Coyote Lake ahead of the Moon

by Jamie Dillon

Last night Jim Everitt and I headed up to Coyote Lake, early moonrise or no early moonrise. Had a fine time. The conditions were OK, limiting magnitude around 5.0, seeing moderate 3/5. There was a family with scopes who kept to themselves, and Scott Baker with his refractor, Alex Avtanski, another pleasant man with a new Orion 127 Mak-Newt who told us his name. And there was Lou de los Reyes, a Coyote regular who is a monster observer. She's been at this two years, has seen all the Messiers but M74 and M77, is way into the Eye Candy List and knows her way around the sky. Has observed from Crater Lake to Costa Rica. Mmm-mmm-mm.

We mostly all swapped views and looked at some old and new favorites. My one project of the night was scanning the woods around 7331 in Pegasus for neighbor galaxies. Almost 3 years ago, Craig Scull dared me to find the biggest satellite galaxy of 7331, i.e., 7335, on a fine night at Coe with superb seeing. This was easier in Felix than I'd guessed. Two weeks ago I found myself swinging the 30" at the FPOA Observatory, gazing at 7331 in all its splendor, with 7335 looking big right there. Meanwhile I'd studied the field in UM2000, and there are 3 other galaxies in that area that are within my reach.

Got 'em all last night. 7335 was sitting right where it's supposed to be. 7337 is right near 7331 as well and not eye candy, a small splotch against an arc of 3 stars. 7340 is subtle as well, a ways to the East. According to The Night Sky Observer's Guide, these three just mentioned are actual companion galaxies to 7331, with 7335 being its LMC. (There's another companion galaxy next to 7335, i.e., 7336, that's beyond my reach.)

Jim was taking his ease in the Neuschafer Sling Chair while I was laboring away at the eyepiece. Turned out he was looking at NSOG for the patch of sky I was studying. On page 284 (v.1) there's a good closeup photo of that very field. Very helpful in running down 7340.

7315 is to the North and easier, not apparently a relative, a roughly circular patch with feathered edges, no discernable core.

This was all with Felix, a Celestron 11" f/4.5 Dobs with optics made by Discovery Telescopes. Was using a 22 Pan, 16mm UO Koenig, 10mm and 6mm Radians.

Company was really great last night. We had fun showing off objects, including Stephan's Quintet, aka the Trio in Felix. Struve 525 is a pretty double in Lyra that Lou showed off, new to me. We shared views of Palomar 8 in Sag, 6712 in Sct, a really fancy globular, and the OC's in the arm of Cas between delta and epsilon Cas.

Also, the moonlight on the lake when the place was empty was lovely, and the coyotes were howling just on the edges of the lot. Good treat last night. All praise to Denny W. for getting us this handy spot.

Posted on sf-bay-tac Sep 05, 2004 22:18:01 PT
Converted by report.pm 1.2 Jan 09, 2005 08:45:12 PT