9 April – weblog 2 of three
Wakened the morning of the ninth to search out the skies thinly veiled. Climate apps have been contradicting each other. My go to utility WeatherPro continued to proclaim nothing however sunshine for the week, however others (together with the French app Météo France) have been much less optimistic. Nonetheless, all apps in unison promised clear skies earlier than midnight this night time.
Hopefully that is passed by dusk.
🤞for #clearskies!#astrotrip pic.twitter.com/V35Z77el2P— Clear Skies – visible astronomy 🔭 (@clearskies_eu) April 9, 2023
So what does an astronomer do in daytime? Nicely there’s all the time the observing plan to tweak. Take away what was noticed the night time earlier than, add what stays on the wished listing. This night time’s session would permit for two 1/2 midnights, nonetheless not a lot however sufficient to fill a number of holes in my log.
Then, there’s alternate actions. One merchandise that has turn out to be a “do not depart dwelling with out it” on astrotrips, is the Weber kettle. Put to good use this afternoon to grill an honest batch of wings to function midnight snacks for the nights forward.
— Clear Skies – visible astronomy 🔭 (@clearskies_eu) April 9, 2023
Questionable climate forecasts have a aspect impact, although. They arrive with advise from buddies who’ve their very own distinctive resolution to the issue. One such remedy got here from my astrobuddy Dick. Assured to dissipate the clouds. He claimed a unadorned dance across the scope, holding two eyepieces would do the trick. Yr positive, I used to be going to strive that. As if…
Be gone, clouds. #astrotrip pic.twitter.com/KCe9Qt2z6E
— Clear Skies – visible astronomy 🔭 (@clearskies_eu) April 9, 2023
Lengthy story brief… with out offering any additional particulars and for causes past my understanding: the skies cleared.
#astrotrip pic.twitter.com/33vjDraWuK
— Clear Skies – visible astronomy 🔭 (@clearskies_eu) April 9, 2023
First observations of the session: extra STF doubles in Hydra. Two have been showpieces, STF1270 & Epsilon Hydra (STF1273).
STF1270
16mm Nagler T5: AB break up. A ravishing double.
A is vivid white-yellow, a delicate yellowish hue, B is white-light blueish, a subtly blueish hue however clearly contrasting.
9mm Nagler T6: Utilizing this magnification to colours are barely clearer than they’re with 16mm, an attractive double.
Epsilon Hydrae (STF1273)
16mm Nagler T5: AB-C break up, a really stunning double. AB not break up (sep. 0.1″ WDS2023.3), D not seen, E is 1/4 FoV to the north, F is 1/4 FoV to the west.
A is vivid golden-yellow, B is white, clearly contrasting. E and F are each pale white.
9mm Nagler T6: Utilizing this magnification and AV D is seen within the glow of AB-C.
At ten ‘o clock, simply as astronomical twilight ended, I shifted my focus to the deep sky. Leftover galaxies and galaxy teams in CSOG’s 12-14″ guides for the constellation of Lynx. The constellation was post-transit, however a lot excessive in elevation and steering clear from the substantial pillar of zodiacal mild that was clearly attempting to kiss the zenith.
First of the prettier ones price reporting was NGC2326, sharing the FoV with NGC2326A to the southeast.
NGC2326
Sharing the FoV with NGC2326A, 1/6 FoV to the SE: Bigger and brighter than NGC236A is, a spherical glow, with out AV instantly brighter in a really small, spherical core, no nucleus seen. With AV the galaxy general is barely bigger however the core stays similar in measurement (small), no arms are discernible. With AV the nucleus is faintly seen.
NGC2326A
Sharing the FoV with NGC2326 1/6 FoV to the NW: A faint, spherical glow, even in brightness with out AV, with AV progressively brighter within the center, no nucleus seen.
The triple KTG 19 revealed all three of its members and as a bonus, the elements of close by double star STT180 have been a straightforward break up. KTG 19 part C’s ‘plus one’ PGC21818 remained out of sight.
MCG+10-11-136
MCG+10-11-136 (KTG 19A) is a faint, ENE-WSW elongated glow, progressively brighter within the middel, with AV barely bigger and fairly instantly subtly brighter within the center. With AV the nucleus typically appears to leap into view however cannot be held.
1/4 FoV to the ENE is MCG+10-11-137 (KTG 19B).
MCG+10-11-137
MCG+10-11-137 (KTG 19B) is an ENE-WSW elongated streak, barely fainter than MCG+10-11-136 (KTG 19A) 1/4 FoV to the WSW, even in brightness with out AV. With AV progressively brighter within the center, no core and no nucleus seen.
To the NNW is a magazine. 11.5 star, 1/5 FoV to the east is the galaxy MCG+10-11-142 (KTG 19C).
MCG+10-11-142
MCG+10-11-142 (KTG 19C) is a NNE-SSW elongated streak, bigger than MCG+10-11-137 (KTG 19B) is, 1/5 FoV to the west. With out AV subtly brighter within the center, with AV progressively brighter within the center, no nucleus seen. PGC21818 is just not seen.
Immediately SSW is a magazine. 14.5 star. To the NE is the double star STT180.
STT180 (WDS07485+5905)
Sharing the FoV with the galaxy MCG+10-11-142 (KTG 19C) to the SW: A white magazine. 8.5 star with a magazine. 12 star to its SSW, ±200°/12″. AB break up.
Farther to the NW, ±310°/70″ is a magazine. 10.5 star (not a part of this double).
NGC2468’s ‘plus one’ PGC200240 didn’t play disguise.
NGC2468 is a NE-SW elongated glow, with out AV fairly instantly brighter within the center. With AV the galaxy is extra elongated and extra of the fainter outer areas is seen. No nucleus seen.
PGC200240 to the SSW is seen with AV, a small, faint, spherical glow, simply held. No nucleus seen.
To the WNW is a magazine. 12 star, twice that distance in direction of the south is a magazine. 13.5 star, the faint galaxy 2MASX J07575887+5619545 NW thereof is just not seen.
1/6 FoV to the SSW are a magazine. 12 (NE) and a magazine. 13.5 (SW) star aligned NE to SW, ±230°/6″ (not a double star in WDS).
A particular suggestion in Lynx is the pair Vorontsov-Vel’yaminov 1209, fashioned by the galaxies MCG+09-13-102 & MCG+09-13-101. It additionally goes by KPG 151. Though very, very faint, I discovered the pair fairly spectacular as a result of very elongated northwestern of the 2.
The picture under is from the KPG version (KPG for Karachentsev Remoted Pairs of Galaxies) that will probably be a part of CSOG 3.0.
Very faint, however each galaxies are seen, a really good pair.
The SE galaxy MCG+09-13-101 (KPG 151B) is brighter, a NNE-SSW elongated glow, progressively brighter within the center, no nucleus seen.
The NW galaxy MCG+09-13-102 (KPG 151) is a clearly NNE-SSW extraordinarily elongated streak, with out AV on the restrict of visibility, with AV brighter in a small core that’s barely elongated in the identical route.
The NW galaxy MCG+09-13-102 factors simply SW of the SE galaxy MCG+09-13-101.
Northwest of VV’ 1209 I noticed MCG+09-13-091, sporting an offset core that’s surrounded by the a lot fainter outer areas of the galaxy. This object is one other addition to CSOG 3.0, not current within the present version.
An ENE-WSW elongated, oval glow, with out AV progressively brighter within the center. With AV extra instantly brighter within the are core that’s barely elongated in the identical route and is simply SE of the center. With AV, to the NW, WSW and ENE extra of the glow of the galaxy is faintly seen.
To the SSE is a magazine. 12.5 star.
The pair KPG 180 tried to cover its double nature and partially succeeded in doing so. Whereas I used to be unable to tell apart particular person galaxies, utilizing AV and a little bit of persistence I used to be capable of decide it certainly consists of two.
Particular person galaxies usually are not distinguishable however it’s clear that these are 2 galaxies.
With out AV a spherical glow that’s fairly instantly brighter within the center, with out AV a nucleus is seen.
With AV barely elongated north to south, thereby betraying there are two galaxies however particular person galaxies usually are not discernible with AV, both. With AV it seems that the nucleus, that was seen with out AV, too, is the nucleus of the southern galaxy, with reference to the general glow it’s only a tad SW of the center. The glow NE of the nucleus is barely elongated NW to SE with AV.
I used to be not capable of make out the 2 galaxies that flank NGC2270 and that collectively kind Holmberg 111C: the group of which the NGC galaxy carries the first designation. Member B was seen, however that is only a star.
A – NGC2770 is a big, clearly elongated NW-SE, irregular glow, brighter in a clearly offset, massive, NW-SE elongated core that’s nearly the dimensions of the entire galaxy and that’s SE of the center. With AV the galaxy is clearly irregular and the brighter core is brightest within the middle. The galaxy as an entire is extra progressively fainter in direction of the NW than it’s in direction of the SE. A pleasant galaxy.
To the WNW is the star 4UCAC616-045262 that’s Holmberg 111B. The 2 galaxies that kind Holmberg 111C (NGC2270B) usually are not seen.
