Hi Guys/girls
I just saw some awesome images that strongmanmike captured of ngc2207 and another galaxy colliding. Really good shots, check them out on the AP forum. Has anyone observed this visually or am I dreaming. Obviously not in the detail but even to observe a couple of fuzzy shapes merging would be great.
There are only a few interacting galaxies that are readily visible through scopes. Unfortunately none are very bright, so the key to seeing much is aperture - the bigger the better.
I haven't seen this particular pair, but being in Canis Major, it is well placed for a purv this new Moon and next.
One of the brighter pairs of interacting galaxies is the pair known as the "Antennae", NGC 4038/9 in Corvus. In smaller scopes this pair has the appearance of a Pac Man figure. Larger apertures begin to show concentrations of stellar and nebulous areas and more details within each. The Antennae is a favourable position for this new Moon period early in the morning.
Another relatively bright pair is the Whirlpool Galaxy, M51. Problem for us here under southern skies is M51 is never very high in the sky.
Our own Milky Way has also undergone many, many interactions, and is still swallowing up smaller galaxies now. The Large Magellanic Cloud is thought to be in the process of being consumed, though some studies suggest the tidal influence of the MW on it is just ripping it apart. There are also several remnants of swallowed galaxies, a couple are observable but are extremely, extremely difficult to observe. One is in the constellation Sagittarius which means trying to identify what is the MW and what is the remnant galaxy.
The giant globular cluster Omega Centauri is also thought to be the remnant core of a smaller spiral galaxy swallowed up by the MW long, long ago. There are several factors that distinguish Omega Centauri from being a 'normal' globular cluster, including its massive size, variations in the age of its component stars (normal GS's stars are pretty much all the same age), and the distinct possibility of there being a black hole in its core to be able to maintain such a stable size and shape with so many stars so close together.
Had a look at it tonight. Very easy to see both objects with direct vision in the 20". Last observed it back in January 2012 with a 12" and noted that IC 2163 was only visible with averted vision. Tonight it was doable with direct vision but the halo of 2207 is quite faint so only the core was readily seen. As a result NGC2207 is small and bright while IC2163 appears large and faint.
Thanks Alex and Malcolm. I'm actually going out to a dark site tonight. What aperture would you consider large enough. I just bought a 12" lightbridge. This will be the first time I'm taking it out to a very dark site. I won't know what to point it at first. I might try the flame nebula too. Fingers crossed for good seeing.
The Flame nebula is also doable. While you are at the Flame, the Horsehead is also worth a crack. If you don't have a nebula filter of the UHC type, the Horsie is still achievable, but it will test your observing skills all the way to Hell and back, . I have seen the Horsie without a filter in a 12", but it is a real trial. I'll post a chart in a little while to help out. This chart will help locate the asterisms that surround the Horsie. Remember, when looking for the Horsehead, you will be looking for a very faint black shadow on top of a black background. Slow and patient averted vision is your best tool. It is not a large feature. You will need to keep Theta Orionis out of the FOV too as it will wash out the field of view otherwise.
I'll post some other targets too you might like to try.
A 12" should easily sweep up NGC2207. It is not far from Mirzam (Beta Canis Majoris) Which is the bright star immediately west of Sirius. Canis Major will be close to directly over head about midnight which is not always easy with a dob, but give it a try anyway!
From Mirzam move about 2deg south then very slightly west in in your finder you should see a triangle of stars about 1deg wide that are vis in the finder but probably not with the naked eye. Find the star firthest from Mirzam and then search the area south west of that for an elongated smudge.
Thanks guys. Very helpful as usual. Malcolm, I have found 2077 on my star chart so keen to give that a go tonight. Hey Alex, I have heard that if you can't see the flame then forget the horse, so I will see how I go with that first. Also, I only have a dgm npb filter, is this gonna be of any help for the horsehead. Do I need h beta?
As Alex said the Flame Neb or NGC 2024 will be possible in a 12" but will need dark skies and fairly good transparency. A filter can help so give that a try.
What Alex said about keeping Altinak out of the field will help with it as well!
The Challenge is not a competition, but a collection of targets that showcase a selection of objects. These range from naked eye objects, easy to acquire scope targets, and a few thrown in to challenge with their faintness.
Just as a matter of interest I took my 4.5" f8 reflector out to see what I could see of interacting galaxies NGC 2207 & IC2163. In two words - not much! However after getting reasonably dark-adapted it was easy to see that there was a galaxy there. I had detailed charts but luckily I saw the galaxy before I had to go through the process of establishing the precise position in the FOV. Very faint and averted vision helped. At 43x I could see a roughly cigar-shaped object about 3' or so long in about P.A. 320. Nothing I could resolve into two galaxies though. Definitely a job for bigger aperture.
The Flame Nebula NGC 2024 looked quite nice in the dark skies - I could see the maple-leaf shape and the dark lanes ('veins'!) well. Couldn't resist a look at a few 'biggies' like M42 Great Nebula in Orion & the Eta Carinae Nebula (beautiful!). Also scanned through a few of the nicer open clusters in Carina.
Ok, just returned from my dark site, maiden voyage with my new12". I was only there for a couple of hours, saw ngc2207, very faint, couldn't really pick the interaction of the two. Next was the flame nebula, I could make it out with the main large dark lane through it. Didn't know where to go to from there to find the horsehead, but I was pretty happy to see the detail in the flame, a challenge in itself. Had a look at the big nebula, eta carinae, tarantula and then m42. WOW!!!!!!!!!. I couldn't believe how big and bright it was. I have never seen it like that before. Also checked out 47tuc at high power, WOW again. found M1 for the first time, quite Unimpressive even with a neb filter just a smudge with zero detail. Tried for ngc253 and m77 but they were quite low to the horizon and also a fire burning in that direction so no luck with galaxies tonight. Very happy with the scope and with observing the flame neb. Horsehead is next just a quick question, I got this eyepiece with the scope and i love it, it gave far better views of m42 and the other big nebs than any other eyepiece I have used (haven't really used anything high end yet)
It looks cheap but feels great to use. The only info it has on it is 2" 35mm multicoated, it also has 56 degree written on the box in pen. I have attached a photo, if anyone can identify it I would really like to know a bit about it.
. I have seen the Horsie without a filter in a 12", but it is a real trial. I'll post a chart in a little while to help out. This chart will help locate the asterisms that surround the Horsie. Remember, when looking for the Horsehead, you will be looking for a very faint black shadow on top of a black background. Slow and patient averted vision is your best tool. It is not a large feature. You will need to keep Theta Orionis out of the FOV too as it will wash out the field of view otherwise. 
just a quick question, I got this eyepiece with the scope and i love it, it gave far better views of m42 and the other big nebs than any other eyepiece I have used (haven't really used anything high end yet)
