'Dewing' more of the Herschel 400 - Observations from 12/07/2002 - 37cm dob

by Jeffrey Gortatowsky

Well yes I know I am late on this. I am just getting caught up. One thing I notice about using a voice recorder is I am too wordy! I used to be a lot more brief when I had to writing these things out!

So being almost a month gone by, I guess this is more or less for posterity and the archives. I just got them all transcribed and a report made. Might be a bit boring as I tend to drone on.

Most of these objects are H400 objects. There are side trips along the way either because I detected interesting things in the FOV or a planet jumped into my FOV. :)

The night was one with heavy dewing and I had to make liberal use of the hair drier and for the first time ever, turned on the secondary heater. Oh, and Jeff'd first tip of the new year, never touch the shroud with certain hair dryers. Unless you like a ventilated shroud. :) and :(

Enjoy. Or not...

Site	Anza CA 24km NE of Palomar CA.
Seeing	4 to 6 on a 1 to 10 scale over the course of the night
Trans	Beats me. Dark at Zenith and in the North, easy, and south.
LM	6 @ Zenith
Weather	Clear, Calm, Damp, Mild to Heavy dewing drying up later
Instrument	Teleport 14.5 inch (37cm) f/4.5 dob
Objects	epsilon Lyrae, NGC 157, NGC 584, NGC 596, NGC 615, NGC 720, NGC 779, NGC 936, NGC 955, NGC 941, NGC 1052, NGC 1042, NGC 1035, NGC 1084, NGC 1022, Saturn, NGC 1407, NGC 1400, NGC 1402, IC 343, NGC 1393, NGC 1391, NGC 1394, NGC 1383, theta Orionis, B33, NGC 1964, NGC 1788, NGC 1999, NGC 1980, NGC 2204, NGC 2362, NGC 2354, NGC 2360, NGC 2335, NGC 2343, NGC 2311, NGC 2286

Object	epsilon1 Lyrae
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 1:30
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
This is sort of a standard 'how is seeing' check as I have logged the components several times before. Definitely split both components when seeing settles. Black space between both.
Object	NGC 157
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 2:20
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Pretty gratifying to track this down with the moon only 60 degrees or so away. Round and a little brighter in the middle. Cradled between two stars, one to the NNE and the other almost due south. Some mottling. A little puff. Worth revisiting when the moon is not so close.
Object	NGC 157
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 2:20
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Beautiful view. Small dim field star on the northern edge of the galaxy. No clearly defined nucleus. Definitely some mottling or variation in surface brightness. Just slightly oblong with a PA of perhaps no more than 15 or 25. Here's what I wrote four years ago with the 18 inch. "Easy round @64x. Brighter towards middle @85x. Bracketed N-S by two stars."
Object	NGC 584
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 2:32
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
This object is the northern most of the three I am interested in (being H400 objects) the others being NGC596 and NGC615. They are lined up northwest to southeast. The northern most 584 and the middle one to it's southeast, 596 are both fairly obvious. The farthest one to the southeast 615 is definitely of lower surface brightness and nowhere near as easy to spot as it's northeastern neighbors. 584 is fairly bright, and situated between two bright stars. One to the north-northeast is a wide double whose dimmer companion is to the east of the primary. The other star to 584's south-southeast forms a arrow shape asterism with three other stars pointing to the east.
Object	NGC 596
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 2:32
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
This object is the middle of the three galaxies I am interested in (being H400 objects) the others being NGC584 to the northwest and NGC615 to the southeast. They are lined up northwest to southeast. The northern most of these three NGC 584 and this one NGC596 the middle galaxy of the three are both fairly obvious. The farthest one to the southeast 615 is definitely of lower surface brightness and nowhere near as easy to spot as it's northeastern neighbors.
Object	NGC 615
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 2:32
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
This object is the southern most of the three I am interested in (being H400 objects) the others being NGC596 and NGC584 to the northwest of this galaxy. They are lined up northwest to southeast. The northern most of these three NGC 584 and the middle one NGC596 are both fairly obvious. This one, the farthest southeast NGC615 is definitely of lower surface brightness and nowhere near as easy to spot as it's northeastern neighbors.
