December 23, 2009: Last session of the year

Mark Johnston

Fremont Peak FPOA Ranger Row Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:00pm-3:30am SQM 21.2 2:30am

Weather gave a break so a trip to Fremont peak in mid-week just after my last day before a vacation was a great way to end the year. Was onsight before sunset to enjoy the views with a walk about before sunset. No new observations and only re-observations for a very long night. Packed up starting at 3:30 and got home at 5am. Tired but satisfied. I'll post my full note which I don't tend to do very often.

Summary: Herschel lists 1 cluster reobserve (marked with H1_RO:), Test new 16mmNag type 5, My main goal was also to observe some big galaxies and close the night out with my 1st Virgo Cluster area observations this season. No new observations but about 40 re-observations, 16 detailed.

Scope: 18" f/3.7 Starmaster with Paracorr (f/4.2 combo)
Observers: Mark Johnston
Conditions: Moonset 11:50pm. Very good seeing but transparancy came and went. Light breeze only very so often, not an issue. Temps about 34 degrees. Thin clouds mostly to West. Very good seeing all night. With Moon: 20.5 SQM at zenith and 5.3 NELM with moon 40 degrees up. Without best was 2:30-3:30 for 21.2 SQM at zenith and > 6.5 NELM
Site: FremontPk Date: 12/23/2009 Scope: 18SMasterPC Mag: 21.2

con: Cet lst: H1 cmt: H1_RO: NGC 157 MCG -2-2-56 PGC 2081 Glxy 11.0b 4.2x 2.7' 30 SAB(rs)bc RC3 00 34 46.6 -08 24 03 7:00pm 7mmNag,278x 4' len 1.5EL 20dPA NSCore but core slightly brighter. Moon 30 degrees away. 2' from core at 45dPA to NE is FStar at edge of glow. FS WSW from core by 20" Trailing Eastern edge seems to have a protrusion or is very uneven.

con: Cas lst: H1 cmt: H1_RO: NGC 457 Cr 12 Mel 7 Open 6.4 13.0' 80 8.6 II 3 r LYN 01 19 33.0 +58 17 24 7:40pm 16mmNag,122x 13' dia < 200 stars. Stands out well. Very bright Star to SE and just slightly dimmer one same ways out from core to SSW. Bright tier 2 Carbon star, very red, is 3' E of cluster center. 40-50 Tier 3 stars. Center has about a 3' void. Line of stars from southern end through middle with small triangle then more stars on up through NW side.

con: Per lst: H1 cmt: H1_RO: M 76 NGC 650 NGC 651 PK 130-10.1 PNG 130.9-10.5 Plan 12.2p 167.0" 15.9 3+6 STE 01 42 19.9 +51 34 35 8:05pm 5mmNag,389x OIII filter 2' len for both of the 2 distinct lobes and 1' width each lobe. Lobes are at 45dPA. Hint at possible stellar in more western lobe. Trailing lobe is slightly dimmer and not as defined so it is not as concentrated as other lobe. Little wing trails off N lobe to the West. Moon 30degrees from this field.

con: Cas lst: H1 cmt: H1_RO: NGC 654 Cr 18 Mel 9 Open 6.5 5.0' 60 10.0 II 2 r LYN 01 44 00.0 +61 53 00 8:15pm 7mmNag,278x 4-5' dia. < 50 stars. Stands out well. Bright slightly carbon-yellow star on southern side. 8 Tier2 members and maybe 30 other members. No shape comes to mind. Slight appearance of a 4-point box Small asterism on N end. Has appearance of triangle pointing north (roughly)

con: Cas NGC 663 Cr 20 Mel 11 Open 7.1 16.0' 80 9.0 II 3 r LYN 01 46 17.0 +61 13 06 8:25pm 16mmNag,122x 20' dia. Over 100 stars. Stands out well. 10 Tier1 stars forming 3 spokes out from central area. Spokes: N, ESE, SW from center. These tier 1 stars are not greatly brighter then the rest. Obvious Carbon star 15' SW outside of cluster and out a ways. Cluster does not have obvious carbon stars.

