June 18th and 19th, July 15th and 16th, 2009 Observations and Sketches

Thought I would post up a few items. I came across a post about my blog and got some great constructive input. I've noticed in the sketching pad I use that because I keep the pages in the pad that they imprint on the page behind them and I am getting smear off from the sketch after closing the sketch pad. To avoid this moving forward I am going to tear out the sketch paper, place a scratch piece underneath on the clipboard. Then I'll use some Artist Fisative Spray to help ensure that the graphite doesn't spray.

June 18-19, 2009

On June 18th, 2009 I was able to grab a session in my backyard. I wasn't feeling very well that evening, as I was still recovering from being glutened (I'm a celiac so no products with gluten in). I began tonight by just cooling down and setting up and then went through the following objects:

Seeing 8/10 Air is calm and upper winds are not an issue
Transparency 4/5

I started in Ophiuchus at 11:00p.m. on June 17th, 2008. The next three objects were observed in an XT10 using a 13mm Stratus eye piece at 92x.

M12 Globular Cluster
11:00p.m. The globular is large and mottled. Appears to have a triangluar shape though the central core is not heavily seen; it is hinted at with averted vision. At 92x in the 13mm Stratus the entire cluster is easily visible and gives great detail. I can resolve the entire cluster and individual stars are easily visible. The core is about 20% of the halo and slightly brighter at times when transparency improves. There are four chain of stars evident to me. This is a wonderful globular to spend time with enjoying the details found within it.




M10 Globular Cluster
11:30p.m. This globular is round in shape, and the core is diffused and loose and makes up about 20% of the entire globular. Mottling was evident in the globular. Beautiful globular that is typical of globulars with a tight inner core and a nice bright halo. Core is equal in brightness in this case to the core. Easy tonight to distinguish some individual stars in the globular. Arms seem to be evident though I am unsure but included them. Another good globular to look at.
















M6 Open Cluster in Sagitarrius (Butterfly Cluster) June 18th, 2009
12:04 a.m.

To locate this cluster telrad to Alnast and then go diagonally down to the right and you can't miss it. M7 is right below it. The Butterfly shape is easy to see for me when looking at this cluster. There are several smaller but bright bluish stars near the top of the butterfly and a bright orange/yellowish star in the tail of the butterfly. The bright orange/yellow star is larger than the blue stars that are so clearly visible. This cluster is medium rich in stars and averted vision really helps to bring more of the stars out. Here is an inverted version of my sketch:























M22 Globular Cluster in Sagitarrius
XT10 using 21mm and 13mm Stratus and 5mm Hyperion

To find M22 I used the telrad to get to Kaus Barealis and then go up diagonally to the left and you'll run right into it. In my 21mm Stratus that I use as a finder eyepiece I can see an inverted and upside down L made up by 25 and 24 Sagittarrii which are the vertical parts of the L. A small and tight globular this is a great example where the core is much brighter than the halo of the globular. I estimate it at around 40% of the cluster. The globular is huge and is resolved across all of the globular. Averted vision for me brought out a band of darkness running SW to NE. Good object to view in both the 21mm Stratus, the 13mm Stratus and the 5mm Hyperion. Clear crisp image in all EP's.


I'm not happy with the sketch and will be revisiting this before the middle of August to resketch. I took over an hour and a half to sketch but could tell I was still not feeling good.























June 18, 2009 next evening
Seeing 7/10
Transparency 2-3/5

M9 Globular Cluster 11:52p.m.
XT10 with 13mm Stratus
I used the telrad to go to Sabik and then over to 3 stars running north-south in a equalateral triangle that is facing east-west. No go down to a double and M9 is down a little bit to the left as I see it in my 13mm Stratus. The core is very bright as is the globular itself with the core being much more brighter than the halo around the globular. As I continue to look I want to resolve a chain of stars that appear to be in the S. to SE and there is some granularity is present, but I had to use averted vision to see it.



M107
XT10; 13mm Stratus

My next object was M107, a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. This globular is one of the weakest globular that I've seen. I can view a small inner core around 10% or so of the halo. Some stars are resolved in the halo individually. Direct vision shows the core and averted vision ab out 1 moon length of the core and hints at individual stars. My 5mm Hyperion is too much power on this object tonight as transparency is continuing to degrade.



July 15th and 16th, 2009

M20 Trifed Nebula
XT10 and 13mm Stratus and Orion Ultrablock NB Filter
Seeing 7/10
Transparency 3-4/5

dddThis is an easy item to find and I have viewed it several times in the past. Simply go to the Lagoon Nebula and then look for 4 stars in a trapizoid above it and to the right/west. The bottom star in the finder or binoculars is M20. My observation chart shows how I found it and if I remember I'll include it later. The center star in the southern hub of the Trifed is a double and without a filter a hint of nebulosity shows. Putting in the narrowband filter the nebula jumps out. This is a great example where averted vision allows one to see more though. I can make out the three dark lanes separating the nebula into sections. Dark adapation and averted vision with a narrowband filter is key to this wonderful object.



