5th December

[philjay]

Heres an extract from my log for tonights session

Clear and cold with slight high level turbulence affecting seeing slightly

Equipment Meade 127 ED Triplet on CGE

Spurred on by a couple of articles in the December issue of Sky & Telescope I decided to have a go at some often forgotten clusters in Cassiopea and also have a bash at a couple of asteroids 1 Ceres and 4 Vesta.

So armed with the magazine and the mount synched with Skymap Pro 11 I set about a couple of enjoyable hours

Clusters

Stock 2 -

Best seen through binoculars this very large cluster over a degree in size is a little lost through my scope. Even with a 30mm 2" eyepiece giving 31x the true extent of the cluster needed a bit of slow slewing to take it all in.

The mini keystone shape of stars was clearly evident with the 7th magnitude double star off one edge of the fov easily split at 31x. Skymap doesnt have the ID of this double for some reason so a little investigation is called for.

Stock 23 -

Small cluster with a dozen or so stars looking like a distorted mini plough. Double star STF342 forms one corner making this cluster doubly interesting (sketch here http://www.eastmidla...-23/#entry35027

Makarian 6 (Mrk 6)

A slightly bent line of 6 stars forming a hockey stick shape. Closer examination reveals a few more fainter stars . Double STF 264 nearby splits nicely in the same FOV with a 13mm eyepiece (73x) (sketch here http://www.eastmidlandsstargazers.org.uk/topic/3138-markarian-6/)

Trumpler 1 (Tr1)

Very small line of 4 stars split easily at 73x with 3 or 4 fainter stars to one side. Nice little cluster. (see sketch http://www.eastmidla...r-1/#entry35016 )

Collinder 7

This includes NGC225 and has 20 to 30 stars. Main group of 4 bright stars form a semi circle with the other stars within the bowl. Shows up nicely with 73x

Stock 5

Sparse open cluster forming a bowed equilateral triangle of stars with abright mag 7 ish star nearby

Stock 6

Very open sparsely populated cluster showing 2 condensed areas with 31x. Closer examination shows a few fainter stars in the condensed areas

Asteroids

1 Ceres

A 1st for me this one. I loaded up to date ephimeris on Skymap for this and vesta. I synched the scope and Skymap on a known nearby star and slewed to Ceres and there it was in Gemini. Just a mag 7 ish star like object no details of disc evident

4 Vesta

Slightly brighter and in Taurus this was again just a star like object.

Identification of the asteroids was a little tough but using the background stars in Skymap pinpointed them nicely.

I then spent awhile on Jupiter and messing around with barlowed binoviewers until thin cloud and freezing toes stopped play.

A night of a few firsts, great stuff

Edited December 6, 2012 by philjay

[catman161]

Great report phil. Always so informative your reports. Makes me want to get out and observe

[Doc]

Great report Phil, like yourself have seen all the clusters but the asteroids are new to me as well, will have to give them ago next time.

Well done on seeing them.

[Daz Type-R]

Great report Phil.

[philjay]

Cheers guys.

I always try and bag something new each night I go out, no matter how obscure or ordinary looking so bagging Ceres and Vesta were the icing on the cake even though they looked just like mag 7 stars

Ive started tarting up my sketches from last night and the 1st is here http://www.eastmidlandsstargazers.org.uk/topic/3134-trumpler-1/#entry35016

[BAZ]

Terrific report Phil, there's always something new to see.

[Tweedledee]

A very enjoyable read, and I love the drawings.

[andyboy1970]

Good report, sounds like a good session.