4 Observations and Sketches April 8, 2010

So, have you ever done something that is just plain dumb when it comes to observing? I have to admit that yesterday I packed up to go to a dark site and after loading up, the sink was backed up in the kitchen. So I fixed that and then got in the car and took off. About one-third of the way there I realized that I had left my eyepiece case at home! By the time I turned around and got home it was 10:00a.m. and I had a very important meeting today with my 16 year old son so I didn't get out last night! Next weekend is looking promising right now, we'll see how the week goes.

On Thursday, April 8th, 2010 (my son's birthday) I was able to get out and get four objects in before the clouds came rolling in and I needed to get in and get to bed for work. Yes, it was my son's birthday but we don't celebrate birthdays if they fall on a weekday until the next Saturday. He did get his presents (all but one) so I was there for that. To make it clear, my kids and wife are my priority though I am fortunate that my wife loves that I have a hobby and my son often views with me so if I want to go out, its not a problem. All images from DSS are from their site and all credit is given to them.

On April 8th, conditions were good, but nothing like on April 7th, 2010. Tonight there was some scintillation on the stars resulting in a seeing of II on the Antoniadi Scale. The conditions were clear and mild (in the low to mid forties).

1. NGC 4102 Mixed Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
RA 12h 06m 4s
Dec: +52 43m
Mag: 11.2
Size 2.9' x 1.8'
Seeing Antoniadi Scale: II
XT10, 13mm Stratus, 2x barlow

O'Meara's directions are spot on in his guide yet I used the Sky Atlas 2000, either will serve you. The galaxy has a bright inner core that is stellar like with averted vision. The core is surrounded by a soft halo that is diffused. There is an eleventh magnitude star involved in the galaxy. O'Meara suggests it could be thought to be a supernova but it is not.






























































2. NGC 3982 Mixed Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
RA 11h 56m 5s
Dec: +55 08m
4/8/2010
05:12 UT
Seeing Antoniadi Scale: II
Mag: 11.0
Size: 2.2' x 2.0'
XT10, 13mm Stratus, 2x barlow

This is a very, very, VERY faint galaxy to view from my home. Very faint halo/glow in a ball shape, and it is very diffused. No core is visible, just the shape of the galaxy. No other details. If your not in a yellow sky this will be a hard object to track down. Then again, pushing conditions, limits and seeing is very enjoyable.
































































3. NGC 3998 Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
RA 11h 57m 9s
Dec: +55 27m
4/8/2010
05:31 UT
Seeing Antoniadi Scale: II
Conditions: Clear, Mild, Few Clouds to the north.
Mag: 10.7
Size: 3.0' x 2.6'
XT10, 13mm Stratus, 2x barlow

This galaxy has a very bright inner core, and is easy to find/spot. The core is stellar with direct vision and doesn't change if you use averted vision. The shape of the halo is round, and the halo is visible with direct vision, while averted vision brings more of the shape out, making it larger in size. By doing this the galaxy is seen much larger than if you rush through it. Give this some time to get the detail out. A fun, small galaxy to visit.

































































4. NGC 3898 Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
RA 11h 49m 2s
Dec +56 05m
4/8/2010
05:51 UT
Seeing Antoniadi Scale: II
Conditions: Mild, clear , clouds are starting to roll in, high cirrus clouds also starting to roll in.
Mag. 10.7
Size: 3.3' x 1.9'
XT10, 13mm Stratus, 2x barlow

Easy to find using an atlas or O'Meara's directions. This galaxy has a very bright core that is surrounded by a fainter halo that is just off from being curricular. Halo is diffused on the edge and no other detail is viewable.
































































I could have stayed out with having some patience as the clouds came in and then broke away, and then came back etc. I was out the night before and had planned to be out on Saturday (which didn't happen) so I decided to bag it up and bring it in. Overall it was a good night. Clear Skies.