M17 The Swan Nebula or Omega Nebula
XT10
13mm Stratus
Orion Ultrablock NB Filter

If you start again at the Lagoon Nebula M8, and then up to M21 the Trifed then continue to work your way up. M17 is just above the open cluster M18. M18 is above 3 stars in a horizontal line. These three stars are just above M24, The Star Cloud which is just absolutely gorgeous! I could spend hours sketching in there but I need to improve my sketch a lot more before I tackle that object (as you'll see in my Swan Nebula sketch; I need to redo this one, it looks like a terradactyl). I have to say that outside of M42 right now, the Swan Nebula is perhaps my favorite emission nebula (so far). Without the filter I can make out parts of the nebula but yet again, the narrowband filter really brings this object into clarity, and WOW!!!! It definitely looks like a swan on the surface of the water; or in my opinion perhaps a lune. The breast area of the swan is really bright and condense with the head visible but lightly as is the rear of the swan/lune. The edges are diffused in most places, but look sharp in the NW edge. Some stars are visible on the neck region, but none in the center. I could see no dark lanes tonight but will go back to the Swan in my next session to observe more details.
A narrowband filter on this one is a must!

I have this sketch and am going to a dark site to do this justice. I'll repost it.


M18 Open Cluster
M18 is easy as I just dropped down from M17. This is a tight open cluster that is in a triangle shape. It is a young star cluster at around 30 million years old based on the type of hottest stars in the cluster, spectral type B.



NGC 6210 Planetary Nebula "The Turtle"
XT10
13mm Stratus; 5mm Hperion; Orion Ultrablock Narrowband Filter

I now turned my attention to a couple of my favorite DSO's, Planetary Nebula. I'm not sure why I enoy them so much since they signify the death of a star, but in some ways they also signify the birth of new stars by the elements they put out into interstellar medium.

To get to NGC 6210 I used the telrad to jump to Komehporos in Hercules and then to a group of tars that are up and to the left (east in a finderscope, opposite in an EP). On the right hand side of this group of stars is an asterism of a triangle with a double star on top (pointing east in a finderscope, righ in a finder EP in a dob). From the top at the double star, jump across to another double star right across, adn then go to the left in the eyepiece. The Orion Ultrablock Narrowband filter really didn't show much at this time except to confirm it is a planetary nebula by its ball shape versus the pinpoints of the stars in the area. I did most of my observing without the NB filter and moving back and forth between the 5mm Hyperion and the 13mm Stratus. At 92x in the 13mm Stratus the color of the PN was a greenish-blue and was a ball shape. I could detect an inner core (hints with averted vision) and an outer halo. At 200x in the 5mm Hyperion the color remained the same. Of course no central star was apparant due to poor seeing conditions in the atmosphere I could not see the 12th magnitude star (I've seen it listed at 12.7 at one source, and David Knisely has seen it in his 2000 online observation. No luck for me tonight. Perhaps if the sky settles I'll give the central star another try. At 200x the edge is diffused forming a pale halo/circle around an inner core/halo. At 200x I could also make out what I first thought was a similar image to the Saturn PN Nebula, but the inner core was irregular in shape. Upon observing for around twelve to fifteen minutes I was able to make out three irregularities from the inner core. This truly does give it an image of a "turtle."

As a bright planetary nebula it is a fun object to go after and take a look at. Just some fun info on this obect: "At a distance of 4700 light years the apparent size of this nebula translates to an actual diameter of about 0.4 lights years or 25,000 AU. That's about 300 times larger than our solar system if you take its diameter as the mean orbital distance of Pluto." If you understand distances even just in the solar system, the nebula is large in human terms. Very cool.



NGC 6818 Planetary Nebula "Little Gem"
XT10
13mm Stratus and 5mm Hyperion; Orion Ultrablock Narrowband Filter
Seeing 6/10
Transparency 2-3/5

Telrad over to Rho 1 Sagittarri and then jumped to 43 Sagittarii. Then I jumped up to Upsilon Sagittarri, a bright star up and to the left in a finder. I now jump to HIP95755 then over to HIP96536. From HIP 96536 I went to the south and east and there I found NGC6818. Best view at this time was in the 13mm Stratus as conditions were started to worsen. It stuck out easily as a planetary nebula with no filter in the eyepiece. NGC 6818 is green/emerald in color, rounded or circle in shape, with diffusion at the edges and no irregularities at 92x. The NB filter brings out the brightness of the planetary but no further details as it turned it white. 200x did not bring out any further details. This sketch is done at 200x.



Well, that's all. Here's hoping I can get out this week but the monsoons from Mexico have snuck in around a high pressure that is moving east. I wonder if the clear skies of summer will last for more than a week this year?

