[orestis]

Hello everyone,

This is the January observing challenge. I hope a lot of you will participate. Please post your observation reports and sketches of the objects in this thread.

I presume most of you have stellarium to find these objects if not you can download it here http://www.stellarium.org/.

Open cluster- Ngc 2516:Vmag-3.8

Is called The Diamond Cluster because of its stellar clarity.The cluster itself is easily visible with the naked eye from dark skies but binoculars will yield a much better view. The Diamond Cluster contains two beautiful 5th magnitude red giants and three double stars. A small telescope would be required to split the double stars. It contains about 100 stars that appear about the same size as a full moon.It is located about 2 1/2 degrees from the mag 2 star Epsilon carinae star which is part of the false cross.


Diffuse nebula-M42: Vmag- +4

The great Orion nebula has to be the most viewed object in the night sky. It is easily visible to the naked eye even from light polluted areas as a hazy star. The Orion Nebula contains a very young Open cluster, known as theTrapezium due to the asterism of its primary four stars. Two of these can be resolved into their component binary systems on nights with good seeing , giving a total of six stars. Can you see them?Can you see any colour in the surrounding gas ?What colour?

Rigel double star –Vmag-0.18

Rigel(beta orionis) is the sixth brightest star in the sky in the constellation of Orion . Rigel a blue supergiant is actually a double star. Rigel B is not particularly faint at magnitude 6.7, its closeness to Rigel A — which is over 500 times brighter — makes it a challenging target for telescopes smaller than 150 mm.Can you see it?

Galaxy: IC 335


‘‘A nice little Spindle located just north of the Fornax cluster. Blue Magnitude is 12.9. Can you see it's strongly elongated shape?’’
This is going to be quite challenging object for small scopes.

Cluster: NGC 121
''A tiny, faint globular belonging to the SMC. Mag 11.2, and located about 30' northeast of 47 Tuc.''

Mars polar ice cap:

Can you see the mars polar ice caps this opposition,the NPC is qute prominent at the moment.Can you see any detail? Do filters help?While your there can you see any surface markings?Will the seeing co-operate?


Well there it is the January observing challenge.i encourage participants to sketch as this will help them observe and give all of us something to look at.


I'd like to thank Sab for his nominations of IC335 and NGC121 also i'd like to thank Michael for his great idea and nomination of the mars polar caps.


Regards Orestis
Clear skies