Skywatcher 300P Observing Report - 26.04.2013

[Doc]

26.4.2013

Back Garden

20.45-23.00

Cold and light cloud

Skywatcher 300p and WO Uwan Ep's.

 

 

This was my first night out since taking the gears of my auto dob, and making it fully manual, the wixey and setting circles worked a charm, and as there was no backlash to combat the objects were found pretty easy.

 

The first target was M53 a globular star cluster one degree northeast of alpha Comae. The brightest Messier in the constellation at Mag 7.7, it tends to be most impressive with larger telescopes so the 12" was a great scope to view this object with.The cluster is thought to be 65,000 light years away. With my 16mm WO inserted I get x93 mag and this was just about perfect to pick out individual stars, I could even detect a few colour ones as well.

 

Staying in Coma Berenices I found M64, this is the famous Blackeye galaxy. It has also been called the Sleeping Beauty galaxy. The name Blackeye comes from a dark dust lane that obscures the light near the center of this galaxy. This dust lane is believed to be a site of active star formation.The distance of this galaxy is not very well known, but best guesses place it at around 20 million light-years from Earth. I found this originally by inserting my 28mm Uwan that gives me a lovely wide field view, ideal for finding galaxies, then I inserted the 16mm Uwan and could detect a large grey smudge with a brighter core and with inverted vision I could detect a glimpse of the black eye.

 

I now had to wait while the clouds drifted over the remainder of Coma Berenices and once this was done I set my wixey and setting circle for Ngc4565 this is the well-known edge-on spiral with a highly visible dust lane from end to end. It's the largest galaxy of its type and has a visual magnitude of 9.6. The galaxy is found one degree due east of 17 Comae. It was pretty easy to find and really stands out in the 28mm Uwan, actually it's an amazing object to view.

 

Over to Canes Venacti next and the galaxy M63, it is sometimes called the Sunflower Galaxy, by its numerous arms, which Burnham describes as "reminiscent of showers of sparks thrown out by a rotating fiery pinwheel". Fairly bright, at 8.1 magnitude, it has a very condensed centre. The galaxy is found five degrees north-northeast of Cor Caroli. Once again quite easy to find and the 16mm gave me a very well defined edge and I could make out a brighter core but no sign of the arms.

 

Next was M3 (NGC 5272) as always a wonderful globular cluster found roughly halfway between Cor Caroli and Arcturus (in Bootes). Considered one of the finest globular clusters in the entire heavens. The cluster is about 45,000 light years away, and fantastic in any scope, but through my 12" dob the view was simply breathtaking.

 

Over to Cancer next after a little wait for the clouds to pass, and the mighty M44 (NGC 2632) is better known by the name the Beehive Cluster, or the Latin equivalent: Praesepe, which not only means a hive but also a crib, or manger. This is a bright open cluster clearly visible to the naked eye on a dark enough night, and best appreciated with binoculars or small scope. One of the largest clusters, its 1.5 degree size is equivalent to three full moons end-to-end. Its distance is calculated at between 520-590 light years. This was one for the 28mm wide field and even this could not get the whole cluster in, I must have counted over 100 stars.

 

Staying in Cancer I searched for M67 (NGC 2682), it sits about two degrees west of alpha Cancri and south of the Beehive about nine degrees. Visually unremarkable, yet this deep sky object is renowned for its venerable age: it is now believed that the cluster is approximately 10 billion years old. Its estimated distance is 2500 light years and there are about five hundred stars in the cluster, off which 200 are white dwarfs. I counted about 70 stars which were all white except for one very yellow star.

 

Another break for the clouds and while I was waiting I dropped down to Sextans and tried to find NGC 3115 is a bright galaxy seen edge-on, looking like a fuzzy flying saucer. It may be over 20 million light years away. The galaxy lies midway between epsilon Sextantis and gamma Sextantis and very slightly north. Even though I have found this before and the setting circles were working very well, I just couldn't find it.

 

Up to NGC 5466 in Bootes which is a large but quite dim globular cluster. It's found nine degrees north of Arcturus and one and a half degrees west. Once again quite easy to find and through the 16mm Uwan appeared very dim but stars on the outer edges were visible.

 

Over to Leo next and the well known Leo Triplet. It is made up M95, M96, and M105, they are estimated to be 30 million Light years away. Through my scope and the 28mm Uwan M96 appeared the brightest of the three with M105 the dimmer of the three. I could detect a core in all of them but it was extremely hard to do in M105.

 

Staying in Leo I searched for M65 (NGC 3623) & M66 (NGC 3627) make a splendid pair of spiral galaxies in the same field, between theta Leonis and iota Leonis. M65 appeared easier to view and the core stood out a lot more. I struggled slightly with M66 and could not detect the third member Ngc 3628, which is apparently the largest of the three.

 

Lastly before the clouds took over I moved the scope over to M 84 (NGC 4374) is an elliptical galaxy discovered in 1781 by Messier, and appears as a round bright fuzzy blob with a large diffused core, in the same Fov of my 28mm Uwan I could detect M86 (Ngc 4406), once again all I could see was a diffused core in a fuzzy blob.

 

By now it was 23.00 and almost totally cloudy so called it a day.

[+Ibbo]

nice haul of objects

 

glad you are happy with the mods on the dob

[+RonC]

Good detailed report Mick, seems the mods (on the scope!) are working well for you! 

[philjay]

Great report Mick, enjoyed the read. I dont know where you got the clear sky from, it looked good here till 8:30 then just clouded over completely

[Doc]

All these were glimpsed between broken cloud.

 

Tell you the truth the clouds were a PITA.

[oldfruit]

Nice report and interesting read especially as i am using similar equipment. Last time i saw M63 was at our new dark site at Wainfleet. I could actually make out some of the fainter outer regions, or spiral arms. I can only describe them as "soft" or "fluffy" with some very faint mottling, but it was the best view i have ever seen of this particular galaxy and seeing these fainter outer regions gave the image some real depth if you know what i mean?

[Doc]

Your skies Mark are darker then mine hence you saw those fainter outer arms, I tried to see them, even put my head under the blackout blanket I have but could not see them.

[oldfruit]

The new dark site has real pottential Mick. can`t wait to see if it is clear next weekend as me and Ron will be heading down there and anyone else that wishes to join us. I have had similar views to your report from my garden also. This is why i really enjoy our meeting at our dark sites. The dark sky makes so much difference.

[Daz Type-R]

Nice one Mick, cracking report.

Real happy that all your mods are working for you.

[Tweedledee]

Very enjoyable report Mick. Sounds like you had a great time. You did well catching all that lot between clouds.