Jupiter Losing its Galliean Moons; Jupiter and Neptuen 2nd Conjunction Monday July 13th and Jupiter and Uranus Triple Conjunction 2010

I did not mention on my observation on the 9th and 10th of July I finished my night watching Io come out from behind of Jupiter on the side. Wonderful watching this though I wish the transparency had been better.

This made me do some research on Jupiter. On the night of September 2nd and 3rd, of this year the Galilean moons will not be visible for around 2 hours. This last occurred on May 21st,
2008. According to this article from MSNBC:

In case your wondering, Kelly Beaty in Sky and Telescope discussed the same event that happen in 2008 for Europe, Africa and very briefly for the eastern coast of North America. As Jean Meeus points out this event occurs about 25 or so times a century but the key is how many times it happens where we live so we can see it. I figure I have this event in September and then maybe one or two more times in my life for t his to be seen where I live. Here's some further info:

According to Jean Meeus
Centry occurances
1600-1699 39
1700-1799 25
1800-1899 19
1900-1999 19
2000-2099 25
2100-2199 21
2200-2299 30

Kelly Beaty's article from last year:

Sky&Telescope has a nice Jupiter Almanac as a PDF called Phenomena of Jupiter’s Moons that shows the event in their September 2009. Add six hours to the times listed as they are
universal times. That link is found here:

Another site I found interesting is this one at mjpowell astro site.
It has some interesting information regarding Jupiter and objects to view with it.

One is the position of Neptune with Jupiter this year located here

I'm sure most of you know that Jupiter and Neptune are undergoing a triple
conjunction this year, first time since 1971.

"The first of the 2009 conjunctions took place on May 25th 2009, when
Jupiter (at magnitude -2.4) was moving direct (or prograde, i.e. West
to East) against the star background and Neptune (at magnitude +7.9)
was approaching its Eastern stationary point. The two planets were
separated vertically by 25' (25 arcminutes, or just under half a
degree) at this point, and were visible in the morning sky before
sunrise. The second conjunction takes place on July 13th 2009, when
both Jupiter (mag. -2.7) and Neptune (mag. +7.8) are retrograding
(moving East to West) against the star background; the planets are
separated by 36' (0°.6) at this point, and are visible from the late
evening onwards. Jupiter then reaches opposition to the Sun on August
14th (having brightened to mag. -2.8), followed only three days later
by Neptune (at mag. +7.8). Finally, the planets are again in
conjunction on December 20th 2009, when both Jupiter (-2.2) and
Neptune (+7.9) have resumed direct motion, the pair then being
separated by 33' (0°.55); this conjunction is visible in the evening
sky, shortly after sunset."

So Monday is a time when you may want to take a look at Jupiter and
Neptune with the second of three conjunctions and then again on
December 20th, 2009 per the site.

If you follow this link from the same site from the same website you can learn that from 2010 to 2011 Jupiter and Uranus will have a triple conjunction and this will not happen again until 2037 to 2038 (I'll be in my early 70's if I live that long I hope) and this hasn't happen since 1983. So for me I am putting this down in my calendar since I don't want to miss them. If you don't want to go and scroll halfway down to see the info I'll quote part of it here:


"The first of the 2010-11 conjunctions takes place on June 6th, 2010, when both Jupiter (at magnitude -2.3) and Uranus (at magnitude +5.9) are moving direct (or prograde, i.e. West to East) against the star background. The two planets are separated vertically by 29' (29 arcminutes, or just under half a degree) at this point, and are visible in the early morning sky. The second conjunction takes place on September 22nd, 2010, when both Jupiter (mag. -2.9) and Uranus (mag. -+5.7) are retrograding (moving East to West) against the star background; the planets are separated by 53' (0.88 degrees) at this point, and are visible throughout the night. This is also the day on which both planets reach opposition to the Sun, there being just 5 hours separating the two planet's opposition times (this is known as paired opposition). Finally, the planets are again in conjunction on January 2nd, 2011, when both Jupiter (-2.3) and Uranus (+5.9) have resumed direct motion, the pair then being separated by 34" (0.56 degree); this conjunction is visible in the evening sky shortly after sunset."

So remember to go out on Monday the 13th of July (tomorrow) and see the 2nd conjunction of Neptune and Jupiter for this year. Also, the links above on Jupiter and Neptune have a finder chart for finding Neptune from Jupiter from now until December so if you haven't seen Neptune, now is a good time to do so. Finally, I hope you look forward to viewing the four Galilean moons disappear from around Jupiter. Clear skies to each of you.

July 9th &10th Observations; Light Shields and Carbon Stars

Well the last month or so has been very interesting. I have only had a couple of nights of observing as the weather in Utah this year is not what it usually is. Winter is by far my favorite season for observing as when there isn't a storm the quality of the air is such that I think I get my best observing in. However, with summer I usually count on getting at least one session a week in but not this year.

I do have an observation from June 27th and June 28th to post but that information in on my MacBook Pro that had its display replaced under warranty. I'll get that information and my sketches and post that up tomorrow when I get the laptop back.