April 7th, 2010 Observing Session

Well, I got out for two nights in row, Wednesday the 7th and Thursday the 8th! I will also be back out on Saturday the 10th in the West Desert of Utah. Here is what happened on the 7th of April.

April 7th, 2010, Herriman UT, Western edge; Seeing I on the Antoniadi Scale, just a perfect night in the area, even Sirius barely twinkled at above 30 degrees saw no twinkling. Conditions started as clear and mild and moved to clear and cold with no wind or breeze. Used the XT10 tonight with the 13mm Stratus.

Time 08:32 MDT or 03:32UT;
Object: Venus and Mercury

I wanted to get in an good solid observation of Venus and Mercury since they sat in the sky so nicely. I got some good views and did some sketching from both the telescope and from the visual eye. The XT10 wasn't cooled quite enough so I did get some heat circles coming off of Venus. Venus was much brighter than last year when I visited it and it was still very white and I observed no cloud cover on it. Venus was in the gibbous stage at this point.

Mercury looked wonderful in the finder, showing a yellow/reddish color/hue to it. At 92x in the eyepiece, Mercury showed almost a gibbous stage also, rather a different shape to it and the red color was evident. At 240x the seeing came and went due to the position of the objects in the sky (low to the horizon, too much atmosphere to look through). My sketch is an attempt not to show the planet but to just show what I could see. I will later add my sketches to what I saw on the actual planets.
























Now I went to work on my Herschels;

NGC 3916 Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
RA 11h 19m 4s
Dec +57 40m
Seeing I on Antoniadi Scale
Mag 11.5
Size 3.7'x2.8'
XT10, 13mm Stratus

O'Meara's directions are spot on yet even though getting to the location is easy, the galaxy is very, and I mean very hard to see. Dark adaptation will run the gambit tonight on the objects and is a must on this one. Also, plan to use averted vision to bag this. This galaxy takes a lot of patience so don't be in a hurry. The core is stellar and with averted vision I can detect a very faint halo. No other details are evident to me.


































































NGC 3613 Elliptical Galaxy in Ursa Major
RA 11h 18m 6s
Dec +58 00m
4/7/2010
05:14 UT
Seeing: I
Mag: 10.9
Size 3.4'x1.9'
XT10
13mm Stratus

The core is bright and elliptical in shape and is very evident on this galaxy. The halo around the core is diffused and is best shown the size using averted vision. Averted vision brings out more detail also. Looks to lie NE to SW.

































































NGC 3610 Elliptical Galaxy in Ursa Major
RA 11h 18m 4s
Dec; +58 47m
4/7/2010
05:41 UT
Seeing I
Clear and Cold
Mag: 10.8
Size 3.2'x 3.2'
XT10
13mm Stratus

The core is very striking and is very starlike or stellar. Core is much brighter then the surrounding halo. Averted vision brings out a circular halo that is very diffused. No other detail is evident.































































NGC 3992 or M109 Barred Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
4/7/2010
06:09UT
Seeing: I Clear and Cold
RA 11h 57m 6s
Dec: +53 23m
Mag: 9.8
Size: 7.6' x 4.3'
XT10
13mm Stratus

This is a large barred spiral galaxy and is easy to locate. This galaxy is one I haven't seen since I did my Messier objects several years ago. Dark adaptation helps on this puppy. It is faint at first, then coming into view and the galaxy really showed wonderful detail tonight. Core came out as large round and bright. Bars were evident with averted vision running NE to SW and some spiral structure was evident with some mottling on it. I love my hand sketch on this one, but my scanner just doesn't pick up the details on it.

































































NGC 3953 Barred Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
06:29 UT
4/7/2010
Seeing: I Clear and Cold
RA 11h 53m 8s
Dec: +52 20m
Mag: 10.1
Size: 6.0' x 3.2'
XT10
13mm Stratus

