Paddy
10-05-2011, 10:22 PM
I have often wandered through the Centaurus Galaxy Cluster Abell 3526, admiring its riches but not working out which galaxy in this rich filed is which. So with some vaguely acceptable transparency I thought it was time to sort it out. Here are some notes from this partially successful attempt, with a couple of faint GCs in honour of Rob Kaufman.
I also thought I'd try writing my notes at the eyepiece rather than using a tape recorder in the hope that they'd be quicker to type up. Which they were and perhaps more succinct for those who read them.
Observation notes 2/5/2011
Telescope 410mm (16) f4.9 tri-dob reflector
Eyepieces 28mm UWAN, 17,13,9 mm Naglers, Paracorr
Navigation: Night Sky Observers Guide (NSOG)
Data from NGC/IC Project database http://www.ngcicproject.org/pubdb.htm
Seeing very good
Transparency fair
2040
NGC 4603/4603B GX in Centaurus
12h 40m 55.3s -40Ί 58' 33" Vmag 11.8 3.4x2.5
175X 4603 is a faint 3x2 oval glow elongated N-S 3 north of a foreground star with no discernible core, but a faint star at the southern end. 4603B is just discernible 10 SSW of 4603 and forms a right-angled triangle with 2 stars to the south of 4603.
http://spider.seds.org/ngc/ngcdss.cgi?obj=NGC!4603&r=12:40.9&d=-40:59&e=J2000&h=15&w=15&f=GIF&c=none (http://spider.seds.org/ngc/ngcdss.cgi?obj=NGC%214603&r=12:40.9&d=-40:59&e=J2000&h=15&w=15&f=GIF&c=none)
NGC 4601 GX in Centaurus
12h 40m 46.8s -40Ί 53' 34" Vmag 13.6 1.8x30
175X 5 NNW of 4603, this is a faint, delicate 1x15 sliver of soft light with a faint suggestion of a core.
NGC 4603C GX in Centaurus
175X A distinct and elegant 1.5x20 NW-SE sliver with obvious core.
ESO 322-47 GX in Centaurus
175X 4 W of 4603C this is a faint round disc, 30 across with a faint core.
NGC 4616 GX in Centaurus
12h 42m 16.5s -40Ί 38' 30" Vmag 13.2 0.9x0.8
175X Very close to a bright foreground star and somewhat overwhelmed by it. The shape of the GX is hard to discern as a result, but a bright stellar core is obvious.
http://spider.seds.org/ngc/ngcdss.cgi?obj=NGC!4616&r=12:42.3&d=-40:39&e=J2000&h=15&w=15&f=GIF&c=none
(http://spider.seds.org/ngc/ngcdss.cgi?obj=NGC%214616&r=12:42.3&d=-40:39&e=J2000&h=15&w=15&f=GIF&c=none)
NGC 4603D GX in Centaurus
175X Faint WNW-ESE glow 1x1.5 with no obvious nucleus
NGC 3195 PN in Chameleon
10h 09m 21.07s -80Ί 51' 30.8" Vmag 11.6 30x40
250X Bright grey circular PN with perhaps a faint central star. With averted vision, it looks like thin dark segments intrude at N and S poles. Brightens with UHC filter which also increases the impression of these dark intrusions. Similar effect with OIII filter, but the dark bans look a little wider.
http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/?search=ngc+3195
5/5/2011
Seeing excellent
Transparency fair and deteriorating throughout session.
NGC 4650 GX in Centaurus
12h 44m 19.5s -40Ί 43' 55" Vmag 12 2.6x1.8
175X A distinct oval glow elongated NW-SE with obvious nucleus in a faint halo. Seems to have a slightly dark annulus around the core. 5 to the W is NGC 4622A which is a 1x30 E-W glow with a faint core. 8 to the NE of 4650 is 4650A a 1.5x30 N-S oval glow with a faint nucleus just visible using averted vision.
As I move into the area around NGC 4696-4730, I am overwhelmed by the number of galaxies and decide to come back at a later date to continue working them all out I just browse this impressive field for quite some time.
Ruprecht 106 GC in Centaurus
175X Inspired to find this one after reading Rob Kaufmans report and seeing his sketch I was surprised how large this soft irregularly round glow is. A number of (foreground?) are resolvable in front of the soft haze but no core is apparent.