I did get an observation in on July9th and July 10th. The moon was in the first day of its waning gibbous stage so any major plan to see deep sky objects was not feasible. I got out and using the XT10 tonight ( just so everyone knows, I use either an XT8, XT10 or a 15 inch Obsession once I get the final parts in that it needs; I bought it used and got a good deal but part of that is I needed to order a few replacement parts. The price I paid with the replacement parts is still far less than a new one and the mirror itself is in excellent condition). I will state which scope I used for each session from now on. Also right now I use either the Orion Stratus EP's or the B. Hyperion's in my observations though I also own other eyepieces that I won't mention for now.

I set up tonight using all 8 light shields in place and later after the moon had come up, I wondered why I had done that? In June around 2:30a.m. to 3:30a.m. using the shields to keep my dark adaptation I could discern the Milky Way along with hints of dark details from my backyard. Nothing like from what I've seen from a dark site, and very milky and faint, but I have been able to discern it as a fellow observer has verified as well.. So having a pair of light shields helps in terms of keeping one's eyes dark adapted allowing one to see more of what is in the skies around you. This is a link where you can go to and see the instructions for what I used to design my light shields. They are basically the same in construction. Here are some images of mine:

Light Shield Frames






























Light Shield Completed with 14 Mil Plastic Attached



























Now back to the observation for this night. While setting up I saw Vega glowing in brightness as the twilight deepened. Before the moon came up I decided to quickly take a look at M57 which I did. I found it quickly in Lyra and noticed that at 92x the ring shape was evident as was the milky interior of the ring. I noticed at 200x with the 5mm hyperion that the transparency was going to be not so good this night as the image came and went in terms of the details I could discern.

After M57 I prepared to do my double star observing for this night which is the type of observing that I really like doing around a full moon. One thing also that I am going to add is to begin looking at Carbon Stars also. These are stars that are either late red giant stars or sometimes a red dwarf who atmosphere's contain more carbon than oxygen. These two elements combine in the upper atmosphere of the star to make carbon monoxide allowing the remaining carbon atoms to form other carbon compounds and giving the star a really "red" look if you catch it at the right time. A local member of our astronomy board gave me a list that I'll share if you contact me and want to take a look at a few. Or you can go to this link which is from the North Kansas Astronomical Society. T Lyra is the one I'm going after this week. Nice red contrast I've been told. In the S&T Sky Pocket Atlas you can identify a carbon star by the a (c) next to an open ring for the star location.

I haven't scanned my actual sketches from my double stars so I used them to create a digital sketch in GIMP. I'll post them as an edit tomorrow or Tuesday. So my first double that night, July 9, 2009 at 10:59p.m. was Graffius or Beta Scorpii, or also known as Acrab, Akrab or Elacrab. The primary is a large white star in the 5mm Hyperion I used that night on all of the doubles. The secondary was smaller and a very faint blue in color. The separation is 14 arc seconds. I split this double easily at 57x, 92x and 200x.
Here is the sketch:





















My next observation was of Al Niyat Sigma. I used the XT10 with the 5mm Hyperion at 200x to make this observation. The primary is a very bright, to the point where if one is rushing they could fail to observe the companion which is west-southwest of the primary. The primary in the EP was white while the companion was a faint white with a bluish tint. You can find details about this star at this link by Jim Kaler at Stars. Here is the sketch.



















My next double/multiple star system that I observed was Delta Serpentis or Qin/Chin by its other two names. There are four stars, or two binaries in this system that are roughly 210 light years (ly) from Earth, while the pair of binaries are 66 arc seconds apart.

The two visible that I drew are F stars that are yellow white subgiants, but I saw them as white for the primary and white with a bluish hue on the companion. They are 4 arc seconds apart and orbit each other every 3200 years. My observing notes state that these are a very, very close double that I barely split at 200x, and had to bring out my 2x barlow to get a better view of the split at 400x. Transparency though didn't allow for a lot of clears views of this double at 400x.






















My next observation was of Delta Herculis or Sarin, located just south of the keystone of Hercules. This multiple star system/"double" was the most interesting to me because of what it is. The primary here seems to be a large white class A (A3) star but it isn't. It is actually made of two vibrant, fairly youthful, hydrogen-fusing dwarf stars. The two are called Delta Her Aa and Ab are not visible in amateur scopes since you need a "sophisticated interferometer to split them."
From this site we learn the following:

"Delta Her Aa, the brighter, at near-fourth magnitude (3.49), radiates the light of 18.5 Suns from its 8500 Kelvin surface, which gives a radius of 2.0 times that of the Sun. With a projected equatorial rotation velocity of 270 kilometers per second, the star really whizzes around, its rotation period under nine hours. Luminosity and temperature -- plus theory -- give a mass of 2.0 Suns and an age of 370 million years, only about a third of its hydrogen-fusing lifetime. We have to do some guessing about the companion, Delta Her Ab. From its absolute visual brightness, it is probably a class F (F0) dwarf with a temperature of 7500 Kelvin, a luminosity of 6.8 Suns, a radius of 1.5 solar, and a lower mass of 1.6 solar. A physical separation between Aa and Ab of at least 1.45 Astronomical Units, together with the sum of masses, yields a period of at least 335 days."