This barred spiral galaxy has a core that is somewhat bright, just slightly brighter than the halo around the core. I wanted to say I saw the bars but don't believe that is possible, and in rethinking it, I believe I saw hints of the arms come and go near the central region. Hint of arms coming from the north to and turning south, with some hints of mottling. Fun object to observe, to coax detail from and to sketch.
































































NGC 4026 Lenticular Galaxy in Ursa Major
4/8/2010
07:98 UT
Seeing: I Clear and Cold
RA 11h 59m 4s
Dec: +50 58
Mag. 10.8
Size: 4.6' x 1.2'
XT10
13mm Stratus

Small bright core, shown best with direct vision. Runs north to south and is long and slender with some bulge in the middle. No other details were evident to me.
































































NGC 4088 Mixed Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
07:18 UT
4/8/2010
Seeing: I on the Antoniadi Scale; Clear and Cold
RA 12h 05m 6s
Dec +50 33m
Mag 10.6
Size: 5.4' x 2.1'
XT10
13mm Stratus

This galaxy is just a large gray cloud and averted vision will help you to capture its location and its shape. Take some time to view with averted vision to capture the shape. No other viewable features are available to me.































































NGC 4085 Mixed Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
4/8/2010
07:27 UT
Seeing I on Antoniadi Scale, clear and cold
RA 12h 5m 4s
Dec +50 21m
Mag 12.4
Size 2.5' x 0.8'
XT10
13mm Stratus
2x Barlow

This is another spiral galaxy not to write home about. It is worth going to if you like a challenge as it is not easy to view. It lays right down from NGC 4088 and above two 8th to 9th magnitude stars, and forms a triangle with them. This galaxy takes dark adaptation and averted vision to see. At first no core was evident but over time the core became star like and faint. Halo is diffused and gray, no other details are evident.































































Well that's all for this session. I have another session from the 8th to post and will have one from later today (it is Saturday now) and I'll get those up as soon as possible. I'm now 1/3 of the way done with the H-400 and I have to highly recommend O'Meara's guide if your going to do it. Not needed perhaps, but a wonderful companion and guide for doing the H-400.

April Observing List and Depository of Sketches

I am including a list of the Herschel 400 objects for April . . .  there are some harder and fainter objects on the list, those with a rating of 1.5 to 1 are harder in smaller scopes.  I believe this one has some of my other lists on it as well.

April Herschel 400 List
 

I've also posted a new link to a website where I am trying to post my sketches up in one place by a category so you can just look them up there. It is a work in progress so realize that. I will continue to post my observations here in depth. Snow up to 5 inches tonight, then by Wednesday high in the upper 50's to low 60's, go figure. Hope it makes for a good weekend and perhaps a good one or two nights at home.

Pit n Pole, Rush Valley Utah, West Desert, March 20-21, 2010

Well, I got in one other session before the moon interfered with driving 45 minutes to my local dark site in the West Desert of Utah.  If your interested in the views during the day time, if you go and search August of 2009 you'll find pictures and directions to this site. This site is a wonderful site. Dark Sky finder puts it in the Green because of glow from the north I would assume, but a club member told me on a reading the southeast, south, southwest and zenith come in as a gray to black reading. I'll have to get the actual reading (7.0 to 7.3 I believe but don't quote me on that right now).

All of my sketches in this entry are actual sketches with some enhancing in GIMP.  Yep, that freebie software. Why not use it and love it!

Edit: I am posting images for the Digital Sky Network for comparisons. Something I have done in the past but haven't.  Note,  based on input at CloudyNights.com from Jake Saloranta  I have gone back to my notes and updated NGC 3631.  I an issue at times with numbers and with items and flipping them. The arm in 3631 should be pointing eastward not westward. I have attempted to make the correction (and it is viewable on the original sketch). 


March 20th to 21st, 2010
Pit n Pole, Rush Valley Utah, West Desert
Conditions for the session remain the same so I will not quote them on each entry: Clear, cold, no wind, low humidity. Seeing 9/10, Transparency 5/5; Antoniadi Scale: I upon reflection.
Instrument on all observations: XT10
Eyepieces: 21mm Stratus as a finder, 13mm Stratus and 2x barlow. Magnifications, 57x, 92x, 184x.

