Adin CA July 2 and 3 2008 GSSP

Mark Johnston

GSSP Observations for July 2 and July 3, 2008

Again thanks to all the hard working GSSP organizers as it was a great time to observe and mingle. I will not attempt to list who was there in these ORs as it was 'off the hook'.

Was only onsite at GSSP for Wed and Thursday. Wed was a better night but what I found after I compiled my ORs for both nights was I observed far more objects on the second night. I tend to only make notes on ones that are in any given project so I will attribute this odd count-inversion to the fact that I spent a lot of time talking and looking at favorite eye candy targets which did not make it to my report. The exception to the eye candy observations is that I am trying to re-observe the Messier objects with 'real' observations so you will see some of those below mixed in with the farther away guys.

Would be curious if anyone could post star counts for Cyg for Wed and Thurs and indicate the best of the star counts as things were coming and going due to smoke as I recall. My reports indicate SQM which is only part of the picture and on these nights transparency was kicking darkness much more than normal.

Wed was the better of the two nights for Sag and I poked around there and had a great time.

So I would say Wed was more party than star and Thursday was more star than party.

I'll just 'tac' these (har har) one after the other below.

Mark

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Golden State Star Party Adin, CA Wed July 2, 2008 Mark Johnston

Summary: Tracking down Barnards and DeepMap 600 targets Scope: 18" f/3.7 Starmaster Observers: About 300 observers, many from TAC groups around the state Conditions: Variable transparency with Cygnus best and upper Sag ok at times 21.80 off of milky way and 21.68 right into zenith milky way. Site: Largest light dome is 10 deg high to west and has 1 search light. Other dome is NNE and almost up to 10 deg. Low dome NW. No glow to South.

22:40 Palomar 4 (distant glob). Not really an object I can claim. Possiblly saw couple brighter stars less than 10% averted. Possible dim glow in that area detected.

M 9 NGC 6333 Glob 7.8 12.0' 13.5 16.2 --- --- BAA 17 19 11.8 -18 30 59
23:23 2-3' dia with even drop off in concentration. Some resolution of a few stars. Appears to have 4 corner stars with 2 on south side right next to glob with E-W elongation. Possible slight elongation in 135deg PA.

B 64 LDN 173 DrkN 12.0x 8.0' Co SKY 17 17 19.2 -18 31 03
23:30 12' N-S len. Distinct with north as main area. Possible BG stars near middle. Bounded by fairly equal mag stars

B 259 LDN 177 DrkN 25.0x15.0' Ir SKY 17 22 06.0 -19 18 00
23:49 20-30 min in longest dimension. 3 stars poke through middle. brightest and then 2 others form equilateral triangle shape. Off of western corner is fairly bright mag star

NGC 6342 Glob 9.5 4.4' 15.0 16.9 --- --- BAA 17 21 10.2 -19 35 14
23:50 Just SW of B259. 1' or less DIA. Non stellar core. Even concentration. Field star 1' to SSW. Possible field stars off to ENE

NGC 6356 H400 REOBSERVE
Glob 8.2 10.0' 15.1 17.7 --- --- BAA 17 23 35.0 -17 48 47
23:57 2' dia. Non stellar core. Even concentration. Possible dark area to NE

Did a bit of wandering around and talking to folks, went to the can and so on here ...

NGC 6946 UGC 11597 CGCG 304-6 Arp 29 PGC 65001 FAVORITE Face On Spirel
Glxy 9.6b 11.6x 9.8' 57 SAB(rs)cd RC3 20 34 52.0 +60 09 15 01:00 Tiny stellar core 0.5'. Full width E-W 10-12' and N-S 8' total. Two arms out to east CCW (in dob). Seems to be arm wrapping around N

NGC 6939 Cr 423 Mel 231 FAVORITE with 6946
Open 7.8 7.0' 80 11.9 II 1 r LYN 20 31 31.8 +60 39 14
01:05 Losely packed. 50-100 stars similar mag. Forms 'diamond'. Because of eye 'sockets' E-W and a nose then mouth below to south to pointy chin

NGC 6826 PK 83+12.1 PNG 83.5+12.7 FAVORITE POPULAR
Plan 9.8p 38.0" 10.4 3a+2 STE 19 44 48.2 +50 31 31 01:15 Even disk. 0.5' DIA. Bright central star (which is why it 'blinks') Possible non-even brightness. Instant drop off at disk ends. Used 3.5mm nag at highest and looked ok (550 x)

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Golden State Star Party Adin, CA Thurs July 3, 2008 Mark Johnston

Summary: Tracking down Barnards and DeepMap 600 targets
Scope: 18" f/3.7 Starmaster
Observers: About 300 observers, many from TAC groups around the state Conditions: Variable transparency with Cygnus best and upper Sag ok at times 21.80 off of milky way and 21.68 right into zenith milky way. Horrible smoke cover south and east (useless below 45 degrees) Adin Site: Largest light dome is 10 deg high to west and has 1 search light. Other dome is NNE and almost up to 10 deg. Low dome NW. No glow to South.

NGC 6888 SH2 -105 LBN 203 DM600 TACEYECANDY
BrtN 18.0x 8.0' E SKY 20 12 01.0 +38 23 00
23:17 Like a cursive upper case E. 23' len. OII filter best. 2 open areas. NGC 7000 FAVORITE North American Nebula
BrtN 120.0' E SKY 20 58 00.0 +44 20 00
23:20 Mexico is high contrast against the gulf.