Here is my sketch. Interesting looking at it and thinking what the large white primary really represents. Please go to the link for information on the other 3 stars in this system.




















Well, my next one will be Xi Scorpii and few more doubles/multiples and then returned to DSO's. I will post my June 28th observations tomorrow.

April and May Observatons

April and May have been quite challenging for me. We had some major life events that I won't get into here happen and in May, I have had a horrible respiratory virus and a skin infection. I couldn't get the material that I sketched on three observations to scan, but today I finally was able to use the old scanner. We are going to buy a new scanner/copier/printer at some point, just now sure when.

APRIL 5th and 6th, 2009
On April 5, 2009 I was able to view the following objects. I got in what was to be my last view until fall of M42 and it was really stellar that night. I used a UHC NB Filter and the shape of the nebula really came out. I took the filter out and the trapezium. Conditions were good enough to see the E star tonight and at 240x I could see both the E and F stars tonight. By the time I finished though forty-five minutes later at 10:00p.m. the E and F stars were really hard to see.

My next object was M-53, a globular cluster. I went to Denobola and then to CD 6 and then to CB 27. From CB 27 I went to CB 36 and then to Alpha CB and then east and M53 was easily seen. At 92x in the 13mm Stratus M53 appears as a faint fuzzy. The waxing gibbous moon I am sure is not helping with this observation. There are two stars close together to the northwest with a third star some distance to the left. A tight and bright core is clearly evident with diffusion around it as one looks out past the core. The core is a third of the halo and with averted vision I can see some lanes of stars coming out from the core.


























April 6 was my double star posting that comes before this one.

Also on April 6th I observed the globular cluster of M3. Got there in a round about way. Used the Telrad to go to Arcturus in the constellation Bootes. From there I jumped to Muphrid and then jumped up to 6 Bootes. From 6 Bootes I went northeast diagonally to an elongated triangle or quadilateral. The northwest star up diagnonal shoed M3 sticking out and easy to see. I will have to return to his object when there is no moon to really grasp its full intensity. At 184x a strong core stands out with hundred of stars moltled. Averted vision brings out tendrils of stars which I tried to capture in my sketch. Also, using averted vision to the southwest brings out the most detail while observing this wonderful object. I have to say that in many ways I think I like M3 better than M13 in Hercules. Then again, I haven't looked at M13 since last summer/early fall.



























APRIL 12th and 13th, 2009
On the night of April 12th and the morning of April 13th I was able to get some observing time in. I really don't like summer observing because of the issue of daylight savings. It's between 10:00p.m. and 11:00p.m. before I can start and if I want to observe on a work night that makes it difficult. Guess I need to learn to take some naps.

This night my first object that I observed was the galaxy M-91. I was using the eight inch dob with the telrad and my 21 and 13mm Stratus. I used the telrad to go to Vindematrix and then went west to a double (see the Sky Pocket Atlas). The nI went up diagonally to a star then over to a sideways triangle asterism whose top star is a double (appears to be). Next I went over to three stars that are north-south or up-down and then over from the middle star almost due east. I ran into M-91 and confirmed it by going to M88. M91 is a fuzzy blur at 92x and it appears face on. No mottling or structure is visible and the edge is diffused. The core is bright, small and tight. Hyperventalating helps to see the structure on this galaxy and its shape. No birght or dark lanes are visible. It does appear to have a tie fighter appearance to me and that is reflected in the sketch.




























Starting around 12:09 a.m. I left M-91 and went and observed both M89 and M90. To find these I started at Vindematrix and jumped to the double next to it; see the SkyPocket Atlas on pg, 45. Then I went diagonally northeast to two stars next to each other and then down pass M60 and M59 to M58. From M58 I then went up to M89 and M90. M89 shows more details and has a very bright core with some mottling of dark and light. No lanes or hints of lanes could be seen, just some hints. M90 showed a bright core with diffusion of brightness around the core with hints of shape. M90 seems to sit almost northwest to southeast and is more edge on than M89. M89 appears to me to be face on.




















































After spending time with M89 and M90 I went to take a look at M49. Again I went to Vindemiatrix and hopped over to Rho Virgo which is an asterism of a triangle with Rho in the middle. I then went diagonally SE to another triangle asterism where I saw NGC 4526, a galaxy and observed it, but did not sketch it. Should of, perhaps next time. From NGC 4526 I sent north and then east to easily see M49. M49 is a large ellipitical galaxy with a bright center core surrounded by a halo with no details visible. No structure outside of the size and shape was visible either.



























