Observing Report

June 5, 1999

Fremont Peak, Ca

The first sunny and warm weekend in what seemed like ages. The flowers were blooming and the birds were singing. I was pumped for a night of observing. There was quite an array of scopes, from a new ETX with Autostar to a 20" Starmaster with Pyrex Stabilite mirror. For the first time in quite awhile, there were no AP refractors present, although there was a Takahashi flourite brought by Ray Gralak. His interest was CCD imaging with an updated ST-7. He got some amazing images of M104 (Sombrero) and M51 (Whirlpool.)

I decided to work through the galaxies in Steve Gottlieb's article in the May issue of Astronomy magazine. What a great article! I love reading about an object before observing it. It somehow makes the object seem more real to me. With my 12.5" scope I was only able to detect the main galaxies in the Coma and Hercules clusters. A darker sky and an observing shroud may have helped. I mixed in some favorite Messier objects and the veil nebula which I didn't list in my log.

The fog rolled in thick and gave us a fairly dark sky with good transparency and steadiness. As the evening wore on, it became a bit chilly. A few people were having dew problems, but luckily I wasn't one of them. Another fun night at the Peak.

My observing log was generated with The Sky software. My comments are at the end of each listing.

June 5, 1999
Fremont Peak, Ca
12.5" Meade dob
22 Panoptic, 12 Nagler, 9 Nagler

Type ID Dreyer desc Mag Size Comments
Spiral Galaxy Antennae; Ring-Tail Galaxy; NGC4038 Pretty bright, considerably large, round, very gradually brighter middle. 10.9 5.3' x 3.1' Double galaxy - both were obvious in 18" Obsession.
Helix Galaxy NGC 2685 Pretty faint, round, faint star in centre. 11.1 5.0' x 1.5' In a brighter part of the sky. A wide smudge next to a brighter field star.
Galaxy NGC 4490 Very bright, very large, moderately extended 130ų, resolvable, but mottled, southeast of 2. 9.8 6.0' x 3.0' A beautiful and easy pair to find. Companion is obvious. 12mm Nagler 127x gave an excellent view.
Galaxy NGC 6166 Pretty faint, small, very little extended, very gradually much brighter middle. 12.0 0.6' x 0.5' Pretty faint. Part of Abell 2199. No other galaxies detected. :-(
Galaxy NGC 4631 Remarkable!, very bright, very large, extremely extended 70ų +/-, brighter middle nucleus, 12th magnitude star attached north. 9.3 14.0' x 2.0' Very nice! Long slash. Bright!! Small companion visible.
Elliptical Galaxy NGC4627 Faint, small, round, northwest of 2. 12.9 2.6' x 1.8' Companion to 4631. Small.
Spiral Galaxy NGC4656 Remarkable!, pretty bright, large, very moderately extended 34ų, southwest of 2. 10.6 15.0' x 2.9' In same wide field with 4631. What a great view. Another bright slash.
Galaxy NGC 4725 Very bright, very large, extended, very gradually, very abruptly very much brighter middle extremely bright nucleus. 9.2 11.0' x 6.0' Nice and bright. Close companion not visible to me.
Galaxy NGC4747 Faint, pretty large, little extended. 12.8 3.4' x 1.1' Very faint! A pair of bright stars close by helped me confirm the field.
Galaxy NGC 4874 Faint, 4869 and 4872 westward. 11.9 0.4' Computer savers the day! The galaxy wasn't immediately obvious, but was able to identify field and then saw galaxy. Coma cluster.
Galaxy NGC4889 Pretty bright, westward moderately extended, brighter middle, 7th magnitude star north. 12.4 2.9' x 1.8' Part of Coma Cluster. Fairly bright.
Spiral Galaxy NGC4921 Faint, pretty large, 3rd of 4. 13.0 2.4' x 2.1' Diffuse and large!
Galaxy NGC 5982 Considerably bright, small, round, pretty abruptly brighter middle, resolvable, but mottled. 11.1 1.1' x 0.6' Round, fairly bright with companion.
Spiral Galaxy NGC5985 Pretty bright, considerably large, irregular extended, resolvable, but mottled. 11.7 5.5' x 3.0' Large and bright. In same field with 5982.
Galaxy NGC 5907 Considerably bright, very large, very moderately extended 155ų, very gradually, pretty abruptly brighter middle nucleus. 10.4 11.0' x 1.0' Bright. Very thin and long.
Spiral Galaxy NGC5908 Pretty faint, pretty small, round. 13.0 3.3' x 1.2' 5905 makes pair. In a pretty star field with 20 or so dim stars.
Galaxy NGC 5866 Very bright, considerably large, westward moderately extended 146ų, gradually brighter middle. 10.0 2.8' x 1.2' Beautiful star field and a condensed galaxy. Very pretty view with 22 Panoptic!
Galaxy NGC5879 Considerably bright, small, extended, much brighter middle round nucleus, resolvable, but mottled. 12.0 4.2' x 1.3' Another pretty galaxy. Bright with bright star in field. Will take some magnification.
Crescent Nebula NGC 6888 Faint, very large, very moderately extended, double star attached. 20.0' Very large. Not bright, put obvious with patience. Should be better with darker skies.