Date: March 20th, 2010
Time: 03:57 UT or 08:57pm MST
Object: NGC 3184 Mixed Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
RA 10h 18m 3s
Dec +41 25'
Mag: 9.4
Size: 7.5' x 7.0'
XT10, 13mm Stratus, 2x Barlow

I used my Sky Pocket Atlas to get to this object, foregoing O'Meara's charts and directions. Just easier for me tonight I guess.  There is a eleventh magnitude star to the north of the core, don't confuse it for the core. Averted vision shows with breathing technique (hyperventilating for a few seconds) a semi-bright core with a halo of diffusion around it.  There is a hint of an arm.  Averted vision also increases the size of this galaxy and brings out the eleventh magnitude star a little more.  Core is to the north of that star.  Good view at 92x.

Object: NGC 3198 Barred Spiral Galaxy in Ursa
Major
Time: 05:44 UT; 10:44pm MST
RA 10h 19m 9s
Dec +45 33'
Mag 10.3
Size: 9.2'x3.5'
XT10, 13mm Stratus, 2x barlow, 92x & 184x

Easy to fnd from NGC 3184 using the Sky Pocket Atlas, which takes one right to this galaxy.  This is a beautiful, elongated galaxy, with an irregular shape.  Very diffused with the brightness at the center where the core should be but the core doesn't stick out.  Definitely seeing mottling along the edge. Averted vision shows a small and bright core, confirms the mottling.  Averted vision also shows an extended length to this galaxy. This is a fun object to tease to bring out more detail.  The galaxy runs north to south, and there are some smaller eleventh to twelfth magnitude stars nearby.

Date: 03/21/2010
Time: 12:17am MST/07:17 UT
Object: NGC 3310 Mixed Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
Mag. 10.8
Size: 3.5'x3.2
RA 10h 18m 7s
Dec +53 30'
Instruments&Eyepieces: XT10, 13mm Stratus, 2x Barlow, 92x & 184x

The galaxy is just below a very bright star (sounds familiar eh?).  The galaxy appears similar to a bright planetary nebula. The core is very bright and stellar in its looks. The glow/halo around the core is like the nebulosity of a planetary nebula but is the actual galaxy as this one is face on.  The edges are diffused. Very round in shape, no other structure or detail is evident other than that which I have listed.

 Date: 3/21/2010
Time: 07:36 UT; 12:36am MST
Object: NGC 3556 or M108, Barred Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
Mag: 10.0
Size: 8.1'x2.1'
RA 11h 11m 5s
Dec +55 40'
Instrument & Eyepieces: XT10, 13mm Stratus, &2x barlow; 92x & 184x

Been here before when doing the Messier and several others to just observe it.  Very long ellipse on this galaxy, lots and lots of mottling on this galaxy.  There are some dark patches going on. The core is stellar like and small, the galaxy is elongated with averted vision and more mottling are evident. There are also several dark patches around the core to observe.

M97 at this site is tremendous also. No filter is needed at all. The large round shape is brilliant with a hint of the eyes.

 Date: March 21st, 2010
Time: 08:30 UT, 1:30am MST
Object: NGC 3631 Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major
RA 11h 21m
Dec +53 10'
Mag: 10.4
Size: 5.5'x4.6'
Instrument & Eyepieces: XT10, 13mm Stratus, 2x Barlow, 92x & 184x

This is a faint galaxy with a very round halo, being face on I would assume.  Very bright core on this galaxy.  Core is really sharp and structure is evident.  The core is brighter than the halo surrounding it.  Possible arm to the north, curving around to the north, and it is small and tight. Some mottling is also evident. Very pretty galaxy to observe from a dark site.

I observed about 6 other objects this night, but they are not on the Herschel list (including M97) so I will post those sketches another time.  Cheers, may you have clear skies when you want them, and great seeing.

