Observation Report May 6 2010

[Lismore Bloke]

Report covers last night's session from about 8pm to 11pm. Thanks for looking.



12” DOBSONIAN
Naglers 22, 12 and 7
Wind calm, dew virtually nil.
Transparency 4 out of 5, seeing 3 out of 5.
Object Data from:
http://www.messier45.com/cgi-bin/dsdb/dsb.pl


NGC 3511 GX (Crater) (Class ScII)
RA 11.03.23 DEC -23.05.13
SIZE 5.4’x2.2’
MAG 11.56
POSITION ANGLE 76
I love galaxies in pairs and groups and this is a nice combination. 3511 is quite easy to pick up and quite elongated with a brighter core. It forms a pair with 3513. A mag 9.5 star lies between the two. The galaxy has a star just at the tip of each end.

NGC 3513 GX (Crater) Class SBcII
RA 11.03.45 DEC -23.14.41
SIZE 2.8’x2.3’
MAG 11.99
POSITION ANGLE 75
This one is a nearly circular haze with fairly even brightness. It is a bit fainter than its companion but still easy to see.

NGC 4361 PN (Corvus) Class IIIa(II)
RA 12.24.30 DEC -18.47.05
SIZE 114”
MAG 10.9
This planetary is an easy one to find, being at the peak of a rough triangle with Gamma and Delta at the base. The PN is fairly large and the shape is slightly oval with a high level of brightness. Prominent central star.

NGC 3923 GX (Hydra) Class E
RA 11.51.01 DEC -28.48.23
SIZE 2.9’x1.9’
MAG 10.1
This is a very attractive and bright galaxy - it shows as a large elongated haze with a core that is also elongated – with a stellar nucleus. Averted vision shows the outer regions better. The high surface brightness of the core region makes it easy to pick up.

NGC 5286 GC (Centaurus) Class V
RA 13.46.26 DEC -51.22.24
SIZE 9.1’
MAG 7.2
This globular is very bright, easily visible in finder, quite large, which condenses to a bright grainy central region that is too concentrated to resolve at the centre. Mag 4.6 star in same field.

NGC 5090 GX (Centaurus) Class E2
RA 13.21.12 DEC -43.42.16
SIZE 2.6’x2.5’
MAG 11.5
This forms a pair with NGC 5091 (not seen). Only about 1 degree away from NGC 5128, it showed as a faint, low surface brightness, grey form, perhaps somewhat elongated, but I had difficulty in determining the exact shape. Mag 6.6 star HD 115988 not far away. The maps show that NGC 5082 is nearby but it was not seen (at Mag 13.8, it’s too faint for me).

NGC 5460 OC (Centaurus) Class 13m
RA 14.07.6 DEC -48.19
SIZE 25’
MAG 5.6
This cluster is a little beauty, very bright and with the stars forming a winding curved shape, a bit like a question mark. Rich background.
This site has a superb image of the cluster and also shows a tiny galaxy in the background:
http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://members.pcug.org.au/~stevec/ngc5460_STL11K_RC_LRGB.jpg&imgrefurl=http://members.pcug.org.au/~stevec/ngc5460_STL11K_RC.htm&usg=__Vd5NYjGD0XAi59Jvk4XEbeMJsWE=&h=1093&w=1600&sz=660&hl=en&start=3&itbs=1&tbnid=VMA0SmdFNyYx6M:&tbnh=102&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dngc%2B5460%26hl%3Den%2 6sa%3DG%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1 (http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://members.pcug.org.au/%7Estevec/ngc5460_STL11K_RC_LRGB.jpg&imgrefurl=http://members.pcug.org.au/%7Estevec/ngc5460_STL11K_RC.htm&usg=__Vd5NYjGD0XAi59Jvk4XEbeMJsWE=&h=1093&w=1600&sz=660&hl=en&start=3&itbs=1&tbnid=VMA0S)

NGC 4976 GX (Centaurus) Class S0
RA 13.08.37 DEC -49.30.23
SIZE 6.0’x3.5’
MAG 11.2
POSITION ANGLE 161
A decent wide angle eyepiece shows this galaxy in the same field as 4945. It appears as a slightly elongated haze with a prominent core. In spite of its fainter magnitude it is somewhat easier to spot than the faint, long extended streak that is 4945.

NGC 4945 GX (Centaurus) Class Sc-Irr, Sy
RA 13.05.26 DEC -49.27.48
SIZE 20’x4.4’
MAG 8.24
POSITION ANGLE 43
The big long streak. Gee it’s a narrow beastie. In spite of the magnitude and size (or perhaps because of it) I find that other smaller galaxies are easier to spot than 4945. Need a wide FOV to see it properly. There is a tiny galaxy called 4945a, mag. 13 - just behind a mag 8.5 star. Too faint for me to spot. Nice to see 4976 in the same field.

NGC 5128 GX (Centaurus) Class (E0 + Sb)
RA 13.25.27 DEC -43.01.06
SIZE 27’x19.7’
MAG 6.98
POSITION ANGLE 35
Very familiar object this. Included for sake of completeness. It was more prominent last night perhaps because of the cleaner air. I waited until it was higher up and that always helps. Both halves of the “hamburger” were seen with more detail than usual.

NGC 5102 GX (Centaurus) Class S0
RA 13.21.57 DEC -36.37.56
SIZE 9.3’x3.5’
MAG 9.65
POSITION ANGLE 48
This galaxy is in the same field as Iota but that doesn’t stop it being one of the easiest galaxies to see. Visible even in a moonlit sky. Visually it is quite elongated with faint outer regions that are more obvious with averted vision. The core concentrates to a stellar nucleus. This one is classed as a starburst galaxy.

NGC 6302 PN – Bug Nebula (Scorpius) Class V1
RA 17.13.44 DEC -37.06.14
SIZE 270”x100”
MAG 9.1
POSITION ANGLE 108
The Bug Nebula was a bit low to see properly, but is still looked good. Elongated with a brighter centre, somewhat brighter at one end, but will have a better look when it is higher.

NGC 6093 GC – M80 (Scorpius) Class II
RA 16.17.02 DEC -22.58.30
SIZE 8.9’
MAG 7.3
Also a bit low yet, but M80 was a great sight. The core was very dense, surrounded by the outer regions which are easily resolvable.

[Liz]

Great report Paul, love the way its set and and easy to read :thumbsup:
Skies are clearing waaaay up north, so hopefully get into some more solid observing. :thanx:

[Lismore Bloke]

Thanks Liz, I appreciate the feedback.
The air is much drier here now after that cool south-westerly change blew away all the dew. I just had a quick look tonight but seeing is pretty mushy. A football game under lights down in town isn't helping. Hopefully the weather dries up further north so you can have some clear nights. Cheers, Paul.

[pgc hunter]

Very nice Paul. I agree with you on NGC 4945, I was always underwhelmed by it. Those smaller compact ellipticals make better targets from light polluted locations. The Bug Nebula IMO is one of the best planetaries out there. Very bright and shows alot of structure. Did you see any strucutre in NG 4361? In my 10" dob it appears to have a broad elongated "S" winding thru a perpendicular oval background haze.

[Lismore Bloke]

Thanks Sab. I will have another look at 4361, I didn't really use high power on it. The Bug Nebula too will have to wait until it gets higher, seeing was far too mushy.

[Paddy]

Nice report Paul. And thanks for the link to the image of NGC 5460 - very nice.