Here are my notes on NGC 4526: NGC 4526 is a lenticular barred galaxy that sits between two stars locaed and easily seen. NGC 4526 sits between those two stars that form a part of a triangle. It has a bright central core, white and roundish/circular with a halo surrounding it. Immedietly to the north is a star or a fainter galaxy perhaps (it is a star not a galaxy like M51)? NGC 4526 is similar to M51 in my opinion because of the star that seems connected to it. No matter what this is a nice looking object. The halo from NGC 4526 extends to just below the star -- the star could be a foreground (my guess) or a background star.

Next I came upon M64, the Black Eye Galaxy. I used the telrad to go to Vindermaitrix and then to Alpha Coma B by star hopping up to an asterism of three stars. From here I went southeast and M64 was very easy to find, it was straight down from the third star. At 92x M64 is a face on with a bright core and mottling of darkness to the northeast. There is a line that runs west to east of brightness from the western edge to the core. Definite hints of lanes are visible on this beauty. A wonderful item to observe. I did a sketch at 92x and at 184x.





















































My next observation came on April 29th and I observed several items, but only officially recorded one item, but it was one that has eluded me for sometime. Tonight I was able to bag M109, a galaxy in Ursa Major. I decided that even with a waxing crescent to take a shot at M109. The moon is almost down to the horizon (heading there quickly) and using the telrad, I went to Phelda. From Phelda I went to the three stars in a line that are south-west of Phelda. Using averted vision I spotted M109. It is rather large in shape and because of that, it is very faint. I have to wait until periods of seeing improve but in good periods I can make out a distinct core with a lot of haze and faint fuzziness around it. I returned after the moon set to sketch it and M109 gave up a few more details.



























MAY 15th AND 16th, 2009

My next session was on May 15 and May 16, 2009. My first object was NGC 4147, a globular cluster in Leo. I used the telrad to Denebola and then went to CB 6 from which I went up to an astermism of three stars that form a triangle with the top star on the left middle, and the two other stars going up diagonally to the upper right and lower left. From the top star in the asterism (upper right from the middle or point star) I worked my way up and in the 21mm Stratus EP the golbular stuck out as a fussy. No mottling or stars are present at 57x , only a fuzzy ball. At 240x using the 5mm Hyperion I could make out the shape of the core with fuzziness around it. At 92x in the 13mm Stratus I got my best views. The core is bright and visible though no stars are visible on the core. Averted vision is best to distinguish size of this small globular. A nice change to the galaxies in the area. I'll add my image later on this but I do have a sketch.

On May 16 I went Spica and then went to Virgo 49. From V 49 I went to two stars down diagonally to the right, next to NGC 4802 then up to the star above it. From here I went to an astermism of a triangle with a third star on the left edge. From there I star hopped to three stars in a row then M104 came into view. At 55x I could make out the distinct shape and a bright core. At 240x conditions would only show a bright core. 92x shows both the shape of the galaxy, and the dark line down the center. This is a very fat and elognated galaxy. At first I could see only from the dark line up to the top half, then with averted vision the bottom half came into view. Both averted vision and direct vision brings out the details on this wonderful galaxy.


























My next object was M101 around 12:44a.m. M101 is an easy object to get to, but very hard to see. I've missed it at least twice before. Tonight I used the telrad to get to Mizar and Alcor and then star-hopped on the four bright stars leading up up from the Mizar/Alcor pair. I went pass 83 UMa and the fourth star has three stars in a line next to it. The middle star in that line has a birghter star next to it/above it. That star forms another line of three stars and avoe these are three more. By connecting them they make a box. From that top corner star in the last in the line, follow out two more stars then down and you'll see M101. It is very important to be dark adapted when going after this galaxy because it is so big that the light is dispursed. I could discern a weak and faint core. No stars are visible or lanes at first. With averted vision I can discern the size of this face on galaxy and it is huge! By continuing to observe I could eventually discern lanes and some dust in them.
I have to say that if one is not experienced in seeing and finding really faint fuzzies than M101 is one to wait on until one has more experience. The core shows dull at times and then almost like a distant star with averted vision. This is one where a dark site would really help one to see this object in a lot of detail.



























M4 was my next object. I used the Telrad to Antares, a beautiful orange star) and I looked in the finder and due west I could easily see M4. M4 is a wonderful globular cluster where many and various colors are present. Many stars are visible and at 55x it shows stars as individuals and with nebulosity around them. At 240x M4 shows the bright stars of the core and details in patterns. 92x shows the best details again and the shape of this cluster is clearly evident. This is not a typical globular in terms of a tight ball. There are stars that are around the center portion of this globular that look like they are part of the globular but farther out.


























M80 Globular Cluster was my final item on the night of May 16/17, 2009. I used the telrad to go to Antares again and then to O Scorpius. From here I went to two diagonal stars that lead to M80. Another way was Antares to a triangle asterism below IC 4601 to a star below the triangle asterism. Then work back to the top star that is diagonal. Unlike M4, M80 is a tight and ball shape globular cluster, more typical of others I've seen. M80 has a bright central core with some stars showing on the edges at 92x. At 240x, M80 still shows a bright inner core but far more stars are no visible. A very fun globular to view.