March 15, 2010 Pit n Pole, Rush Valley, West Desert, Utah

I have been fighting a nasty cold that turned into laryngitis and bronchitis and I had parent teacher conference this week so I haven't had a lot of time to get caught up here. Well, hopefully today resolves that. I almost went out in the backyard with my 8 inch reflector/dob but I still was feeling up to snuff. I want to get some live moon crater sketching in and some double observing. That will have to wait til the end of April though.

My observing location this night was a local place called Pit n Pole, found in the middle of the Rush Valley in Utah's West Desert.  It's about halfway to the Dugway Proving Grounds, not an area you want to go to and is on an old lake bed. It can get humid there, as in most places in Utah in the fall, winter and spring (freezing frost).  Tonight though I had no such issues, wonderful weather.

3/15/2010
09:31 MST/04:31 UT
Seeing 9/10
Antoniadi Scale: II to I
Conditions: Clear, Cold/Brisk, no wind
NGC 2782 Mixed Spiral Galaxy in Lynx
Mag: 11.6
Size: 3.8'x3.9'
RA 9hr 14m 1s
Dec +40 07
XT10
Eyepiece: 13mm Stratus @92x, 2x barlow providing 184x

Very dim galaxy requiring a dark site and dark adaptation to see.  O'Meara's finder directions are okay but I used my Sky Atlas 2000 on this object which served me better.
The galaxy is a face on mixed spiral with a small but bright inner core. Averted vision shows the bar and a diffused outer halo.  The bar appears to run SW to NW.

Date: 3/15/2010
Time: 10:14p.m. MST/05:14 UT
Location: Pit n Pole, Rush Valley UT
Seeing: 9/10 or II to I on Antoniadi Scale
LVM 7.0 Ursa Minor
NGC 2964 Mixed Spiral Galaxy in Leo
Mag: 11.3
Size 3.2'x1.8'
RA 9h 42m 9s
Dec +31 51
Instrument: XT10
Eyepieces: 13 mm Stratus 2x barlow

NGC 2964 is a dim spiral galaxy. Another not to see at home in an urban sky or even in an orange bordering yellow zone. A dim core is visible which is brighter only slightly more than the halo around it. Using a rapid breathing technique does bring out more of the shape of the galaxy with a very faint hint of an arm.  The arm curves west to south-south-east.  Not an object I will spend a lot of time with or sketching. NGC 2968 another galaxy is also viewable in the FOV so I included it in the sketch.

NGC 2964

 NGC 2968

Date: 3/15/2010
Time: 11:35pm/06:36 UT
Conditions: Clear, Cold and brisk, no wind.
Seeing: 9/10 Antoniadi Scale II to I
LVM 7.0 Ursa Minor
Object: NGC 2613 Spiral Galaxy in Pyrix
RA 08h33m4s
Dec -22 58
Instrument: XT10
Eyepiece(s): 13mm Stratus @92x w/2x barlow @184x

This spiral galaxy is only viewable with averted vision at a dark site. NO way I could get this one at home I feel, maybe just a hint but that would be all.  It is a grayish blob with no details nor any core visible. Core is just a shade darker (not much then the halo.  Possible dark band on the west side of the galaxy as I study it more with time.

Date: 3/16/2010
Time: 1:05a.m. MST/ 08:05 UT
Conditions: Clear, Cold, frosted dew started to form on tube
Seeing: 8/10  Antoniadi II
LVM 6.8
Object: NGC 3226 Elliptical Galaxy and NGC 3227 Spiral Galaxy in Leo
Mag: 3226 is 11.4 and 3227 is 10.5
RA 10h 23m 5s
Dec +19 52'
Instrument: XT10
Eyepieces:  13mm Stratus
Size: NGC 3227 6.9'x5.4'; NGC 3226 2.5'x2.2'

NGC 3227  is a bright, elongated halo with a very bright core evident. Core is much brighter than the surrounding halo.  The halo is diffused. No mottling or details are evident to me.

