Starplace: Robert H. Ferguson Observatory, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Sonoma County, California

I never knew Sonoma County Astronomical Society's Striking Sparks founder Bob Ferguson but his spirit permeated the still night air on my first observing trip to the Observatory which bears his name. The drive through the verdant coastal hills of Sonoma County was much like any star party drive. Turning off the highway, winding through a busy city ending its working day. Multi lane roads narrowed and straight streets turned windy. Houses buttoned inside tidy lawns made way for farmhouses, surrounded by green pastures dotted with black and white cattle. The inevitable turnoff loomed closer. Dusk darkened the blue hazy sky. My mind wandered from the scenery to wonder about that haze and what our seeing conditions would be. Oaks, redwoods, fir and pine trees peek out from the lower chaparral and scrub. It was too dark to see the wildflowers and ferns hugging the shady ground. Rocky outcrops replaced the rock faced winery estates, but this was no Valley of the Moon winery tour. Our journey to the observatory was almost over. But our journey was really just beginning! The largest amateur telescope in operation in California was our destination. The 40 inch mirror was gently supported within a dobsonian style sling, in a dobsonian style mount. And tucked comfortably into the new roll off roof observatory. It made this Sidewalk Astronomer give a great big sidewalk smile at the simple and familiar design.

The occasion of this visit was a lab session for a couple of Astronomy classes from College of Marin and Santa Rosa Junior College. I greeted the students fondly. I have shared my scopes with them on other lab nights at other dark sky sites in the north bay this year. They will never know how much I am learning about astronomy just preparing to assist at these lab sessions! The two day old crescent moon had set before the telescopes were set up. But this wasn't a night for lunar observing. My mission this evening was to assist the college students with their assignments - which included sketching the celestial wonders of the spring sky, and directing them to the appropriate resources to research these celestial beauty pageant contestants for themselves. I brought my 12.5 inch LITEBOX reflector travel telescope, my whole arsenal of filters and eyepieces, my copies of Burnham's Celestial Handbooks, atlases, starhopping books, and my own observing project wish list for the night. But my own observing targets would have to remain tucked in my observing log for a few hours till the students left.

My friend, neighbor, and Astronomy Instructor Tinka Ross and I set up our startools. A pair of very different 12 inchers - her LX-200 and my 12.5 inch alt-az reflector. The school Questars and binoculars were readied for student use. Tripods for astrophotography were waiting for some action. All of these eyes to the universe were set up outside the observatory in the parking lot, dinky watchers of the night compared to the 40 incher. Starting at twilight's last gleaming, and for the next 3 hours I was on scope duty at my eyepiece, finding and explaining many objects to the students. Nothing hones observing skills and astronomical knowledge like having to explain your favorite objects to first year college astronomy students. And then letting them starhop or "go to" to the objects of their choice in a variety of telescopes. Our deep sky tour began with some objects lower on the (April) horizon. Open cluster M35 in the "toe" of Gemini twin Castor was my first target. The Perseus double cluster, (NGC 869 and 884), was another example of this class of object. Next on the docket were some planetary nebulae. Few students hung around long enough to see the M57, the Ring Nebula rise above the observatory walls and into our scopes in the parking lot at about 1:00 AM in the morning, so until that time, we had to accept the Eskimo Nebula, NGC 2392 in Gemini and the Owl Nebula in Ursa Major, M97. It was a real kick to hear the students talking to each other, armed with astro-speak. "I can almost see the eyes in M97, here, you try!" or "Wow! The spiral arms of M51 are going counter-clockwise, aren't they?" Examples of globular clusters shown this night were M3 - the magnificent 44,000 star city in Canes Venatici, Much later, M13, the great Hercules cluster rose above the observatory wall, giving those who camped overnight a bright treat to dream about while waiting for the morning planets to rise in the East.

