The Southern Cat's Paw

[Argonavis]

With the run of excellent weather we are having here in Qld, I would encourage everyone to observe the "southern cats paw" - ngc 1773, ngc 1769 and ngc 1763. These are all bright nebula with an associated star cluster, located at the "far end" of the LMC, opposite to the Tarantula Nebula. Unlike the northern Cats Paw (ngc6334) in Scoprious, which is all but invisible, this group of objects is easily visible in binoculars and is even naked eye from a really dark site.

[astroron]

Bill used your charts of the lmc tonight, tracked down the location of 1987A( still not visible) also just glimpsed NGC1809 it is at the limit of my visibilaty,using the 5mmX-Cel eyepiece,also spent quite a bit of time trying to spot Mcneils Nebula in Orion, thought I could see it but not sure.
I also spent some time observing M74, ( now I know how Robert Evans finds the supernova in Moonlight, use high power which darkens the sky and the stars come into view even though the galaxy is almost invisible , also checked out about 20 s/n galaxies and Mars and Saturn.I had a good 5 hours observing till the mist rolled about midnight, as soon as I packed up it cleared up,but all in all a very good few hours observing :thumbsup: :astron: :stargaze:
ps I will observe the souther cats paw in my next observing session ;)

[dhumpie]

Bill is this object in the chart of the Tarantula and the surrounding field you gave me? I though I stumbled upon it while surfing the field that night at Ron's. Pretty bright in my C6 as well but I would like to get another look from suburbia :)

Darren

[Argonavis]

No the chart I gave is is only a few degrees in extent and covers the tarantula and objects 'in its web'

the southern cats paw is at the other end of the LMC, some distance away from the main body of this galaxy.

I will give you a wider field chart, covering the entire LMC, next time.

[Argonavis]

excellent - we are having soem really good weather and there is a lot to be said for high power

[dhumpie]

Thanks Bill. I wonder if the objects are on SA2000. Will have a look tonight.

Darren

[Argonavis]

The 3 ngc objects that comprise the cats paw will be on SA2000. Some of the fainter ngc objects on the chart I gave you will not be, as the image scale on the Tarantula chart is fairly generous.

[Argonavis]

Darren

a good place to explore this stuff is:

http://www.messier45.com/

[dhumpie]

Thanks for that Bill. Now if the weather would cooperate and turn down the heat :)

Darren

[astroron]

I did about three hours last night,but looked mainly for Supernovae, only had a quick look round the Magellenic Clouds, Venus, the Moon, Mars(still quite a bit of detail)Saturn,M31 group,and quite a bit of time trying to spot Mcniels Nebula, in the 13mm nagler at 140xmag there seemed to be something there but at 360xmag it just faded into the background, did not try a filter.
A very enjoyable few hours observing. :thumbsup: :astron: :stargaze: :thumbsup: