2 April – weblog 1 of two
Rain, and many it. Loads on the primary leg of the inbound journey on 29 March, however much more so the following day. It did not gradual me down by a lot, although, just one additional hour on the highway for each days of journey.
Usually, the views change a lot after passing the town of Lyon, heading southbound. That is when the mountains first seem and with that there is at all times the sensation of touring to a spot a lot completely different from residence. Not this time; the spray from rain on the highway and the automobiles forward was so intense that it just about blocked each view however that of the highway itself.
Arrival in Verclause got here with a really heat welcome and a brief tour of the property. A brand new location for me, at a stones’ throw from Rémuzat and Cornillac. The skies – when clear – have been to be a minimum of pretty much as good as I had discovered them to be in earlier journeys to this region.
The final day of March it did not rain: it poured. No alternative to arrange and time greatest spent by the fireside.
The primary day of April was a pleasing one. Loads of time beneath principally sunny skies to take pleasure in a good French breakfast and to prep my gear for the nights forward.
Forecasts indicated clouds within the night however promised clearings after midnight. That turned out to not be an April Idiot’s joke and a quickly because the clouds subsided I aligned my mount and took the chance of what was prone to be a quick spell of clear skies. SQM was hovering round a greater than pleasant 21.7.
My observing plan advised me the 21 galaxies in CSOG’s 12-14″ Gx-4 information for Coma Berenices have been positioned optimally presently of evening, so that is what I got down to observe. Of those galaxies, solely the primary one was one I beforehand logged an remark for, however solely beneath the sunshine polluted skies that I name residence. The remaining have been first-time observations.
NGC4793 is kind of massive and it appeared as a elongated glow, clearly brightest to the southwest of the center. Averted imaginative and prescient teased out some extra element. Flanking PGC214037 proved to be too faint.
The pictures beneath – as all CSOG photographs on this weblog – are for NGC4793 & PGC214037 within the upcoming CSOG 3.0 version; as NGC4793 is a Herschel object, this one is from the Herschel version.
Fairly a big, NE-SW elongated glow, progressively brighter within the center, with out AV it’s clear that the galaxy is brightest immediately SW of the center in a spherical half. With AV an irregular, considerably grainy glow is discernible within the brighter half, clearly elongated and roughly half the scale because the galaxy as an entire with an offset nucleus or a superimposed star on the SW facet thereof, resembles a magazine. 14.5 star (utilizing photographs decided that to be the nucleus). With AV the galaxy is clearly irregular.
PGC214037 to the SE of NGC4793 just isn’t seen.
To the SW, according to NGC4793 is a magazine. 14 star that’s only a bit brighter than the nucleus in, or superimposed star over NGC4793 is, only a bit farther to the north is a magazine. 11 star.
Galaxy pair IC3990 & IC3991 that adopted after a number of fainter galaxies, someway managed to keep away from publications for galaxy teams and pairs such because the KPG catalog. However, each galaxies revealed themselves and supplied for an above-average remark.
The southern galaxy IC3990 is bigger and brighter than the northern galaxy IC3991 is, a NNE-SSW (virtually NE-SW) elongated little streak, fairly all of the sudden brighter within the center, with AV the brighter central half is an elongated core, the fairly brilliant nucleus is seen with out AV.
The northern galaxy IC3991 is significantly fainter than the southern galaxy IC3990 is, with out AV a barely ENE-WSW elongated glow, with AV barely bigger, extra elongated and progressively brighter within the center, with AV the faint nucleus is seen that’s clearly fainter than the nucleus of IC3990 is.
Immediately NW of the northern galaxy IC3991 is a magazine. 13.5 star. 1/3 FoV to the SSW are two pairs of stars, the southern pair consists of a magazine. 14 (west) and a magazine. 15 (east) star aligned west to east, ±088°/6″. NW thereof are a magazine. 13.5 (SSE) and a magazine. 14.5 (NNW) star aligned SSE to NNW, ±340°/7″. Each pairs of stars should not double stars in WDS.
1/3 FoV to the SE is the galaxy MCG+05-31-079 (PGC44722).
Much more rewarding was the pair NGC4922 & PGC86794 that collectively go by Vorontsov-Vel’yaminov 609 and KPG 363. I discovered the distinction in brightness between the 2 fairly interesting.
Each galaxies are seen, the galaxies are touching however particular person galaxies will be discerned.
The SSW galaxy NGC4922 (KPG 363A) is spherical and is brighter than the NNE galaxy PGC86794 (KPG 363B) is, a spherical glow, with out AV progressively brighter within the center, with AV fairly all of the sudden brighter in a spherical core with a really brilliant nucleus that’s clearly seen with out AV.
The NNE galaxy PGC86794 (KPG 363B) is significantly fainter than the SSW galaxy NGC4922 (KPG 363A) is, a NNE-SSW elongated glow, even in brightness, no element seen. Relating to brightness the northern galaxy is clearly contrasting with the southern.
1/3 FoV to the SSE is the galaxy IC843, 1/3 FoV to the ESE is MCG+05-31-106 (PGC44973).
Taking a brief break from observing, I observed the view in direction of the west to be quickly deteriorating. I wasted no time and swung the scope in direction of Boötes to bag a number of extra observations earlier than the session would meet its untimely finish.
MCG+05-33-043 (PGC50187) is not at all a showpiece, however it was one on my to go record because it’s near Boötes’ globular. I discovered it to be faint, missing any element and solely seen utilizing averted imaginative and prescient. Even smaller and fainter PGC1840778 north thereof remained out of sight. NGC5466 was in fact a a lot nicer remark: I discovered it to be considerably comma-shaped.
MCG+05-33-043
An especially faint, barely north-south elongated glow, solely seen with AV however not stellar. Even in brightness, no element seen. The galaxy kinds the tip of an elongated triangle with the bottom of two magazine. 14 stars on the NE facet aligned NE to SE.
PGC1840778 to the north just isn’t seen.
1/2 FoV to the ESE is the globular cluster NGC5466.
NGC5466
Grainy, with AV barely elongated NE to SW with a notable department on the south facet operating in direction of the SW. The cluster is barely brighter west of the center. The cluster is “peppered” with brighter stars, magazine. 14 and fainter. With AV the cluster is barely flattened on the north facet on a line from ENE to WSW, with that and in addition because of the department on the south facet the cluster is considerably comma-shaped.
1/2 FoV to the WNW is the galaxy MCG+05-33-043 (PGC50187).
Galaxies NGC5518 and PGC50844 shared the FoV however, to my shock, close by MCG+04-34-007 (PGC50828) couldn’t be glimpsed. It being immediately south of star doesn’t assist, however nonetheless, I figured it should be seen in my aperture, too. I feared a skinny layer of excessive clouds had already made its means in direction of me.
NGC5518
A faint, spherical glow, with out AV subtly brighter within the center with a brilliant nucleus that’s seen with out AV. With AV bigger and extra all of the sudden brighter in a spherical core.
To the NW is a magazine. 11.5 star, at equal distance in direction of the SSE is a magazine. 13 star. 1/3 FoV to the north is the place of the galaxy MCG+04-34-007 (PGC50828), south of a star, however that galaxy just isn’t seen. To the NE of that place is the galaxy PGC50844.
PGC50844
A faint, NE-SW elongated glow, tough to look at with out AV, with AV elongated and even in brightness, no nucleus seen.
The galaxy MCG+04-34-007 (PGC50828) to the WSW, south of a star, just isn’t seen.
From the trio above I slewed the scope to galaxy group Holmberg 628. The biggest galaxy of them, MCG+04-34-015 (PGC51121) appeared notable fainter than I anticipated and so did the star about 5 minutes of arc to the north. Leaning backwards there was little doubt what was guilty: the clouds have been again. Drat.
I made a decision to not log an remark for this group. Very quickly the skies have been overcast once more. Satellite tv for pc imagery revealed a gradual buildup in direction of the west.
Cloud cowl at evening was fairly presumably going to be the norm for the rest of the journey. It was now not raining cats and canine, however whether or not or not any of the nights forward would enable for some respectable telescope time, that remained questionable.
Observations
1 globular cluster
25 galaxies
1 double star
First time observations: 25 objects
Particulars of the objects noticed on this session are within the desk beneath.
click on right here for my observing log