Object	NGC 584
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 2:32
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Obvious patch of light. Looks like it might have a field star embedded in it or at this low a power perhaps a very bright nucleus. In the same FOV is 596 to the east southeast. Very close in brightness to 584. It is northwest of a fairly bright orange star. Moving the field of view around I got the impression the 584 is more edge on than I first thought. Maybe a PA of 30 or 35. This 'effect' was much more pronounced when I was moving the FOV around.
Object	NGC 615
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 2:52
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Definitely the hardest of the three I have been observing (NGC 596 and NGC 584 are the others). To the northeast of a relatively bright pair of stars. Pops out much easier with averted vision. Even with the moon it is still fairly obvious once you know where to look. At this magnification I can see some surface brightness variation but nothing else.
Object	NGC 584
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 3:00
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Conditions with dewing are getting worse making any observations iffy. But it's slightly lenticular and PA of about 45. Somewhat brighter towards the middle.
Object	NGC 584
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 3:11
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Prior observation may have been effected by some dew on the secondary. But that is taken care of. Much brighter now than the prior observation with a bright center. Indeed it looks like there could be two bright knots near the center. A PA of about 40 to 50 degrees. Lenticular in shape with a fairly obvious bright center. Elongated about 2 to 1.
Object	NGC 596
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 3:11
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Round with a distinctly brighter middle with almost a stellar like core area. Some variations in surface brightness or mottling. As I move the FOV around a bit I get the impression of streamers or perhaps even spiraling. Could be nothing I suppose. Large amount of fainter material surrounding the core.
Object	NGC 615
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 3:13
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Very obvious at this magnification. East northeast of bright (bright for the FOV) star. Definitely elongated with a PA of 120 or 130. Bright core. Elongated maybe 4 to 1. Obvious fainter material on the lobes. Southeastern side seems to be a bit brighter than the northeastern. Nice edge on with a almost stellar core.
Object	NGC 720
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 3:42
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Very obvious patch of light. Some sort of variations in the surface brightness with a brighter core area. Faint field star 5 or 6 arcmins to the south southwest.
Object	NGC 720
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 3:42
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Now I can see that the galaxy is bounded and sits near the center of a triangle made up of field stars. Star one of the triangle is to the south southwest, another to the northwest, then a smaller triangle of stars to the east northeast close the larger triangle around NGC 720. NGC 720 is round, mottled, with several brighter knots towards the middle. Bright but not stellar, core. A little wispy detail comes into view as I move it around the field of view.
Object	NGC 779
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 3:56
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Galaxy is an obvious slash of light . Elongated 4 or 5 to 1. Obviously and edge on. Triangle of field stars to the south. Dim field star to northeast. PA of about 160 or 165. Brighter middle with some variations in surface brightness. Two dimmer lobes of light to the NNW and SSE.
Object	NGC 779
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 3:56
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Definitely edge on, highly elongated, much brighter middle. Perhaps a bit longer in the southeastern side. Few field stars nearby, one almost directly north just a few arc-mins from the center of the galaxy, the other brighter and two or three times as far away to the ENE.
Object	NGC 936
Date/Time UT	12/7/2002 19:13
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Fairly easy to spot, large, round, almost stellar like nucleus. Surrounded by various field stars. Two of them to the WNW and a few more in trail to the east. Some mottling, surface brightness variations, and structure that suggests spiral structure. Very difficult to tell for sure but that is what is 'suggested'. Quite round and hard to tell a PA. Moving it around the field perhaps the PA is 100 to 110. Hard to tell. Just to the east, as the scope is moved around, NGC 941 is detectable.
Object	NGC 955
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 4:21
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
I was observing the H400 object NGC 936 when the field of view drifted a bit and this galaxy came into view. A very nice obvious edge on with a PA of about 20 or 25. Preceded to the west by 3 field stars that point right to it. To the southeast is another fairly bright field star. Very thin, with bright middle. Not much surface brightness variation.