NGC 3226 is just a bright diffused halo with no core visible.

Date: 3/16/10
Time: 1:14am MST/ 08:14 UT
Location: Pit n Pole, Rush Valley, West Desert, Utah
Conditions: Clear, cold, humidity over 70%
Seeing: III-II Antoniadi Scale; 8/10
Object: NGC 3190 Spiral Galaxy; 
Mag: 11.2
Size: 4.1'x1.6'
RA 10h 18m 1s
Dec +21 50'
Instrument: XT10
Eyepiece: 13mm Stratus @ 92x, 2x barlow @ 184x

Object: NGC 3193 Elliptical Galaxy in Leo
Conditions, Seeing: See above for NGC 3190
RA 10h 18m 4s
Dec 21 54'
Instrument: XT10
Eyepiece: 13mm Stratus

This is a faint spiral galaxy that appears tilted but face on. It may be a dust or dark lane that is riding across it.  Core is SE and is bright and large sitting in the dust lanes.  The more I observe the object, the more detail comes out. The dust lane is disturbed with mottling showing a possible dark lane running through this galaxy.  I would confirm it visually as a dark lane and astro images confirm this as do my observing friends.  I do like how I captures this in the sketch.

NGC 3193 is a small elliptical galaxy just east-north-east of NGC 3190.  It is a rather bright at my viewing location here at Pit n Pole, and sits next to a ninth to tenth magnitude star.  It is a dull white with no discernible features at 92x. This elliptical does provide a nice contrast with NGC 3190 though. 

 Date: 3/16/2010
Time: 1:45am MST; 08:45 UT
Location: Pit n Pole, Rush Valley Utah, West Desert
Conditions: Clear, Cold, humidity improving
Seeing: Antoniadi II; 8.5/10
LMV: 7.0
Object: NGC 2903 Mixed Spiral Galaxy in Leo
RA 09h 32m 2s
Dec 21 30'
Instrument: XT10
Eyepiece: 13mm Stratus @ 92x, 2x barlow at 184X
Mag. 9.0
Size: 11.6' x5.7'

NGC 2903 has a bright inner core that is starlike with averted vision. Dust lanes are evident and there is a strong halo near the core that diffuses out. Two arms are evident. Excellent galaxy to examine, best object seen of the night. Messier overlooked this one in making his catalog though three of the comets he discovered were relatively close to it.  At the dark site I could easily discern the puff of smoke in the finder at 9x50.

After NGC 2903 I knew I had to leave since I had to get to work. The sky was too good that night not to go out and I have no regrets. I did have to take a nap the next afternoon after getting done with teaching but I can do that, observe on a night before work knowing I have prepared and planned and then go and teach, not stay late that day and head home and take a nap.

March 12, 2010 Pit n Pole Rush Valley

I decided to go out to the Pit n Pole site and introduce it to two friends. One is a friend from Cloudy Nights who I tend to observe with about once a month when the weather permits us to hook up. He has two brothers and I have a blast listening to them as they observe. A member of our local club also showed up, but he came later.

It was cloudy that Friday evening when we headed out, but I've learned that sometimes one has to chance heading out when there are clouds. Sometimes the clouds win and you have to pack it in and retire, yet sometimes we as amateur astronomers win and the clouds give way. This night, the clouds gave way after we had set up and took some pictures.  I'll include a few shots of the location here:

Here is the XT10 cooling. That table had to act as my observing chair as I forgot to bring my observing chair and boy, did it remind me how important it is to have an observing chair.

Another view of the setup sans my observing chair . . .