E3 GC in Chameleon.
175X A barely perceptible 2 round glow that may require better conditions for proper observing.
I also thought I'd try writing my notes at the eyepiece rather than using a tape recorder in the hope that they'd be quicker to type up. Which they were and perhaps more succinct for those who read them.
Observation notes 2/5/2011
Telescope 410mm (16) f4.9 tri-dob reflector
Eyepieces 28mm UWAN, 17,13,9 mm Naglers, Paracorr
Navigation: Night Sky Observers Guide (NSOG)
Data from NGC/IC Project database http://www.ngcicproject.org/pubdb.htm
Seeing very good
Transparency fair
2040
NGC 4603/4603B GX in Centaurus
12h 40m 55.3s -40Ί 58' 33" Vmag 11.8 3.4x2.5
175X 4603 is a faint 3x2 oval glow elongated N-S 3 north of a foreground star with no discernible core, but a faint star at the southern end. 4603B is just discernible 10 SSW of 4603 and forms a right-angled triangle with 2 stars to the south of 4603.
http://spider.seds.org/ngc/ngcdss.cgi?obj=NGC!4603&r=12:40.9&d=-40:59&e=J2000&h=15&w=15&f=GIF&c=none (http://spider.seds.org/ngc/ngcdss.cgi?obj=NGC%214603&r=12:40.9&d=-40:59&e=J2000&h=15&w=15&f=GIF&c=none)
NGC 4601 GX in Centaurus
12h 40m 46.8s -40Ί 53' 34" Vmag 13.6 1.8x30
175X 5 NNW of 4603, this is a faint, delicate 1x15 sliver of soft light with a faint suggestion of a core.
NGC 4603C GX in Centaurus
175X A distinct and elegant 1.5x20 NW-SE sliver with obvious core.
ESO 322-47 GX in Centaurus
175X 4 W of 4603C this is a faint round disc, 30 across with a faint core.
NGC 4616 GX in Centaurus
12h 42m 16.5s -40Ί 38' 30" Vmag 13.2 0.9x0.8
175X Very close to a bright foreground star and somewhat overwhelmed by it. The shape of the GX is hard to discern as a result, but a bright stellar core is obvious.
http://spider.seds.org/ngc/ngcdss.cgi?obj=NGC!4616&r=12:42.3&d=-40:39&e=J2000&h=15&w=15&f=GIF&c=none
(http://spider.seds.org/ngc/ngcdss.cgi?obj=NGC%214616&r=12:42.3&d=-40:39&e=J2000&h=15&w=15&f=GIF&c=none)
NGC 4603D GX in Centaurus
175X Faint WNW-ESE glow 1x1.5 with no obvious nucleus
NGC 3195 PN in Chameleon
10h 09m 21.07s -80Ί 51' 30.8" Vmag 11.6 30x40
250X Bright grey circular PN with perhaps a faint central star. With averted vision, it looks like thin dark segments intrude at N and S poles. Brightens with UHC filter which also increases the impression of these dark intrusions. Similar effect with OIII filter, but the dark bans look a little wider.
http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/?search=ngc+3195
5/5/2011
Seeing excellent
Transparency fair and deteriorating throughout session.
NGC 4650 GX in Centaurus
12h 44m 19.5s -40Ί 43' 55" Vmag 12 2.6x1.8
175X A distinct oval glow elongated NW-SE with obvious nucleus in a faint halo. Seems to have a slightly dark annulus around the core. 5 to the W is NGC 4622A which is a 1x30 E-W glow with a faint core. 8 to the NE of 4650 is 4650A a 1.5x30 N-S oval glow with a faint nucleus just visible using averted vision.
As I move into the area around NGC 4696-4730, I am overwhelmed by the number of galaxies and decide to come back at a later date to continue working them all out I just browse this impressive field for quite some time.
Ruprecht 106 GC in Centaurus
175X Inspired to find this one after reading Rob Kaufmans report and seeing his sketch I was surprised how large this soft irregularly round glow is. A number of (foreground?) are resolvable in front of the soft haze but no core is apparent.
E3 GC in Chameleon.
175X A barely perceptible 2 round glow that may require better conditions for proper observing.