Object	NGC 941
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 4:21
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
As was observing the H400 object NGC 936 I noticed this object. Directly east of 941. Barely detectable pool of light when the scope is not moving, but quite obvious once you do move the scope around. Might be a field star or two involved on the northern edge. Not enough structure is visible to guess a PA. But as I move the scope around it is quite obvious that it is there.
Object	NGC 1052
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 4:36
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Obvious round galaxy with a brighter middle. Almost stellar like in center. There are a few stars to the east ands west but they make no obvious asterism.
Object	NGC 1042
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 4:36
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
As I was observing nearby NGC 1052 a H400 object, I picked up this round low surface brightness galaxy. Averted vision helps in detecting the size of the galaxy.
Object	NGC 1052
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 4:36
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Small field star close in to the east. Round with a bright almost stellar central area. Just a little surface brightness variation is detectable. Can not really make out a PA as it appears quite round.
Object	NGC 1042
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 4:42
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Picked up this galaxy while observing the H400 object NGC 1052 to the NE. All that can be discerned is there is a brighter area of sky, a patch of light, and there appears to be many field stars involved. Maybe one obvious field star involved on the western side/edge. The only way to detect any details is to move this object around the field of view. Fairly large and hence low surface brightness.
Object	NGC 1035
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 4:42
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
As long as I was in the area view the H400 object NGC 1052 I figured I'd detour here. This object is a very obvious slash of light. Definitely an edge on that is elongated 4 or 5 to 1. Almost directly west of NGC 1052. PA of about 135.
Object	NGC 1084
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 5:00
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Since I was in the area, I starhopped from the H400 object I was observing, NGC1052, this object. Very bright and easy to see. Very obvious. Round but slightly oblong with a PA of between 30 and 40. Pretty uniform surface brightness.
Object	NGC 1022
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 5:06
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
A very obvious bright galaxy that I had no problem finding. It was a fairly easy starhop from my last target. Round with little or no other discernable features to its' shape. Definitely a brighter middle but can't tell if the core is stellar like at the low magnification. A lot of field stars in the 1.1 deg FOV.
Object	NGC 1022
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 5:06
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Round with ragged edges. Irregular surface brightness. There seems to be two brighter knots that are near the center. Hard to tell the direction they are laid out as I have to move the object around the field of view to pick them up and hold them. Field star directly to the north.
Object	Saturn
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 5:31
Eyepiece	4.8mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	344
I thought seeing was better than it really was. Nonetheless it is obvious where Dione, Tethys and Rhea are. Enceladus comes and goes with seeing. Mimas is right next to Enceladus but seeing is not allowing me to pick it up.
Object	Saturn
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 5:34
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Backing off the power from the 4.8mm to the 9mm I can hold Enceladus virtually all the time and I thought for a moment I detected Mimas, but since I can not duplicate that observation I would not call it confirmed.
Object	NGC 1407
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 5:47
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
As I zero'd in on this H400 object it became clear that there are many galaxies in the FOV of view. NGC 1407 is a bright, round patch of light, or almost so. Object has a brighter middle area. At this magnification I can not determine a PA. It's WSW is NGC 1400 which is smaller, dimmer overall, but perhaps a brighter middle. Very difficult to make out anything else.
Object	NGC 1400
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 5:47
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
As I zero'd in on the H400 object NGC1407 it became clear that there are many galaxies in the FOV of view including this obvious soft patch of light to the WSW of NGC 1407. In comparison to 1407 this object is smaller and dimmer overall, but perhaps a brighter middle. Very difficult to make out anything else.
Object	NGC 1407
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 5:47
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Round with a bright stellar like core. I can not make a PA as the shape just appears round to me. Fairly uniform surface brightness.
Object	NGC 1400
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:52
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Round and dimmer than nearby H400 object 1407. Definitely a brighter nucleus with a dim patch of halo material around it that is uniform in surface brightness. Field star to the WSW.