The wide open sky at this dark location in the western Utah Desert gives great views except to the northeast when the Provo-Orem and Salt Lake County light domes are evident. The views to the east, south-east, south, south-west, west, are fantastic and to the north-west and north are pretty good also. One can see both the Zodiac Light fading into the west after sunset and the winter Milky Way. The summer Milky Way is tremendous from here. The bad part of the site? In the fall and spring in Utah frosty dew can be an issue and in the desert floor, humidity rises fast since they are really ancient lake beds. I have also included in my update to this post the DSS images which are to compare the sketch. Overall I am happy with the results. I couldn't figure out how to get B33 from the DSS so I found a different shot that I liked and feel my sketch reflects not only what I saw, but that my friend and I saw the Horsehead that night.

I did not jump into the Herschel 400 tonight first off. My first object was NGC 2359, Thor's Helmet (see the sketch at the bottom; I'm not happy with it but it is the best I can do until I get a much improved scanner). I had tried this from home a couple of years ago but found that I was too inexperience and probably had the wrong conditions to nail this. It took me a several minutes to find it using my star charts. After finding it, NGC 2359 stood out visually without a filter and was very evident. My OIII filter brought out even more detail. I have studied Scandinavia a lot and wanted to pursue an advance degree but reality burned that one up. So I have trouble with horned Viking helmets since they did not have them. This looks more like an duck with hockey sticks to me. Wonderful view. I have sketched it but am refining that in the digital process and when I am done I will add it to the observation here.

My next object was something I have tried for at home but the sky conditions just won't allow for it, B33, The Horsehead Nebula. Tonight I put in the HB filter and the 13mm Stratus and went to work. I missed it several times and then had my friend look and his much younger eyes saw it right off. He described it and I went back in, and sure enough, there it was! It looks like a C to us but the shape was very evident. Here is the sketch of that object. The cloud is lighter than the eyepiece but that is what I needed to attempt to show what it is we saw.

EDIT: July 14th, 2012.  Steve,  please feel free to use my image as you see fit.  I have all your comments, I'm just not publishing them since they are more like an email to me.  On this image I reviewed my notes and found that I indeed use the 13mm Stratus with the filter.  The attempt with the 5mm Hyperion was a failure, as I could not make out anything due to the contrast.  So this sketch is done using a Orion XT10 with a 13mm Stratus with the HB filter.  If you get this Steve, Please leave me a note or a comment or feel free to email me at JayLEadsATGmaildotcom.  For the AT please use the @ and for the dot please use a .  

Now I started into my Herschel 400 items.

NGC 2683 Spiral Galaxy in Lynx
3.12.10
Pit n Pole, Rush Valley, UT
Time: 05:49 UT
Mag: 9.7
Seeing: III
Clear, low humidity, cold;
LVM: 7.0-7.2
 Very bright edge on galaxy with a very bright core. The galaxy is thin, long and like a sliver of light.  Averted vision shows the core in the disc and some mottling is evident on the eastern edge.  Beautiful galaxy missed by Charles Messier.

NGC 2859 Barred Spiral Galaxy in Leo Minor
3.12.10
Pit n Pole, Rush Valley, UT
05:20 UT
Seeing III
LMV 7.0-7.2
Mag: 10.9
Size: 4.6'x4.1'
XT10, 13mm Stratus, 2x Barlow

Barred Spiral Galaxy that is face on to us.  Direct vision shows a very bright, almost star like core. Averted vision shows the halo around the core.  Next to a trapezoid shape of stars that are slightly open on the western side of the view.  No way I could see this one in my LP/orange zone at home.  There is also a hint of an arm with averted vision. In some ways looks like a PN.

After this I went off the Herschels and went Messier looking and had an enjoyable time. One more to post and I'll do that this weekend (I'm heading back out Saturday night!).

Another object I observed that night was NGC 2359, Thor's Helmet. I used the XT10 with both the 13mm Stratus and the 5mm Hyperion for 92X & 240x. I also used the OIII filter which just enhanced the shape of the item as I could see it without it just fine.  Seeing was a II at the time.  I have tried this in the LP and thought I got a hint of it last year, but wasn't sure. No doubt this time. Info is on the sketch if you want details