Please help me to identify the two objects

[markus.a.bergh]

Please help me to identify the two objects that are shown in my drawing. I have drawn them as I see them in my eyepiece, so they are upside down (its easier that way)

The first object in the drawing is just below Omega Centuri. It looks like a fuzzy ball with a star just to the right and almost part of the fuzzy ball. Using a UHC filter doesn't make it look any better so I'm assuming it's probably not a nebula but I really don't know what it is. It's easy to find it because there are two stars close it as shown in the diagram, one bigger than the other making the object easy to spot.

The second object looks like a hamburger. It's just a bit east of Omega Centuri. There are two dim stars near (or inside) it as shown. The UHC filter doesn't make it any more clear. The object is very fuzzy, like a nebula or a galaxy except its about twice as wide as M104 so its probably a nebula??

Sorry I cant be more exact about the locations of these objects, I'm still learning where things are. I seem to find these two objects very very easily so I'm assuming that they are easily recognized by more experienced people - even if my artwork isn't that great.


Thanks for your help, Markus.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/c...5Cwhatisit.jpg

[iceman (Mike)]

Hi Markus.

To upload the attachment, scroll down to "Manage attachments" and then browse to the image and click "upload".

If it looks like a hamburger, it's most likely the "Centaurus A" galaxy - affectionately known as "The Hamburger"

[renormalised (Carl)]

Markus, you'll have to retype the URL link to your piccies. It bombed out when I tried to access it.

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by iceman

Hi Markus.

To upload the attachment, scroll down to "Manage attachments" and then browse to the image and click "upload".

If it looks like a hamburger, it's most likely the "Centaurus A" galaxy - affectionately known as "The Hamburger"

That's what I was going to suggest. It's most likely what he saw.

[markus.a.bergh]

Sorry file attachd. thanks for all you help.

[renormalised (Carl)]

Markus, invest in a good planetarium/star chart program for your computer, like Starry Night or one of the myriad of others, and that will help you to identify what you saw. It'll help you get used to what you see in the sky.

[Paddy (Patrick)]

Agree fully about some good software and that Centaurus A will be the hamburger. I wonder if the other object is globular cluster NGC 5286 in Centaurus.

[markus.a.bergh]

Thanks everyone, really appreciate all the help!

[GrahamL]

Sounds like you are finding your way around ok marcus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaurus

try a couple more easy ones in centaurus just above (north ) of omega cent
sitting in a pretty obvious triangle shaped pattern of stars in the finder is the galaxy ngc4945.. And right beside lamba cent another galaxy Ngc 5102.

good luck

[renormalised (Carl)]

Markus....if you're using a version of Windows as your OS, here's a really good planetarium/sky chart program you can download for free, it's called Carte du Ciel:

http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/

[markus.a.bergh]

Excelent software! I'm off to find ngc4945 (thanks for the tip) and the hamburger!

[ngcles]

Hi Markus & All,

What size 'scope are you using Markus?

Without that knowledge it is difficult to be certain but I concur with those that have said NGC 5128 (Centaurus A*) for the second one, though the comparatively bright star in the middle of the dark lane doesn't fit really well. There is a star there but not bright -- about 13th mag I remember. The star on the edge of the halo (which is drawn about the same brightness) is:

SAO 224131 = HD 116647
RA: 13h 25m 33.760s Dec: -43° 05' 25.30"
Mag(v): 9.14 B-V: +0.348 Spect: ---

Which at 9th magnitude is comparatively much, much brighter.


As to the first drawing, I concur with Paddy who suggested NGC 5286. The star patterns you have drawn around it fit quite well -- particularly the bright star immediately above.

Was this star strongly yellow? Assuming it was, and it is NGC 5286, that star is m Centauri -- a Flamsteed (I think) designation. It is a 5th magnitude star:

SAO 241157 = HD 119834
RA: 13h 46m 39.370s Dec: -51° 25' 57.70"
Mag(v): 4.64 B-V: +0.946 Spect: G8/K0III

The spectral classification coupled with the B-V trace of around +1, means it should look mid to strong yellow.

NGC 5286 is a globular cluster and in good seeing, starts to substantially resolve into stars in 25-30cm. Very difficult to resolve into stars in smaller apertures because its "V-(tip)" (the magnitude of the brightest member stars) is mag 13.6 and the "V-(HB)" (magnitude of the member stars in the horizontal branch) is mag 16.5.

So, 25cm begins resolution but it won't look "really well resolved" until you are using a 50cm telescope that can see stars down to the HB magnitude. Assuming a dark sky and good seeing in <20cm it will look hazy and perhaps slightly mottled or grainy (possibly a star or two). 10cm hazy/misty.

Good finds!

A planetarium program will be of great assistance to you -- a must have!

Best

Les D
Contributing Editor
AS&T

[glenc (Glen)]

You can also print free star atlases. Here are two:

The TRIATLAS Project (second edition, April 2008)
Three deep sky atlases up to 9, 11 and 13 magnitude
http://www.uv.es/jrtorres/triatlas.html

and
Taki's Star Atlas or
Taki's 8.5 Magnitude Star Atlas
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~zs3t-tk/index.htm