By now, the SQM was again the place it belongs: > 21.5.
After a break, a wing and a candy I returned to Leo Minor to select up the place I left the night time earlier than. 9 Extra statement to name the CSOG 12-14″ galaxy guides quits for the constellation. Nothing spectacular, although, solely two that I rated a 4 (out of 10).
An oval, NNE-SSW elongated glow, progressively a lot brighter within the center with a vivid nucleus that’s clearly seen with out AV. With AV the galaxy as an entire is barely bigger and the core is barely bigger, too.
Each galaxies are seen, aligned ENE to WSW.
The ENE galaxy B – MCG+07-22-043 is a spherical glow, progressively brighter within the center, with AV the nucleus is seen.
The WSW galaxy A – MCG+07-22-042 is a NE-SW elongated streak, barely fainter than the NE galaxy B – MCG+07-22-043 is, even in brightness with out AV, with AV progressively brighter within the center. No nucleus seen.
1/4 FoV to the NW is the galaxy MCG+07-22-039 (PGC31733).
No break following the cub, solely a fast repositioning to the north aspect of the scope to focus on unobserved galaxies in CSOG’s 12-14″ Gx-5 information for UMa.
As this group of objects was north of the zenith, I used the MV information to have the pictures match the view in my eyepiece; photographs under are unmirrored.
The primary statement within the Nice Bear turned out to be one of many higher ones for the constellation this night time. NGC3759A not solely confirmed its neighbor PGC213861, however revealed an offset core.
The NNE galaxy NGC3759A is a spherical glow, with AV progressively brighter within the center, with AV extra instantly brighter in a notably offset, brighter core that’s barely in direction of the west. To the NNE is a magazine. 14 star.
The SSW galaxy PGC213861 is seen with AV, a SW-NE elongated streak, with out AV on the restrict of visibility, effectively held with AV, even in brightness, no element seen.
Even higher than NGC3759A was NGC3780. Bigger than the galaxies that went earlier than it and through which, though faint, spiral construction was unmistakably perceivable.
A comparatively massive, irregular, spherical glow. Even with out AV clearly irregular and progressively brighter within the center. With AV extra irregular and general extra even in brightness. With AV the faint nucleus is seen. Clearly irregular construction and a touch of spiral arms is discernible that, on the northern aspect, rotate in direction of the east and, on the southern aspect, in direction of the west. A pleasant galaxy regardless of it not being a really vivid galaxy.
1/2 FoV to the ESE is NGC3804.
NGC3804 that flanks it to the east-southeast wasn’t half unhealthy, both.
An ESE-WNW elongated glow, with AV subtly irregular and progressively brighter within the center, no nucleus seen. On the WNW edge is a magazine. 11.5 star (4UCAC732-050729). The knot SE of the center is just not seen.
1/2 FoV to the WNW is NGC3780.
Nearing the tip of the session, clouds have been approaching from the south. Nothing to chop this observing run brief and I used to be capable of proceed till Moonrise.
Second to final statement of the night time was the pair Holmberg 294, fashioned by NGC3894 & NGC3895. MCG+10-17-075 on to the west, though solely seen with use of averted imaginative and prescient, wrapped up the night time.
Each galaxies are seen, aligned ENE to WSW.
The ENE galaxy B – MCG+07-22-043 is a spherical glow, progressively brighter within the center, with AV the nucleus is seen.
The WSW galaxy A – MCG+07-22-042 is a NE-SW elongated streak, barely fainter than the NE galaxy B – MCG+07-22-043 is, even in brightness with out AV, with AV progressively brighter within the center. No nucleus seen.
1/4 FoV to the NW is the galaxy MCG+07-22-039 (PGC31733).
Again in after a great session. Noticed till Moonrise. STF Doubles in Hydra for starters, adopted by galaxies in Lynx, Leo Minor & Ursa Main. Numerous faint, ‘leftover’ galaxies which might be included in #CSOG however that I had but to look at (or observe from a darkish website).#astrotrip
— Clear Skies – visible astronomy 🔭 (@clearskies_eu) April 9, 2023
At 0:30 hours, it was nonetheless fairly “early”, so I retreated to the gîte however left the scope uncovered and the digicam clicking to see if the Moonlight would supply for an honest picture. The clouds stored coming nevertheless. It was clearly going to be a battle of the forecasts within the days and nights forward.
Observations
16 double stars
59 galaxies & galaxy teams
Whole: 75 observations
First time observations: 64 objects
Particulars of the objects noticed on this session are within the desk under.
click on right here for my observing log
