by Jon Ruyle
I did some observing from my back yard in Capitola last Monday and Wednesday night (5/14 and 5/16) with my 12 1/2" Starmaster EL.
On both nights, I started late (10:30-11:30) after my wife went to sleep. Monday I began with galaxies in Leo- first the M65, M66, NGC3628 trio. NGC3628 escaped me on previous backyard attempts with the 4", but was not difficult with the 12 1/2". At 50x, the galaxy was visible with averted vision only, but was a borderline direct vision object at 90x. M65 and M66 were bright with obvious central brightening and tight but diffuse cores, all visible at 50x but easier at 90x.
My next target was nearby NGC3593. This small galaxy was not difficult at 90x, just visible with direct vision and showing central brightening with averted vision.
Leo was sinking into the sky glow. Seeking relief, I moved North to the cute pair NGC3607 and NGC3608. These small galaxies were easy at 90x. I thought I saw an almost stellar core in NGC3607.
There were more galaxies I wanted to see in Leo, but by now it really was too low. I moved to Virgo, starting in the M98, M99, M100 area. A week earlier, under a mucky sky, I could hardly see these galaxies at all. This time, all three were easy with direct vision at 50x. M98 with perhaps 3:1 elongation (that's a pretty rough guess), M99 a round haze with central brightening, and M100 a dim round haze with a stellar core (or superimposed star?). What a treat it was to see these galaxies so clearly after the so-so view a week earlier.
I looked up and noticed that M3 was almost directly overhead. Since the sky was so much darker straight above, I decided to take a break from galaxies. Just for fun, I started with the 9mm (about 200x). The cluster was spectacular, seeming to be resolved right to the core (but it may just have been foreground stragglers, as Mark mentioned in his report last week). In any case, there was a loose collection of stragglers on the fringes, and individual stars were easily seen across the entire face of the cluster. There was a time when I wouldn't have dreamed such a view was possible from home.
Back to galaxies. North of M100 is the NGC4350-NGC4340 pair. These are very close at 50x, both tiny and visible with direct vision. When I increased the power to 90x, a bright, tight central core was visible in each. Nearby NGC4450 is bright and round with a little central brightening.
About two degrees to the North of NGC4350-NGC4340 is NGC4293. This galaxy, though dim, showed a central bulge. It appeared elongated about 3:1. I am not usually able to see central bulges like this in dim edge on galaxies- this one may have been my favorite of the night.
Next were M85 and NGC4394, I finished off the nights telescopic observing with my first peak of the year at M80. At 150x, it was a bright ball with little or no resolution. That one will have to wait for darker skies, or at least until later in the season when I can view it higher in the sky.
It was well after 1am. I could have kept going for hours, but I had work the next day. I packed up happily and went upstairs to sleep. When I got in bed, just before closing my eyes to enter a starry dreamland, I saw Mars shining through the window. It was a nice end to my observing for the night, and reminded me that next time out I should try to observe the red planet. Since my back yard faces West, I knew I would have to stay up late to see it.
On Wednesday I got the chance. My wife and I spent the evening at a co-workers house and didn't get back until 10:30. I was pretty tired, but when I stepped outside, the sky looked much better than I expected it to, and suddenly my sleepiness disappeared. Since I had set the 12 1/2" out to cool earlier, it was only a few seconds before I was at the eyepiece.
Leo was too low to mess with, so I decided to continue in Virgo. I started in the heart of the Virgo cluster with M84 and M86. The 50x field was amazing- boasting, in addition to M84 and M86, NGC4388, and the close pair NGC4438 and NGC4435.
Following the chain, I came next to NGC4473 and NGC4477, which form a nice pair at 90x. Both galaxies show a diffuse halo surrounding a bright diffuse central core, but NGC4473 is brighter. In the same wonderful 50x field as these galaxies but a bit to the North is NGC4459. Though small, this galaxy is bright and easy with direct vision.
Next, the Messier galaxies M87, M89, M90 and M58. Near M87 was NGC4478, easy with averted vision at 50x. I didn't see the dimmer NGC4476, but I think it is within range so I'll try for it again another night.
Now the heart of the Virgo cluster was getting a bit too low in the sky, so decided to move over to the eastern end of the constellation. The galaxy NGC5476 is perhaps a quarter of a 50x field away from 109 Vir, while the galaxies NGC5813, NGC5836 and NGC5846 are right by 110 Vir. NGC5476 was not seen immediately, but wasn't difficult once spotted. The galaxy appears small and elongated perhaps 4:1.
It was getting a bit late, so I thought I'd wrap up. But having viewed galaxies next to 109 Vir and 110 Vir it seemed natural to at least take a peek at M5. It provided a fantastic view at 90x. I won't compare it to the view of M3 two nights earlier- both globulars were wonderful. I thought it was resolved to the core, but again it may have been the same effect Mark wrote about. I'll take a closer look for that next time.
Just when I decided to pack up, I remembered Mars. It was still pretty low, but with some effort I was able to move the scope to a position in which I could get the planet in the eyepiece. Unfortunately, it was still too low to see well: the fence around my backyard obstructed half the aperture of the scope. Nonetheless, I was able to see a small amount of detail.
I took one last peek at M5, packed up the scope up, and went to sleep. I was in bed by 2am.