I feel very lucky that I've been able to go out observing a few times this December and early January. On December 30 I went with a few friends to Henry Coe State Park. I had recently acquired a GM8 mount for my 8" SCT, and was anxious to give it a shakedown cruise for some astrophotography. I was very pleased with the results, although the new Fuji 800 film left me a little disappointed due to it's poor red response.
My buddy, Mark Wagner, brought his 10" dob for me to use while the mount was chugging away taking pictures. I am leisurely working my way through the Herschel 400 list, and managed to nab a few this evening. We all quit early since the next day was New Years Eve. I should add that Mark's 10" dob is exceptional, and gave some stunning planetary views.
On January 8th , I caravanned with another friend, Paul Sterngold, to Fremont Peak State Park. I hadn't been there in awhile, and it felt like visiting an old friend. The weather was iffy, and I almost turned back a few times. Paul promised me that the night would be beautiful. It pays to hang with an optimist! When we arrived, there was already a bit of a crowd there, but still plenty of room for us. The sky was lightly overcast, we could see Jupiter, but images were incredibly bad. We chatted with folks for a bit, walked over to the observatory where we met absolutely no one, and went back to the observing area. I was contemplating leaving when suddenly things started clearing! I hauled out my Meade 12.5" dob and was grateful for the quick and easy set-up of a solid tube dob.
The sky treated us to a wonderful night of observing, and the overcast was polite enough to hang low and cover the surrounding cities and their obnoxious lights. I managed to finish my January list of Herschel objects and turned to the February list. MORE OPEN CLUSTERS! ARGGHHH! I skipped those and headed to a few planetaries and the one globular - the intergalactic wanderer- on the list.
I had planned on leaving by midnight, so I rounded up the evening with a few galaxies in Leo. It was a fine night, with good people. I hadn't worked so steadily on an observing list for a few months and it felt good!
My observing log was generated with The Sky software, with my comments added at the end of each object listing.
Henry Coe State Park - Using Mark Wagner's 10" f5.6 dob
******* 12/30/99, 7:32 PM ******* Open Cluster NGC 1857 Other description: Open cluster dense. Constellation: Aur Dreyer description: Cluster, westward rich in stars, westward compressed, stars of magnitude 7 and fainter. Magnitude: 7.0 Size: 6.0' Somewhat faint, small, bright star in field. Take some time, fairly rich 19 Pan.Open Cluster NGC 1513 Other description: Open cluster dense. Constellation: Per Dreyer description: Cluster, large, very rich in stars, westward compressed, stars very large. Magnitude: 8.4 Size: 9.0' Circlet of stars with a tail. Fairly dim, but interesting shape.
Open Cluster NGC 1545 Other description: Open cluster rich. Constellation: Per Dreyer description: Cluster, westward rich in stars, little compressed, stars large. Magnitude: 6.2 Size:18.0' Spread out with chains of bright stars. A few pairs of contrasting colored stars. Some very bright members.
Open Cluster NGC 1528 Other description: Open cluster dense. Constellation: Per Dreyer description: Cluster, bright, very rich in stars, considerably compressed. Magnitude: 6.4 Size:24.0' Lots of bright stars. Somewhat Christmas tree shaped. Rich ****
Nebula NGC 1788 Other description: Reflection nebula bright. Constellation: Ori Dreyer description: Bright, considerably large, round, brighter middle triple star; 10th magnitude star involved in the nebulosity. Size: 8.0' Not too thrilling. Small, very near a somewhat faint star. Fuzzy patch.
Planetary Nebula NGC 2022 Other description: Planetary nebula ring. Constellation: Ori Dreyer description: Planetary nebula, pretty bright, very small, very little extended. Magnitude: 12.0 Size: 0.3' Smallish, kinda bright. Two fairly bright stars in field lead right to neb.
Fremont Peak State Park - 12.5" Meade dob
******* 1/8/00, 8:03 PM ******* Planetary Nebula NGC 1501 Other description: Planetary nebula ring. Constellation: Cam Dreyer description: Planetary nebula, pretty bright, pretty small, very little extended, 1' diameter. Magnitude: 13.0 Size: 0.9' Ring shape easily visible.
Open Cluster Kemble's Cascade NGC 1502 Other description: Open cluster rich. Constellation: Cam Dreyer description: Cluster, westward rich in stars, considerably compressed, irregular figure. Magnitude: 5.7 Size: 8.0' Arrow shaped. Two stars much brighter than others in field.
Galaxy NGC 1961 Other description: Elongated galaxy with bright core. Constellation: Cam Dreyer description: Considerably faint, pretty large, irregular figure, much brighter middle, easily resolvable, star involved; (declination?). Magnitude: 11.1 Size: 3.9' x 1.9' Pretty faint, large. Small star imbedded in galaxy.
Planetary Nebula NGC 1535 Other description: Planetary nebula ring with central star. Constellation: Eri Dreyer description: Planetary nebula, very bright, small, round, pretty small, very abruptly brighter middle, resolvable, but mottled. Magnitude: 10.0 Size: 0.7' Puff ball. No central star visible with 9 nag and UHC.
