gone straight through the laminator ready for tonight's clear sky!!

Cheers