con: Per lst: H1 cmt: H1_RO: NGC 1245 Cr 38 Mel 18 Open 8.4 10.0' 200 12.0 II 2 r LYN 03 14 42.0 +47 14 18 8:31pm 7mmNag,278x 7' size. 150 stars. 1.5EL 45dPA sort of a 'feel' but is fairly irregular. Simple Telrad Find but finder does not show cluster. Cluster stands out well after use of 7mm Nag. Blanket of similar mag stars. 6-7 just a bit brighter. Slightly carbon star on NW side of cluster. Open gap with a 2' void E of center. Dark area 2' across W of center.

con: Per lst: H1 cmt: H1_RO: NGC 1342 Cr 40 Mel 21 Open 6.7 14.0' 40 8.0 III 2 m LYN 03 31 36.0 +37 23 00 8:40pm 16mmNag,122x 20' size. < 100 stars. 10 Tier 1 stars. 40 mid tier members. Easy to spot in finder. Roughly resembles long rectangular thin in middle orion look at about 45dPA.

con: Aur lst: H1 cmt: H1_RO: NGC 2126 Cr 78 Mel 39 Open 10.2 6.0' 40 13.0 III 2 m LYN 06 02 34.0 +49 52 00 10:20pm 7mmNag,278x 6' size. < 50 stars. Just stands out from background. 5 or so Tier 1 stars. Very sparse, hardly stands out. A sort of 'Z' pattern is made by Tier 2 type of stars with the base being EW orientation. Very bright star +2mag N of cluster. Does not show in finder.

con: Gem lst: H1 cmt: H1_RO: NGC 2420 Cr 154 Mel 69 Open 8.3 10.0' 100 11.0 I 1 r LYN 07 38 24.0 +21 34 24 10:37pm 7mmNag,278x 7' x 5' 170dPA about 150 stars. 10 Tier1, bright one leads cluster. Large blanket elsewhere. Brighter members give appearance to a large wedge pointing more or less east. Stands out well in finder.

con: Gem lst: H1 cmt: H1_RO: NGC 2371 NGC 2372 PK 189+19.1 PNG 189.1+19.8 Plan 13.0p 55.0" 14.8 3a+2 STE 07 25 34.8 +29 29 22 10:40pm 5mmNag,389x O3Filter 30" size each at about 45dPA for the pair. Leading lobe more defined and concentrated. Trailing lobe is fainter. Both lobes are full disks. With NpbFilter: Shows more detail. Leading one seems slightly elongated NS. Trailing lobe has some form of irregularity like a slightly brighter area on it's NW side. Just NW of center of trailing lobe seems to be faint star with averted, a bit more towards other lobe to NE. Moon is still 10' off horizon.

M 35 NGC 2168 Mel 41 Open 5.1 28.0' 200 8.0 III 3 r LYN 06 09 00.0 +24 21 00 11:00pm 16mmNag,122x 5-6 Tier 1 stars with NE edge and SE edge ones dominant. Carbon one just SW of central open void. non-concentrated. With imagination a 5-point star with 1 point to N, 1 to W, two points off to East, then Imagine one point to S side of cluster.

NGC 2158 Cr 81 Mel 40 Open 8.6 5.0' 973 15.0 II 3 r LYN 06 07 26.0 +24 05 48 11:00pm 7mmNag 5' size. 150 stars in fine blanket, maybe more dimmer ones that are just a glow. 1.5EL main elongated triangle feel with high point of triangle to the west. Most stars within this triangle area. Most stars concentrated to East side. Mostly even blanket of stars. 7-10 Tier1 members but Tier1 is only just brighter than the fine full blanket of stars that make up the cluster.

con: Pup lst: H1 cmt: H1_RO: NGC 2571 Cr 181 Open 7.0 13.0' 30 8.8 II 3 m LYN 08 18 57.0 -29 45 00 11:20pm 13mmNag,150x 12' size. 50-100 stars. Not standing out well for non Tier-1 members.

20.7 SQM with 5.6 or better NELM with the moon getting very close to horizon.

con: Cam lst: H1 cmt: H1_RO: NGC 2403 UGC 3918 CGCG 309-40 CGCG 310-3 MCG +11-10-7 Kara 197 IRAS 7321+6543 PGC 21396 Glxy 8.9b 22.1x12.4' 127 Sc RC3 07 36 51.6 +65 36 10 12:22am 7mmNag,278x 7' mostly EW elongated. Central area stands out but outskirts not easy to see. Seems to be a knot 1/3 FOV off of northern side is dim but brighter area. SE of core is a glowing area with EW elongation and appears to be field star in middle of this glow. Brightness extends out on WNW part farther away than on other side. A know is west of the center of the core by 4'. Other parts of observation were just feelings and not founded.