IC 5070 IC 5067 LBN 353 Pelican Nebula
BrtN 60.0x50.0' E LBN 20 51 00.0 +44 00 00
23:22 Standing out fairly well with OII filter. Not as bright as NA neb

B 352 Just above NA Neb, Canada
DrkN --- SKY 20 57 11.5 +45 50 30
23:25 Best through finder with OIII filter so it stands out against north of NA Neb. A triangle of fairly bright stars is in midst of the object and I would think these may be forground stars perhaps.

NGC 6811 Cr 402 Mel 222 DM600
Open 6.8 12.0' 70 11.0 III 1 r LYN 19 37 13.2 +46 21 50
23:46 10' dia, slightly hollow in middle. Stars of similar mag. Some brighter stars around the outside help define it. General shapes of 3 circlets seems to come out as patterns.

NGC 6800 DM600
Open 5.0' 20 10.0 IV 1 p LYN 19 26 59.2 +25 05 03
23:58 Pointless open cluster. 7' dia and bounded by outline sort of like a bear.

Cr 399 DM600 Coathanger Cluster
Open 3.6 60.0' 40 5.2 III 3 m LYN 19 26 12.0 +20 06 00
00:03 Very large asterism resembling coat hanger with loop right off of straight line

Stock 1 DM600 Open 4.4 6.0' 50 8.2 I 2 m TYC 19 35 47.2 +25 10 28k
00:05 30' dia perhaps. Many bright members, resembles star shape or maybe a 'man'. Stands out due to bright stars but otherwise it would blend into stars.

NGC 6857 PK 70+1.2 DM600
BrtN 11.4p 38.0" HII STR 20 01 48.7 +33 31 32
00:11 Dim difuse, OIII filter required. Slight E-W elongation 2:1. 1' max len. no central star was detected in this nebulous area.

SH2 -100 LBN 161 Possible sighting
BrtN 3.0' E SH2 20 01 41.0 +33 30 54 00:11 This I combined and thought was same object as N 6857 but is slightly west. If I saw any of this it was only a little as my tot len for 6857 was ok and this combined would have seemed 2x as long as I described.

NGC 6709 Cr 392 Mel 214 DM600 Open 6.7 13.0' 40 9.0 IV 2 m LYN 18 51 30.0 +10 20 00
00:24 maybe 12' dia. Stands out only a bit. Triangular shapes. Outside has eq triangle with bright 2 stars as E-W base. A little triangle is then within the larger outline.

IC 4756 Cr 386 Mel 210 DM600
Open 4.6 52.0' 80 8.0 II 3 r LYN 18 38 54.0 +05 26 00
00:34 Huge full FOV or about 40' corner to corner. Triangles is basic patterns. very open and mostly same mag stars. Maybe 3 triangles within each other.

NGC 6664 Cr 385 DM600
Open 7.8 16.0' 50 9.0 III 2 m LYN 18 36 31.0 -08 11 00
00:43 13' len. Images are 2 hyperbolas pointing away from each other. Also 2 stars are between hyperbolas, 1 off to either side. Is this a sign?

M 22 NGC 6656 REOBSERVE MESSIER
Glob 5.2 32.0' 10.7 14.2 --- --- BAA 18 36 24.2 -23 54 12
00:50 6' Dia. Not concentrated. Some resolvable members. 1.2 to 1 Slightly irregular. Distinct feeling of 4 spokes going out from center. Center dims a bit. Post observation note: Dim area may just not have foreground stars?

B 95 LDN 406 DrkN 30.0' C G SKY 18 25 36.0 -11 45 00
00:58 30' across and a tall triangular shape with point to south. NGC 6631 Cr 379 DM600
Open 11.7 5.0' 30 --- II 1 m LYN 18 27 12.0 -12 01 00
01:00 4-5' across. Barely standing out from background. Less than 50 stars.

M 17 NGC 6618 SH2 -45 LBN 60 FAVORITE Messier Swan, Omega neb
BrtN 6.9 11.0x 6.0' E LBN 18 20 45.0 -16 10 00
01:02 Main body flat on bottom. Broad dipping down below body in front. Bright 2 stars along inside arch of neck. Slight gap and then a head which I have never seen. Towards tail nebuloscity continues to fan out a ways. Above the body of swan nebulous area continues to 2/3 height of neck. Before this night I have always felt this was more similar to a 'duck' than a swan but tonight I have really seen the head that is out front as well as the 'wings' above the back.

M 28 NGC 6626 Glob 6.9 13.8' 12.0 15.7 --- --- BAA 18 24 32.9 -24 52 12
01:15 2-3' dia. Core is concentrated and bright stellar. Stars fade out to 3'

NGC 6530 Cr 362 East side of M8
Open 4.6 14.0' 113 6.0 II 2 m n LYN 18 04 28.6 -24 21 26
01:18 10'x7' across. Very bright stars, about 20. Very open with 'square' in middle.

NGC 6546 Cr 365 Open 8.0 13.0' 150 10.6 II 1 r LYN 18 07 12.0 -23 18 00
01:22 Sparse, over 100 stars. Barely stands out from background.

NGC 6629 ESO 522-26 Henize 2-399 Sanduleak 2-335 Wray 15-1869 PK 9-5.1 PNG 9.4-5.0 Plan 11.6p 16.0" 12.9 2a STE 18 25 42.4 -23 12 10 01:27 1/4' DIA. Extremely small. ID by field stars. Even bright and fades quick at edges.

M 92 NGC 6341 Messier REOBSERVE
Glob 6.5 14.0' 12.1 15.2 --- --- BAA 17 17 07.3 +43 08 11
01:43 6' Dia. Core approach stellar with gradual fade off, high concentration. Resolution on outer stars only with no resolving of the core.