March 18 and March 20th, 2009 Observations

On the evening of March 18, the sky was clear and I thought it would be a good time to retry for NGC 2371/2, a planetary nebula in Gemni. I set up and waited for the scope to cool down and around 8:30p.m. began my search. I started at Pollux and went east past 2 stars in line with Pollux, and they are around 4 degrees apart. I then went past two close set of stars to a triangle, with its point pointing SW. Just off the point star in the triangle I went diagonally and using the filter bagged NGC 2371.

At 92x in the 13mm Stratus the PN was very faint and averted vision showed some detail. I was able to see a break in the PN, as if it was in two parts. At 92x the PN is gray and is diffused near the edge and a very bright center. Central star at 15th magnitude is not visible. I used the 2x Shorty Barlow on this with the 13mm Stratus at 184x and it really helped. The diffused outer shell is visible at 184x with a bright inner core, and the nebula is in two parts. The SE part is larger and brighter on its NW side. The upper or NW portion is smaller and is also brighter on the NW side. The white dwarf or star this is in the process of becoming a white dwarf has to be in between these two parts. Looking at images after I observed I believe the two bright parts of the nebula parts are the two parts that are outside the nebual. Wonderful object to really look at and in the right conditions to practice on drawing out details. I'll be back on this one.





Prior to going in on the 18th of March, I observed M40 in Ursa Major. I started at Megrez and using the finder I went to 70 UMa. I then moved SE from 70 Uma until M40 came into view. This is not a spectular item and probably the most disappointing to me in the whole Messier list that I've seen. M40 at 92x appears as a widely spaced pair of ninth or tenth magnitude white stars. The two stars appear to be very close to the same magnitude.

MARCH 20th, 2009

The night of March 20th came out with a good clear night with no clouds! Been awhile since I've had that. Earlier I went to my son's play and so got a latter start. In the end, it was a much better thing. I got set up and the scope was cool around 11:30p.m. and I went and looked at Saturn, then M64 and M65. After this I went to Denebola and then to 6 Com. From 6 Com I went two stars two the left of it (behind it) and then continued left until I saw two stars that were vertical and to the left was M100. At 92x M100 was very faint, though a bright core is visible. It is a spiral galaxy that is face on and averted vision brings out good details in the arms at 133x. At 92x the galaxy is to the left of a Y asterism (left of center). At 133x the bright core comes out and I can see the ghostly shape of an arm with some hint of variance in it. The arm is coming out of center to the west, heading NW (left) and the arm wraps around the core towards the north (or up). The arm does not bend up and back to east-southeast. It is faint but I can see it and another one that comes out and bends to the west.





After M100 I went to M85. I went to Com 11 and started working towards Com 24. About a third of the way there I reached M85. It has a bright central core with a halo around it at 92x. No real structure is visible at 92x. The edge is diffused and NGC 4394 is visible as a much smaller galaxy to the left of M85. At 133x M85 shows a larger conre with more halo visible around it. NGC 4934 is a spiral galaxy that at 133x shows a small bright core with a minor halo. No arms were visible. M85 is a lenticular galaxy. I could not see a central bar running through the axis of M85 as some have.


M88 was the next item that I came to. I put Com 6 and Com 11 on the right edge of my finder and in the bottom left corner was a lone bright star SAQ100127. M88 is up and to the right in the EP and easy to see in the sixty eight degree 13mm Stratus. I viewed M88 at 92x and 133x. M88 is oval shaped at the core with an oval halo around it running east to west. Some detail is visible with parience and with time. At 133x a dark band is present about the bright core almost slicing into it. M88 is a spiral galaxy at a 30 degree angle. For me it is rather face on, but is probably more edge on. This is a galaxy that I would really like to spend more time just observing to see what details in the arms and in the galaxy itself I can make out.

The next object I viewed was M87. I went to Com 6 and went to star HIP60150 and then jumped down to M84/86. From M84/86 I went diagonally adn I came to the elliptical galaxy M87. M87 is a relatively bright and large and it shows a bright core with diffusion around it. There actually seems to be three layers of halo present, a bright one around the core, with a less bright halo next to that and then a slightly darker third halo next to that one. All three halo's diffuse into the next one with the last one having a defined edge. Averted vision brings no more details from the core or from the area around the core. No stars are visible in my XT8. I did write at the end of this observation if anyone in millions of years will be looking back at the Milky Way wondering if someone was looking at them at the time the light left?