M42 area field stars. Seeing: 12:44 5mmNag,389x 6-star Trapezium. Very steady. 2 stars North of trapezium, 1st one slightly brighter and of spacing of western 2 Trap stars. NNW of Trap is 2 bright stars then little star 4' N of trap then little bit farther is 3 very tiny stars in a faint row, 2 close on leading edge then the 3rd a bit farther spacing. Also a tiny faint guy trailing trap by a little more than 1'. One other one found by drawing a line from right eye to 'mouth' is the base of a 0.7 squat triange with head of squat tri to the west is where tiny dim star resides.

Now we are just going to be having fun re-observing a lot of old friends ...

1:20am Leo Triplet just bairly frame all 3 galaxies in 16mm. Dust lane in Ngc3628 is offset closer to the M65 and M66 side of the core.

2 am Markarian chain and paisly trail 1st attempt. Missing Ngc4413 and Ngc4402 from transparency fading. Seems a bit soft now so try later. Missing most members mag 13 or dimmer.

2:10am Short look at M101 but was still not a great view due to light high level transparency problems.

2:20am 9mmNag,216x Markarian chain and then walk the 'Paisly Trail' without detailed observations. Now transparency much better. Sighted (in this order): M86, M84, Little Ngc4387 then flat Ngc4388 and now we can see Ngc4402 on northern rim of the M86 circle. Cat's eyes are bright with elongated 4438. Second pair 4461,4458. On down the 'J' to 4473 and then 4477. Now for 4459 and hard turn to 4468 then 4474. On to M88 using wider eyepiece then on to M90. Pulled up better chart and went back for Ngc4446/4447 which are at the limits of this night being 14.6/14.9. On to M88 again and just bairly detect to it's south IC3478 and IC3476. Catch Ngc4516 on the way to M91 as a mostly diffuse face on. Ngc4571 was very diffuse and tricky with mostly just tiny core but averted shows broader size. On to M90 with very stellar core. M89 nears end of our trail and Ngc4551 and Ngc4550 just south.

NELM near Mizar in UMa has a nice pattern and I am getting 6.5. Seeing is very very good.

2:50 Saturn 7mmNag,278x Cartoon clear. Leading moon 1 full 'length of rings' out. 2 very very close Tier2 moons trailing moons about 1 width of main saturn body off of the edge of the ring. 1 more moon seems out of allignment but is bright and is bright moon, Tier 1, E-SE trailing center of Saturn. Can see darkness over north side of the ring. Cas Division is tricky, not claiming it. Mag up to 5mmNag, 389x, but wind picking up so not getting any more details.

M 51 NGC 5194 UGC 8493 CGCG 246-8 Arp 85 MCG +8-25-12 VV 403 IRAS 13277+4727 PGC 47404 Glxy 9.0b 10.3x 8.1' 17 SA(s)bc pec RC3 13 29 53.3 +47 11 48 3:00am 7mmNag,278x M51 now looks very nice Nice gaps in the arms. Large arm loops around from south over and on east side up to Ngc5195. The arm off West goes off down CW around the bottom. Very nice view for being 45 degrees off of the horizon.

NGC 5195 UGC 8494 CGCG 246-9 MCG +8-25-14 IRAS 13278+4731 PGC 47413 MltG 10.5b 5.8x 4.6' 79 I0 pec RC3 13 29 58.7 +47 16 21 3:05am 7mmNag,278x No observation but of course saw it along with M51.

End tape 2, start tape 3.

NGC 2903 UGC 5079 CGCG 122-14 MCG +4-23-9 Kara 347 PGC 27077 Glxy 9.7b 12.6x 6.0' 17 SAB(rs)bc RC3 09 32 09.6 +21 29 58 3:10am 7mmNag,278x 5' obvious length at about 40dPA. Knot off to N and arms loop clockwise. Another arm off from West going S and the gap shows nicely there. The other arm off from east branches out over the top but is fainter arm. Seems to be gap on West of core which is elongated core. SW on very edge of bright area has very dim FStar.