Type	ID	Dreyer desc	Mag	Size	Comments
Spiral Galaxy	Antennae; Ring-Tail Galaxy; NGC4038	Pretty bright, considerably large, round, very gradually brighter middle.	10.9	5.3' x 3.1'	Double galaxy - both were obvious in 18" Obsession.
Helix Galaxy	NGC 2685	Pretty faint, round, faint star in centre.	11.1	5.0' x 1.5'	In a brighter part of the sky. A wide smudge next to a brighter field star.
Galaxy	NGC 4490	Very bright, very large, moderately extended 130ų, resolvable, but mottled, southeast of 2.	9.8	6.0' x 3.0'	A beautiful and easy pair to find. Companion is obvious. 12mm Nagler 127x gave an excellent view.
Galaxy	NGC 6166	Pretty faint, small, very little extended, very gradually much brighter middle.	12.0	0.6' x 0.5'	Pretty faint. Part of Abell 2199. No other galaxies detected. :-(
Galaxy	NGC 4631	Remarkable!, very bright, very large, extremely extended 70ų +/-, brighter middle nucleus, 12th magnitude star attached north.	9.3	14.0' x 2.0'	Very nice! Long slash. Bright!! Small companion visible.
Elliptical Galaxy	NGC4627	Faint, small, round, northwest of 2.	12.9	2.6' x 1.8'	Companion to 4631. Small.
Spiral Galaxy	NGC4656	Remarkable!, pretty bright, large, very moderately extended 34ų, southwest of 2.	10.6	15.0' x 2.9'	In same wide field with 4631. What a great view. Another bright slash.
Galaxy	NGC 4725	Very bright, very large, extended, very gradually, very abruptly very much brighter middle extremely bright nucleus.	9.2	11.0' x 6.0'	Nice and bright. Close companion not visible to me.
Galaxy	NGC4747	Faint, pretty large, little extended.	12.8	3.4' x 1.1'	Very faint! A pair of bright stars close by helped me confirm the field.
Galaxy	NGC 4874	Faint, 4869 and 4872 westward.	11.9	0.4'	Computer savers the day! The galaxy wasn't immediately obvious, but was able to identify field and then saw galaxy. Coma cluster.
Galaxy	NGC4889	Pretty bright, westward moderately extended, brighter middle, 7th magnitude star north.	12.4	2.9' x 1.8'	Part of Coma Cluster. Fairly bright.
Spiral Galaxy	NGC4921	Faint, pretty large, 3rd of 4.	13.0	2.4' x 2.1'	Diffuse and large!
Galaxy	NGC 5982	Considerably bright, small, round, pretty abruptly brighter middle, resolvable, but mottled.	11.1	1.1' x 0.6'	Round, fairly bright with companion.
Spiral Galaxy	NGC5985	Pretty bright, considerably large, irregular extended, resolvable, but mottled.	11.7	5.5' x 3.0'	Large and bright. In same field with 5982.
Galaxy	NGC 5907	Considerably bright, very large, very moderately extended 155ų, very gradually, pretty abruptly brighter middle nucleus.	10.4	11.0' x 1.0'	Bright. Very thin and long.
Spiral Galaxy	NGC5908	Pretty faint, pretty small, round.	13.0	3.3' x 1.2'	5905 makes pair. In a pretty star field with 20 or so dim stars.
Galaxy	NGC 5866	Very bright, considerably large, westward moderately extended 146ų, gradually brighter middle.	10.0	2.8' x 1.2'	Beautiful star field and a condensed galaxy. Very pretty view with 22 Panoptic!
Galaxy	NGC5879	Considerably bright, small, extended, much brighter middle round nucleus, resolvable, but mottled.	12.0	4.2' x 1.3'	Another pretty galaxy. Bright with bright star in field. Will take some magnification.
Crescent Nebula	NGC 6888	Faint, very large, very moderately extended, double star attached.		20.0'	Very large. Not bright, put obvious with patience. Should be better with darker skies.