This was a night of galaxies both in my 12.5 inch scope and in the big 40 incher. I concentrated on great visual objects for the students to sketch: M104, the Sombrero Galaxy with its lenticular form inclined, shows a prominent dust lane south of the center for keen eyed observers and pencil pushing sketchers. The sketches made from views through the 40 incher were spectacular in detail, though the view and the sketches made through my telescope weren't too shabby either! I boosted up the power to 202X as seeing conditions improved hour by hour. M51, the stunning Whirlpool Galaxy in Canes Venatici (it's easiest for me to refer to it off the handle of the Big Dipper) gave students a face-on galaxy to sketch and enjoy. Some double stars were required to complete the grand tour. Alcor/Mizar, A Leonis, G Leonis, A Canes Venatici, G Virginis. Not too much to sketch with these doubles, but important to explain and compare the separation between the objects, discuss their relationship, and determine stellar classification and magnitude of each object. I noticed my eyes were wandering. Wandering towards the observatory. The students were finishing their assignments and car lights danced on the pavement. To avoid ruining my night vision, I went inside the project room, bathed in a red light glow. It was my turn now! And I was warmed up, loaded with malted milk balls and ready for action!

I have been revising my Virgo/Coma hop, adding objects each time I work my way thru the Realm of Galaxies. (This project list is in the TAC Observing Report Archives). I was anxious to see the difference between my 12.5 incher and monster aperture. My realm starhopping guide covers 70 objects, when you add in the significant stars. I'll just describe how some of my favorite objects looked. It's up to you to get out with your favorite atlas (mine's The Herald Bobroff Atlas, pages E9 and 10 for this project). Don't be afraid to try it - if Refractor Red can do it, so can you!! Well now you might have to wait for Virgo - I much prefer Virgo in the wee hours of morning, when it's proud and high. Preparing for my stint as Docent next Friday 8/21 reminded me of this night.

The very first deep sky object in my Virgo hop from Vindemiatrix is NGC 4762. This is also one of my favorite deep sky objects! So no wonder it was my first personal target in the 40 incher. Spindle shaped, this edge-on galaxy is a dainty 7 x 1 arcmin in size and mag 10.2. This is one of the flattest galaxies there is. No central bulge, but a very bright center. It is an easy one to find, a deeply satisfying and perfect start to any observing project.

Two degrees south of 30 Coma is the beautiful barred spiral galaxy NGC 4725. Shining at a magnitude 9.21, this beauty really came alive in the 40 incher. Nearby was the edge-on galaxy NGC 4747, dimmer at 12.3 magnitude.

NGC 4565 has to be the prettiest object in the Virgo/Coma area, at least it is my personal favorite! Shining at magnitude 9.5, this object is visible in a 6 incher - yet really shows incredible detail with some aperture. Bisecting the core is a dust lane and lots of mottled texture. This edge-on spiral is picture perfect! No spring dark sky star party or observing session should neglect this beauty! Located 1 3/4 degrees East of 17 Coma or 3 degrees N NW of 30 Coma. Long and skinny, 15 arcmin by 1.5, this galaxy is also known as Berenices Hair Pin.

M99 and M100 are an easy hop from Denebola to 6 Coma. Both of these face-on spirals showed lots of detail, sinewy structure in the spiral arms. It was definitely worth staying up late and getting scant sleep, just to catch a glimpse of these specacular objects high in the dark sky.

M87 is a giant elliptical galaxy and I mention it because it has a very special place in the Realm - it is the most massive and most luminous of all known galaxies and contains as many as 4000 clusters. It is also the center of the Virgo galaxy cluster. Our own Milky Way Galaxy only as 110 clusters, in contrast. M87 is a strong source of radio emissions and some photos show jets of x-ray emissions. There are four other NGC objects visible in the same field of view as M87, which shines at an easy to see magnitude 9.56. One degree north are M84 and M86, twin ellipticals shining at magnitudes 8.9 and 9.1 respectively, making a nice triangle with spindle shaped NGC 4388. Forming a lovely arc up to M88 are the famous Markarian's Chain of Galaxies. A necklace of sparkling yet challenging galaxies strung two by two between the brighter Virgo Messier catalogue objects.

I could go on and on. But all good star parties must come to an end. It was time to step back into our own galaxy for a nightcap. The keystone of Hercules seemed like a good place to start. The splendid Hercules cluster, M13 had risen above the observatory wall. The view deep into the central core, of over a million stars was, how shall I describe it? The stuff dreams are made of? Ahhh, yes! Only one more stop remained. We ended with M57, the Ring Nebula, as I have never seen it before. The outer envelope appeared as a faint and gauzy shell. A ribbony wreath of released gravitational energy, enclosing more dusty starstuff within. Now weariness was allowed. Our journey was completed.

I think Bob Ferguson would have enjoyed this travel through the Virgo/Coma Berenices Realm of Galaxies in the company of starry eyed college students, exercising their imagination and sharing their wonder.