Object	NGC 1402
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:52
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Visiting nearby H400 object 1407, and almost directly west of it, there is this faint glow or patch of light.
Object	IC 343
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:52
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
While visiting the area of H400 object NGC 1407, I detected this object. There is a triangle of stars that is to the NNW of 1407 and just outside of the NW edge of that triangle is a little faint fuzzy that I can just pick up when moving the scope's field of view around that is IC343. I could just detect this object, but with averted vision it is not even that difficult.
Object	NGC 1393
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:00
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
While in the area of the H400 object 1407 I picked up this obvious slash of light.Brighter but slightly offset from the middle central area. PA of about 10 or 20. (Got my west and east mixed up as it's more like 170). To it's NE is two more galaxies. Both obvious slashes of light. The one nearest and just NE of NGC 1393, NGC 1391 appears to have a PA of about 45 (really 65). Then even further NE is the next galaxy NGC 1394 and it appears to have a PA of about 160 or 170 ( got that backwards again as it's really 5).
Object	NGC 1391
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:00
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
While in the area of the H400 object 1407 I was visiting the non h400 object 1393 which is the southwestern neighbor of this galaxy. An obvious slash of light that appears to have a PA of about 45 (really 65). NE of this galaxy is NGC 1394 and it appears to have a PA of about 160 or 170 ( got that backwards as it's really 5).
Object	NGC 1394
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:00
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
While in the area of the H400 object 1407 I was visiting the non H400 objects 1393 and 1391 both to the SW of this object. An obvious slash of light that appears to have a PA of 160 or 170 ( got that backwards as it's really 5).
Object	NGC 1383
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:03
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
I visited this object while scanning the area around the H400 object 1470. This is an obvious slash of light. Oriented almost exactly east-west. Two field star bracket the object. A dimmer one on the eastern edge and a brighter one on the western edge. Also another star NW of the galaxy. Perhaps a stellar like nucleus or could be another field star very near the center. Elongated perhaps 3 to 1.
Object	theta1 Orionis
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:07
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Five stars are no problem right now given the seeing.
Object	theta1 Orionis
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:07
Eyepiece	7mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	236
Given the seeing I can only hold the F star about 20% of the time.
Object	B 33
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:13
Eyepiece	7mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	236
I would not have really believed this if you had told me tonight prior to this observation but I can make out dark area set against a very dim nebulous area the is B33! Specifically (for ID purposes) between TYC 4771-191-1 and TYC 4771-896-1. Most definitely. Especially around that last star 896-1 where there is no doubt there is nebulosity around it as is around GSC 4771-871. There is a distinctly darker area just to their north. I can not say I see a horse head shape. But I am left with little doubt that there is a darker area set against the outline of a lighter nebulous area.
Object	NGC 1964
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:24
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Fairly dim patch of light at least when compared to some of the other H400 galaxies I have been observing tonight. A small patch of light. Either there is a dim field star superimposed on where I think the core is or I am seeing an almost stellar like core. Kind of round. Pretty faint. Can't really discern a PA at 61x. Core seems perhaps offset a bit from the optical center. Could be a field star then.
Object	NGC 1964
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:26
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Fairly elongated slash of light. Fairly low surface brightness. At this magnification shows a lot bigger in angular size than I thought at 61x. PA of 30 to 40. Stellar like core or a field star right near the core. To the west is a thin right triangle that points almost directly to what I think is the core. When I trace the galaxy to the southwest I see it ending at a field star. Whether that is the actual end of not I can't tell.
Object	NGC 1788
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:35
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Obvious green glow. I can see it must span a good quarter or third of a degree. However there is a brighter central area that is smaller. Maybe only 10 arc-min in size. Interesting that is has such a brighter center area. There is a bight star TYC 4754-1474-1 that is just to the NW of the defined brighter center.
Object	NGC 1788
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:35
Eyepiece	16mm Nagler Type 5
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	103
Does not seem to respond well to the UHC filter. Still can see the brighter center area. Also can see it may extend a bit farther to the SE than w/o filter. Will take off the UHC and see.
