Observation Report May 10 2010

[Lismore Bloke]

OBSERVATIONS 10-5-2010
8 TILL 11 PM
12” DOBSONIAN
22, 12 AND 7 NAGLERS, UHC FILTER
SEEING AND TRANSPARENCY 3 OUT OF 5.

NGC 4361 PN (CORVUS) Class IIIa(II)
RA 12.24.30 DEC -18.47.05
SIZE 114”
MAG 10.9
I’ve had another look at this one and spent quite a long time observing it with a number of EP’s. The 7mm Nagler without a barlow gave the best view (I hate barlows!!). The view seemed to vary as I looked at it, making me think that I have some tube current issues, as I have noticed the same thing observing form and shape with other DSO’s. It is often difficult to observe detail in faint objects except for short moments. The fan at the mirror end doesn’t work, that won’t be helping). The S shaped structure that Sab referred to was there, but came and went. At times it was simply an oval haze and it was hard to see much in it. An O-III filter may improve things.

NGC 4038 GX – ANTENNAE GALAXY – (CORVUS) CLASS Sc/I
RA 12.01.52 DEC -18.51.54
SIZE 3.4’x2’
MAG 10.7
Found by extending a line from Delta through Gamma for about the same distance. Quite a striking object. Appeared as two comma shaped galaxies merged at the small ends with a noticeable gulf between. I could not see any real detail in them, they were pretty evenly illuminated. One was definitely brighter than the other but both seen easily by direct vision.

NGC 3962 GX (CRATER) CLASS E
RA 11.54.39 DEC -13.58.31
SIZE: 2.9’x2.6’
MAG 10.6
Fairly large, bright and slightly oval shaped. This one had a small, bright, round and concentrated core but no stellar central region. Outer regions were easy to see by averted vision.


NGC 3887 GX (CRATER) CLASS Sc
RA 11.47.04 DEC -16.51.16
SIZE 3.3’x2.7’
MAG 11
It’s pretty easy to find this one by imagining it is at the tip of a triangle with Eta and Zeta. This one showed as a slightly oval shaped, evenly bright haze with no discernable central region. A star is at the tip of one end.


NGC 4594 GX – M104 - (VIRGO) CLASS Sb-, Sy 1.9
RA 12.39.59 DEC -11.37.23
SIZE 8.9’x4,1’
MAG 8.3
With so much of the galaxy-rich northern sky hidden by the house, it was a treat to catch up with this famous galaxy. A beautiful sight with its bright elongated centre and outer regions extending to sharp points. The dust lane seemed to cut right across the bottom like a knife cut, with a much smaller area of the galaxy below the lane. No need for averted vision with this one. A beauty.

NGC 5986 GC (LUPUS) CLASS VII
RA 15.46.03 DEC -37.4710
SIZE 9.8’
MAG 7.5
Bright globular with a few stars resolved at edges and a mottled appearance. The core was large and very dense, with no resolution at all. Found by imagining it at the tip of another triangle with Chi and Theta at the base.

NGC 5824 GC (LUPUS) CLASS 1
RA 15.03.58 DEC -33.04.03
SIZE 6.2’
MAG 7.8
This globular is found by extending a line from Gamma through Phi and extending it the same distance, but a bit bent. This one is quite small with a concentrated core, but quite easy to see.

IC 4406 PN – (LUPUS) CLASS IV (III)
RA 14.22.26 DEC -44.09.04
SIZE 102”x36”
MAG 10.3
This remarkable PN is found by extending a line from Zeta through Alpha. I watched it for some time with a variety of EP’s, and thought that it had a somewhat boxy appearance. Quite chuffed to see it as I imagine most IC catalogue objects to be too faint for my location. I would be interested if other observers with better eyes, an O-III filter and dark skies can see more detail in this one.
Thanks for looking.

[orestis]

Very nice observations Paul:thumbsup:

I've always wanted to see the antenae galaxies after seeing the hubble image.i think i might be only able to see the cores in my 130mm but its well worth a try.You have made some nice observations of this pair:).

Regards Orestis:thumbsup:

[Paddy]

Nice descriptions Paul. From your directions, it sounds like we have a similar way of navigating - "a line from gamma through phi about the same distance but a bit bent" sounds like the kind of thing I mutter to myself over charts at night.

[pgc hunter]

Thanks for posting your observations Paul. I noticed you observed IC 4406. I had a look at this one during the second last clear night 6 million years ago:

This was with a 10" scope on April 3 this year.

IC 4406
PNe, Lupus, RA= 14 22 26.4, Dec= -44º 09' 04" , Size= 102x36" , Mag V= 10.3

Appeared bright at 156x, and forms a lopsided triangle with two 12th mag stars 2' to the NW. A thick, wide apple-core shape could be seen, with the long axis orientated N-S. Bright, but lacks any colour. At 250x, this feature exibited fainter extensions either side along its E-W axis, each stretching roughly half of the diameter of the apple core outwards. Despite poor seeing, I upped the mag to 353x and suspected mottling in the apple core, while the OIII filter enhanced the mottling. The outer extensions could now be glimpsed slightly further out aswell.

DSS images show a bizzare cucumber shaped thing, which apparently is a Cheerio viewed edge on.

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M104 must be the best example of a dust lane galaxy anywhere in the sky, it is just so bright and in your face!


I always find myself using triangles, crosses, zigzags, curves etc of stars, its weird how the brain intreprets a seemingly random field into useful shapes and asterisms.

[Lismore Bloke]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. It was a very successful evening, where I found almost everything I was looking for - that doesn't always happen! Thanks for the observation on IC 4406, Sab, that's just what I was looking for. I will definitely be revisiting it. I might think about adding a fan that works to the mirror end and possibly tube flocking to help contrast. Patrick, I'm glad I'm not the only one muttering incantations like: "a line from gamma through phi about the same distance but a bit bent". Honestly, triangles and other shapes are such handy things, they can be almost any size and proportion and they still work. Orestis, have a go for those galaxies, you may be surprised. They are also high in elevation and that helps also.