[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

As my "Messier Project" is currently unable to continue, as the remaining 7 objects still not observed are not visible at the moment, I have started a project to observe all the Caldwells visible from Colac Vic. Following is report of the first week, along with note on some non-Caldwell things picked up along the way.

Observing report 8/11/09 – 13/11/09
All Observations made at Colac Vic.

8/11/09
Seeing GOOD
Instrument 12” Dobsonion F5
NGC 1365 Time 10-30pm. Located triangle of stars within Eridanus consisting of G and H Eridani and another unnamed star. Confirmed that H Eridani is a close double. Confirmed also presence of Chi Fornacis in top of FOV of finder. Used 7th mag star close to NGC 1369 to position finder near target. Easily visible core with 24mm at 62.5x. Some evidence of arms but mainly appears as a halo. Large and bright galaxy.
NGC 7599/7590/7582/7552 Time 11-00pm From Alpha and Beta Gruis (located with naked eye) found Iota and Theta Gruis. Confirmed Theta via wide faint companion. Navigated NE to 6th mag star also with wide companion of 7th mag. Confirmed position in finder by locating Phi Gruis which is part of 3 6th mag stars. 3 Galaxies clearly visible (NGC 7599, 7590 and 7582) NGC 7552 only seen with averted vision. All 3 visible in direct vision are bright with clear structure.

11/11/09
Seeing FAIR
Instrument 12” Dobsonion F5
NGC6752 (Caldwell 93) Time 10-30pm. Located Gamma Pavonis by naked eye. Scanned NW until located target. Confirmed position by reference to Omega Pavonis. Fairly large globular cluster. Bright and resolvable with many bright stars in field.
NGC 6744 (Caldwell 101) Time 10-40pm. Found Gamma Pavonis again then moved SE to line of 3 stars aligned roughly east/west. Then moved in same direction to pair of stars similarly aligned. Just to the west of the easterly star the nucleus of target easy to see in low power EP (32mm at 47x). Higher power revealed some hint of arms. Fairly close to horizon which affected visibility.
NGC 1261 (Caldwell 87) Time 10-50pm. Located Alpha Hydri then scanned East North East to Lambda Horologii. Then continued in same general direction to Eta Horologii then NNE to wide pair of stars that includes TW Horologii. Moved directly north about 2 degrees until globular located. Object is conspicuous bit small. Not resolvable with 13mm EP at 115x. Very compact core.
NGC 253 (Caldwell 65) Time 11-00pm. Located Beta Ceti (Deneb Kaitos) by naked eye then finder. Moved generally south with finder until 2 triangles of 6th mag stars located. Continued with finder until faint glow detected. Easily visible in finder due to being near zenith. Bright extended core with faint extensions that are larger than FOV in 13mm. Bracketed by 3 stars of approx 8..5-9.0 mag. 4 or 5 faint stars visible in foreground.
NGC 247 (Caldwell 62) Time 11-15pm. Moved south with finder to locate first triangle mentioned above. Using 24mm at 62.5x, scanned back north until faint glow detected. Appears as faint streak aligned North South. Faint 9th mag star on northern end. No visible detail. Darker skies may improve detail.
NGC 246 (Caldwell 56) Time 11-25 pm. Moved north from Beta Ceti to line of 3 stars running NW to SE. Middle star is about 6th mag. Moved east about 45’ when cluster of very faint stars detected. Averted vision showed some nebulosity but use of OIII filter large round Planetary Nebula. Fairly bright for a PN.
NGC 104 (Caldwell 106, 47 Tuc.) Time 11-35pm. Located via naked eye and finder. Very bright dense core. Object covers nearly 100% of FOV in 13mm EP. Prominent arm of stars to west is very obvious.
NGC 362 (Caldwell 104) Time 11-40pm Moved using finder to NE of NGC 104. Small compact globular. Brightest stars easily resolved in 13mm EP.
NGC 121 Time 11-45pmVery small and faint globular cluster to NNE of NGC 104. Using 24mm EP both it and 104 appear in same FOV.

12/11/09
Seeing FAIR
Instrument 12” Dobsonion F5
NGC 7009 (Caldwell 55, Saturn Nebula) Time 9-50pm Located Theta Capricorni with naked eye. Then scanned west until faint bluish glow detected. Used OIII filter to confirm planetary nebula status. 13mm at 115x revealed some elongation.
NGC 7293 (Caldwell 63, Helix Nebula) Time 10-15pm. From Fomalhaut (Alpha Piscis Austrini) scanned to Epsilon Piscis Austrini then moved slightly west of north towards Upsilon Aquarii. Then located both it and 47 Aquarii in finder, scanned area between with 24mm EP until large faint glow detected. OIII filter improved contrast as did UHC filter. Although faint central “void” is still clearly visible. Bracketed by 3 stars, the westernmost star is a double. Central star is just visible using 13mm at 115x and averted vision. Tube tapping also helped isolate central star.
NGC 2070 (Caldwell 103, Tarantula Nebula) Time 10-20pm. Located via finder within LMC. Very large and bright with many dark lanes. Large round dark patch to south. Core very bright and stellar. Nebula filter improves contrast and also dime core slightly improving overall view. Spectacular.
NGC 3195 (Caldwell 109) Time 10-30pm. Located pairing of Alpha and Theta Chamaeleonis. Moved SE to pairing of Eta and RS Chamaeleonis then to Iota and Zeta Chamaeleonis. Then located pairing of Delta Chamaeleonis 1 and 2. Target is located approximately halfway between Zeta and Delta. Small and faint, hard to detect without OIII filter.
NGC 1851 (Caldwell 73) Time 11-05. Located Alpha and Beta Columbae by naked eye. Using finder confirmed they form a right angle triangle with Epsilon Columbae. Followed line from Alpha via Epsilon and past 2 6th mag stars to SW until target located in low power 32mm EP at 47x. Higher power reveals a small compact core. Small total area. Outlying stars are probably resolvable with better seeing.

13/11/09
Seeing POOR (Some faint high wispy clouds)
Instrument 12” Dobsonion F5
NGC 1097 (Caldwell 67) Time 10-40pm. Located Theta Eridani (Acamar) by naked eye. Scanned north to broad triangle of stars which includes Psi Fornacis then continued similar distance to wide triple Eta Fornacis. Then due north to Beta Fornacis which is a close double with a wide companion. Moved further south via two 8th mag stars to target. Bar is evident, hints of arms which should be very clear under darker skies.
Theta Eridani. Time 10-50pm. Bright double star easily located with naked eye. Easily separated at 62.5x, even 47x showed slight separation. Hartung describes as “one of the gems of the southern sky” Haas lists magnitudes as 3.2 and 4.1 and separation as 8.4”. Very nice target.
NGC 1316/17 Time 11-00pm. From Theta Eridani moved ENE with finder to wide group of 4 stars at 3H12’ and -39deg. Located Chi Fornacis at a similar distance. Moved back south to pair of 7th mag stars at 3H24’ and -37deg. Then scanned west with 32mm EP until elliptical haze located. Bright and clear galaxy with no spiral structure evident. Small faint haze to immediate north is NGC 1317. NGC 1310 is listed as approx 2’ north but could not be detected.
NGC1399/1404. Time 11-20pm. Located Chi Fornacis as above. Scanned west to locate wide triangle of 7th mag stars at 3H36’ and -35.5deg. NGC 1399 is located just south of eastern star. Bright core. Some evidence of extended halo. 8th mag star to south is accompanied by a faint haze which is NGC 1404.