Object	NGC 1788
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:40
Eyepiece	16mm Nagler Type 5
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	103
I don't know that this view is improved over the view with the UHC filter. Perhaps unfiltered view is a bit better view. I'd say 1788 does not respond to UHC. The brighter area I thought was just a brighter area of the nebula is actually another field star and is to the southeast of the brighter TYC 4754-1474-1. The nebula sort of embraces both stars with the dimmer one nearer to the center.
Object	NGC 1788
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 6:40
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
With this magnification, as opposed to the 16mm Type 5, I can see there are other field stars that the nebula embraces to the northeast. Fills this ocular's field of view. It also stretches the view of the nebula to the southeast as well.
Object	NGC 1999
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 7:00
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61

Object	NGC 1999
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 7:00
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Very small and seems to surround a star. Hard to judge any size in this large a field of few but I should think we are talking a few arc-mins. Difficult to make out any shape. Just a diffuse glow around a field star.
Object	NGC 1999
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 7:00
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Very small glow. A field star in the center. Perhaps some of the area around the star is cleared out of nebulosity. Hard to tell. Very even brightness. Just a few arc-mins across, at least unfiltered. I am sure it's quite overlooked given it's famous neighbor to the north.
Object	NGC 1999
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 7:00
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
The UHC filter actually hurts the view. The star in the center is V380. It does not seem to venture beyond that star.
Object	NGC 1980
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 7:07
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
Bright diffuse nebula just south of the Orion nebula. Obvious that the nebula extends from Iota Orionis and spreads out to the southwest to encompass many of the stars in that area. For example a flatten T shape asterism to the southwest.
Object	NGC 2204
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 8:25
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
I almost missed this one as it's hard to pick out from the background.. Very loose. 7 or 8 of the brighter members form a hook or 'J' shape with the bend in the hook at SE end. Many dimmer members that are hard to count are cradled in the bend of the hook. NW there is a fairly bright orange star. In total perhaps 12 or 15 brighter stars and then the dim haze in the background of more members.
Object	NGC 2362
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 8:35
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Surrounds Tau Canis Majoris. Very pretty cluster. Perhaps 25 to 30 brighter members. Maybe some dimmer members in the background as I can't tell for sure if that is nebulosity or more unresolved stars in the background. Interesting that the stars in the cluster seem to make a sweeping shape like the old Atari symbol. They sweep towards the south with Tau right in the center of the area of the where they turn from the inward flows coming from the east and west and then head south. It appears like Tau is some sort of island barrier they must flow around before heading south.
Object	NGC 2362
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 8:35
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
At this magnification it certainly gives a impression of having nebulosity in the background back that could just be scatter from Tau. Tau appears to be triple star. With the closest orangish hued secondary at a PA of about 90. The farther away secondary at perhaps a PA of 80. In fact perhaps they are both near 90. Both seem a bit orangeish now and Tau slightly whiter. The cluster takes on the same sweeping shape I saw at 61x however I can also see 10 or more dimmer members.
Object	NGC 2354
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 8:44
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Very large and very loose. Difficult to tell from background. Probably 20 to 30 arc-mins in size with 40 or 50 members. A loose splash of stars. No pattern or shape I could discern. The central seems rather devoid of stars being outlined by stars of the cluster. No pattern however. Had to starhop in the main eyepiece because this cluster is so loose it did not show up in the 8x50 finder as a condensing of the background that would tell me I was pointing to it.
Object	NGC 2360
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 8:50
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Easy to find. Very compact. Many many stars of even brightness and color. Lots of arcs and winding shapes. The exception to the even brightness of the members is one star on the eastern edge that is decidedly brighter. Some stars on the western edge sort of make a loop pattern and outline a void area with almost no stars in it. Perhaps 50 or 60 members spanning some 10 - 15 arc-mins.