Galaxy NGC 1964 Other description: Very elongated galaxy with bright core. Constellation: Lep Dreyer description: Faint, large, round, very abruptly very much brighter middle 12th magnitude star, 3 stars involved. Magnitude: 10.8 Size: 6.0' x 2.0' Dim. Elongated. Best with higher power and averted vision.
NGC 1999 Other description: Nebula bright with dust. Constellation: Ori Dreyer description: Star of magnitude 10 or 11 involved in nebula. Size:16.0' Looks like planetary, or even galactic.
NGC 1980 Other description: Nebula low brightness. Constellation: Ori Dreyer description: Very faint, very, very large, 44 Ori involved. Size:14.0' Not impressive. Faint glow.
Flame Nebula NGC 2024 Other description: Nebula with dust. Constellation: Ori Dreyer description: Remarkable! Irregular, bright, very, very large, black [lane] included. Size:30.0' Tank Tracks! Large, easily visible.
Open Cluster NGC 1027 Other description: Open cluster rich. Constellation: Cas Dreyer description: Cluster, large, scattered stars, one 10th magnitude. Magnitude: 6.7 Size:20.0' Scattered, best in wider field.
Open Cluster NGC 1647 Other description: Open cluster bright scattered. Constellation: Tau Dreyer description: Cluster, very large, stars large, scattered. Magnitude: 6.4 Size:45.0' Bright, scattered, fills field of 22 Panoptic.
Open Cluster NGC 1750 Other description: Open cluster bright scattered. Constellation: Tau Dreyer description: Cluster, stars large, very considerably scattered. Nothing special, I must be jaded. Open Cluster NGC 1817 Other description: Open cluster rich. Constellation: Tau Dreyer description: Cluster, large, rich in stars, little compressed, stars of magnitude 11 to 14. Magnitude: 7.7 Size:16.0' Very nice! Rich, almost globular like. Definite edge. Many bright and dim stars.
Open Cluster NGC 1807 Other description: Open cluster bright scattered. Constellation: Tau Dreyer description: Cluster, westward rich in stars, stars large & small. Magnitude: 7.0 Size:17.0' Next to 1817, but much sparser and scattered.
Open Cluster NGC 2126 Other description: Open cluster dense. Constellation: Aur Dreyer description: Cluster, not rich in stars, 7th magnitude star north. Magnitude: 10.0 Size: 6.0' Sparse, one bright 7th mag star in field.
Open Cluster NGC 2281 Other description: Open cluster bright scattered. Constellation: Aur Dreyer description: Cluster, westward rich in stars, very little compressed, stars pretty large. Magnitude: 5.4 Size:15.0' Many bright stars. Pretty.
Galaxy NGC 2403 Other description: Spiral galaxy structure with bright knots. Constellation: Cam Dreyer description: Very remarkable! Considerably bright, extremely large, very moderately extended, very gradually much brighter middle nucleus. Magnitude: 8.4 Size:18.0' x10.1' Wow! Large and bright. A keeper. No good guide stars.
Open Cluster NGC 2204 Other description: Open cluster rich. Constellation: CMa Dreyer description: Cluster, large, westward rich in stars, little compressed. Magnitude: 8.6 Size:13.0' Many faint stars , not impressive.
Open Cluster NGC 2354 Other description: Open cluster rich. Constellation: CMa Dreyer description: Cluster, considerably rich in stars, little compressed. Magnitude: 6.5 Size:20.0' Chains of stars of similar brightness.
Open Cluster NGC 2354 Other description: Open cluster rich. Constellation: CMa Dreyer description: Cluster, considerably rich in stars, little compressed. Magnitude: 6.5 Size:20.0' Nice, bright, rich,triangle shape.
Planetary Nebula NGC 2371 Other description: Planetary nebula irregular. Constellation: Gem Dreyer description: Bright, small, round, brighter middle nucleus, westward of double nebula. Magnitude: 13.0 Size: 0.9' Irregular shape, fairly bright.
Planetary Nebula NGC 2372 Other description: Planetary nebula irregular. Constellation: Gem Dreyer description: Pretty bright, small, round, brighter middle nucleus, eastward of double nebula. Seems to be joined with 2371!
Globular Cluster Intergalactic Wanderer NGC 2419 Other description: Globular cluster unresolved. Constellation: Lyn Dreyer description: Pretty bright, pretty large, little extended 90°, very gradually brighter middle, star of magnitude 7 or 8 267°, 4' distant. Magnitude: 10.4 Size: 4.1' Large, bright. 2 bright stars lead to it.
Eye Candy Time!
Elliptical Galaxy M105 NGC3379 Dreyer description: Very bright, considerably large, round, pretty abruptly brighter middle, resolvable, but mottled; = M105. Magnitude: 10.1 Size: 5.3' x 4.7'
Spiral Galaxy M96 NGC3368 Dreyer description: Very bright, very large, little extended, very abruptly very much brighter middle, resolvable, but mottled; = M96. Magnitude: 9.9 Size: 7.5' x 5.2'
M95 NGC3351 Dreyer description: Bright, large, round, pretty gradually much brighter middle nucleus; = M95. Magnitude: 10.7 Size: 7.4' x 5.0'