M59 and M60

I started by using the Telrad to get to Vindemiatrix and went NE and reached them easily after seeing NGC 4362. I found two bright stars in the northern half of the finder which formed an east-west line that pointed to M59 and M60. Both are elliptical galaxies. M59 is the upper one and has a bright core with a halo that is diffused around it. M60 is similar to M59 as it has a bright core but M60 does not appear as birght as M59. I passed on both items at a higher magnification (giving me an excuse to come back) and only used 92x the 13mm Stratus on these two. As a result I know I am leaving details but it was 3:00a.m. and I had one more item before I needed to come in due to a commitment with the wife later in the morning on Saturday.



M58 is a barred spiral galaxy that is face on. From M59 and M60 I came down to the left and M59 was right there. M58 has a very strong inner core and it is visible with mottling with averted vision. There is diffusion around the core with a halo that moves out and becomes fainter. Hints of the arms are present but I would need slightly more magnificaiton than the 92x from the 13mm Stratus provides. I will come back and sketch when I have more time and I really want to bring out the sprial arms on this one.

March 15/16 and March 20th

March 15th and March 16th, 2009 Observation

On the evening of March 15th and lasting to the early morning of March 16th I was able to locate, view and sketch M78, M42, Sirius and Sirius B the Pup, M108, M97, M106, M99.

I began by going to Canis Major and looking at Sirius. It was rather a fancy after studying about the Pup to see if using my 8 inch reflector to see if I could see the Pup. Sirius showed up very well at 92x in my 13mm Stratus. Conditions were really good and I had no extra light pollution this night. Seeing was 9/10 and transparency was 4.5/5. Skies were calm and these were some of the best conditions I've had in the backyard at my house. At 184x I caught a glimpse of the Pup and decided to take it up to 240x and then 266x with a barlow and at both I was able to pull the Pup. The Pup faded in and out and then held for around a minute or two. I confirmed using the charts I had. The Pup is a small white star that was father out from Sirius than I thought it would be, about three rings out from Sirius. A great sky and great conditions helped me to capture the Pup.

Next I viewed M42 as a farewell since it is fading into the west so quickly and weather here in is not looking good from now to the end of the month. Next I went decided to see M78 and though I've seen it before, I confirmed how I find M78. I went to Alnitak and then up to HIP26736 and then up to HIP26893. I noticed the asterism of arrow pointing left. From that star I went up diagonally from HIP 26736 to M78. The two tenth magnitude stars are evident as is the fan like wisp behind the stars (first time I have seen that). I really enjoyed observing this object tonight.

Since it was right before 10:00p.m. and conditions were really good I decided to try some objects that I've had a hard time finding. I used the Telrad to go to Merak and went up to a bright star which is down from Merak passing a lesser star on the way. Next I went up further (down) and then to the left following a chain of stars going NW to SE. At the end of the fifth star in the chain, just above and to the right is M108. The core is faint and small at 92x and I saw the core before I saw any other part of the galaxy. Using averted vision at the core the galaxy showed herself. I eventually got to where I could discern the galaxy without aveted vision but the details came with averted vision. M108 is edge on, faint and diffused, though the edges are well defined. The core is brighter then the rest of the galaxy and no stars are visible in the dust lanes.

My next object was M97. I started from M108 and went NE to a three star L that is on its side. Up from the conern star of the L is M97. M97 was much bigger than any other planetary nebula I have seen. I was able to view it tonight visually first, though when I used my UltraBand NB filter I could see much more in terms of size and brightness. With the 13mm Stratus at 92x no details were evident, just a grayish circle or blob. I tried a 9mm with a 2x barlow but it just didn't capture the PN at 266x. So I went down to 133x and finished the observation and the sketch. The nebula is a circle in shape (disk shape I believe it is called) and the edge is sharply defined. No color other than gray is visiable at 133x. On the north edge of the PN there is a star visible but not the central star which is not visible. My mind wants to say I could detect the eye shapes of the owl's face but my mind knows better. . .

I next tried M109 but failed to located it though according to charts I was in the right area. During this time a neighbor turned on a back porch light and I think that impacted me. Luckily they turned it off after around twenty minutes when their dog was done with its business. After failing at M109 I went back to Phecda and jumped to 5 CV and then to 3CV. My object now was M106. From 3 CV I jumpted to to HIP60125 and then to a brighter star. From the brighter star I worked my way up north and found M106. The galaxy is a spiral that is face on. There are bands visible while the edges of the galaxy are somewhat diffused. The core is very bright, much brighter than the rest of the galaxy and the core is very compact. No stars are visible in the lanes.

My last object was M99. I went to Denebola and then over to CB 6. From CB 6 I went over to HIP59941 and then down to HIP60089 ( the three stars form an inverted L. M99 is next to HIP60089 and I could see it visually. Averted vision though really hlep to make out the galaxy and its shape and details. M99 is a face on spiral, with diffused edges. The core is just slightly brighter than the rest of the galaxy, lanes are visible and there are no stars visible in the lanes. My sixteen year old daughter now came out around 12:40a.m. and reminded me I had to go to work the next day. Oh well, I wish I could have not gone in and stayed out.