Object	NGC 2335
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 8:59
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Fairly compact and sparse with 10 - 20 bright members. I suspect there are as many dimmer members as well. Unique asterism of a thin right triangle that the cluster fits into with 2 bright stars to the southwest making the 'base', and brightest star to the northeast making the point. The cluster is almost centered in this arrow or thin triangle asterism. Cluster has 4 prominent members in the center the make a slanted square or rectangle that slants to the east. Also has the usual curves and swirls. Otherwise a fairly sparse. Size perhaps 15 arc-mins or so.
Object	NGC 2343
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 8:59
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Just to the southeast of NGC 2335. Very sparse cluster of perhaps 10 or 11 brighter stars. One obvious brighter orange star on the eastern edge. Another brighter start to the SE. Cluster members seem to form a outline of a small little dragon fly flying off to the northwest towards 2335.
Object	NGC 2353
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 9:09
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Very large. Fills at least 30 arc-min of the FOV. The cluster is straddled by two brighter stars about 45 arc-min part. First is a blue-white star to the southeast of the cluster's center. Then there is a light orange star to the northwest and is a bit further from the cluster's center. The cluster has maybe 40 or 50 members. The center is fairly spares with lots of dark space that is only broken up by a few dimmer members near the center. Most of the members are splayed out around this center area in curves and arc as well as a few lines of stars. A line juts out to the north-northeast and another to the west-southwest. A small number of doubles in the southeast quadrant. Especially the double that is situated near the bright star on the southeast corner area mentioned above. I see no really shape to this cluster. Very open in the center with a line of stars that curves around to the northwest with a smaller more compact area to the southeast.
Object	NGC 2311
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 9:26
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Very small perhaps 10 mins in size with 20 or so dim members. Very non-descript. Difficult to pick our from Milky Way background. Nonetheless a small condensation of the background star field. A Circle of stars marks west side. To the southeast there a little stick of 3 or 4 stars that curve off the southeast. To the northeast are two brighter stars in row oriented east to west. I used those two stars as a marker to help find the cluster I was starhopping. To the east of the cluster is an S shaped asterism with two bright stars marking the south side of the S.
Object	NGC 2286
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 9:34
Eyepiece	27mm Panoptic
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	61
Another very loose and large cluster with a lot of voids that I can see. The southwestern quadrant has quite a few dimmer members that are barely visible. This is the densest area of the cluster. The northern quadrant and southeastern area are mostly devoid of stars. Then there are the 20 or 30 brighter members that meander around the darker areas. In this 'denser' area in the southwest there are several nice little double. One nice one in the southeastern corner of the denser area. Two more on the southwestern edge of that denser area. Maybe the dense are is the only part of the actual cluster. There is a lot of haze that is the unresolved dimmer members in that area.
Object	NGC 2286
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 9:34
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
I suspect that using the lower 61x magnification, I over estimated the size and extent of this cluster. The area I referred to as the denser southwestern area is actually the cluster. I can count 10 to 15 dimmer members in the center boxed in by a keystone like shape made up of two triangles of brighter stars on southeast (TYC 4804-3112-1, TYC 4804-3451-1, GSC-4804-3297) and southwestern corners (TYC 4804-2008-1, GSC-4804-1656, TYC 4804-1504-1) and two single stars in the northeast (TYC 4804-1766-1) and northwest (TYC 4804-1998-1) corners. The dimmer stars in the center kind of curve and wind their ways through the center of this box or keystone shape. There are several prominent doubles on the northwest and southwestern edge. Perhaps 8 or so pairs in total.
Object	Saturn
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 9:43
Eyepiece	9mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	184
I can definitely see Enceladus which has now rotated from where it almost directly to the west of Saturn to a more west southwest position. Hard to hold however. Seeing is only fair with Enceladus coming and going. I thought the view in Alberto's 12.5 JMI better.
Object	Saturn
Date/Time UT	12/8/2002 9:43
Eyepiece	7mm Nagler Type 1
Barlow	(none)
Magnification	236
Interesting effect with the planet's shadow situated almost directly behind the planet, but still barely visible on the rings on both side, it makes the southern pole look squared off.