With the naked eye I followed a line from 11 Puppis (mag 4.2) through Rho Puppis (mag 2.8) to the southeast for about 10° where I picked up the very wide pairing of Gamma and Delta Pyxidis (mag 4.0 and 4.9 respectively). Aiming the scope at these stars using the Rigel Quikfinder and then moving to the
(Equipment used)
17.5 inch
Ethos 21mm (94x, 1.1° TFOV, 4.7mm exit pupil)
Ethos 13mm (152x, 0.7° TFOV, 2.9mm exit pupil)
XW 10mm (199x, 0.4° TFOV, 2.2mm exit pupil)
XW 7mm (283x, 0.2° TFOV, 1.6mm exit pupil)
(Treasure found)
ESO 495-21 (Pyxis, irregular galaxy, mag=11.6, size=1.7’x1.3’, SBr=12.3):
Also catalogued as MCG -4-21-5, the IDSA utilizes the ESO designation so I will keep with their protocol. Swept up with 94x, it’s located about 3.5° northwest of Gamma Pyx and about 23.5’ WSW of Eta Pyx. I found it slightly bright despite the extinction of its low elevation (about 21°) above the horizon. Small in visual size, it presented an oval disk with a stellar core flickering at its center. Also viewed with 152x and 199x, it was quite obvious in the field, with a strong stellar core embedded within a small round central brightness inside the overall galactic halo. (New)
I now moved NNE of the Gamma/Delta Pyx pair and located my next target. Easily found at 94x it presented as a slightly bright small out of round homogeneous glow. More obvious at 152x, an intermittent stellar core made its presence known. With 199x, it was bright with a weak stellar core held steadily. (New)
Moving into eastern Pyxis near the border with Antlia, I found this small and subtly bright oval with an intermittent stellar core noted. The view was similar at 152x, though the galaxy was more apparent. Then at 199x it was an obvious oval glow with its stellar core remaining intermittent to the eye. (New)
ESO 498-4 (Pyxis, spiral galaxy, mag=12.3, size=2.2’x1.4’, SBr=13.4):
Heading north to where Pyxis, Antlia and Hydra meet up I searched for my next target. Just perceived at 94x as a tiny dust mote, it was easier at 152x. It presented a small and weak homogeneous oval inside of a triangle of three dim (13th and 14th mag) field stars. Even though it was easier still when viewed at 199x, it remained a weak presence in the field, diffuse and evenly illuminated. (New)
ESO 498-6 (Pyxis, lenticular galaxy, mag=12.8, size=1.2’x0.5’, SBr=12.1):
Not picked up at 94x, it was found using 152x as a small dim oval between two field stars (10th and 11th mag). With 199x a stellar core was spotted within its dim diffuse envelope. (New)
Just over half a degree to the northeast of the previous object I found this lenticular. Using 94x it was a small out of round glow with an intermittent stellar core. Even at 152x it remained a bit weak, and its stellar core never held steadily. Viewing with 199x it was easier, but still a weak presence in the field, and its stellar core remained unsteady. (New)
As I had to cut across a corner of Hydra to continue on in Pyxis, I stopped by this galaxy along the way. Bright and large at 94x it presented a thick oval with a stellar core apparent at its center. Then at 152x and 199x a brighter central lens was detected surrounding the stellar core. This inset lens was obvious within the galaxy’s overall halo. (New)
Picked up at 94x as only a suspected small diffuse oval, I quickly moved to 152x where its presence was confirmed. Though brighter it remained weak and homogeneous. Finally at 199x it was easily seen though still not a strong presence in the field. The lower elevations, along with the associated atmospheric extinction, were definitely having an impact on the views. (New)
ESO 564-11 (Pyxis, spiral galaxy, mag=12.8, size=0.8’x0.5’, SBr=11.7):
Swept up at 94x, it presented a very small oval that was subtly bright to my surprise. Bumping up to 152x it remained a small homogenous oval that was obvious within the view. Then moving to 199x, a very intermittent stellar core was noted in its center, but otherwise it remained obvious and homogeneous. (New)
I now moved into Antlia to begin my foraging for some more galaxies. Turning to chart 83-left in the IDSA I returned to Gamma Pyxidis then moved over into western Antlia to a circular
Using 94x and moving east from the southern end of the pair of parallel lines of stars mentioned above this beauty slid into view. Exhibiting low surface brightness, it was large in visual extent and its core contained a small concentrated non-stellar brightness. This core was wrapped in a gauzy envelope of uneven illumination or mottled appearance. Looking at 152x flashes of an intermittent stellar core popped through the concentrated brightness in its center. The structural mottling was more apparent giving rise to the strong inference of spiral structure as the eye moved across its disk. Viewing with 199x further enhanced the sense of spiral structure as the unevenness of its surface brightness detailed the transition between arms and associated dust lanes.
Overall it presented an eerie, ghostly appearance to the eye that was intriguing. Quite beautiful in appearance, it is certainly worth the effort to dig a bit deep to the south to pull out the fourth most southern object discovered by William Herschel. I can only attempt to imagine the logistical exercise it took for he and his assistant to maneuver his 18.7 inch diameter, 20 foot focal length scope so near to the horizon from his garden in Slough. After all, he was working at around 7° at culmination while comparatively, I at around a relatively roomy 20° above the horizon. Lucky me!
Okay then. Now that I revisited that marvelous galaxy, I was ready to move on with my personal journey of discovery. Less than 1° north of
Moving west of
ESO 434-9 (Antlia, lenticular galaxy, mag=12.8, size=1.1’x1.1’, SBr=13.1):
Just ENE of the previous object and in the same
Moving to the east of
Just 10’ to the southeast of the previous object and in the same field of view was this somewhat bright and subtly large oval. It contained a compact non-stellar core of increased brightness at 94x. It was blatantly obvious at 152x and 199x with its strong non-stellar core standing out nicely. This was a nice little galaxy visually and worth the effort on the down low. (New)
Next up was this small oval about 23’ east of
Almost 12.5’ north of
Nearly 1° NNW of the previous object I landed on my next galaxy. Swept up with 94x, it was a dim and small elongated diffuse glow between a wide pair of field stars (12th and 13th mag). Oriented NNE-SSW, it lay closer to the northeastern of the two stars that framed its disk. Easier at 152x, it remained a bit weak and homogeneous overall. An intermittent stellar core popped in and out at 199x as the galaxy’s envelope became a little more obvious between the two field stars. (New)
About 43.5’ NNW of the visually weak open cluster ESO 435-9 (observed previously) I easily notched my next galaxy. Its small homogeneous oval disk was slightly bright to my eye. It lay just west of a wide pair of field stars (11th and 13th mag). With 152x an intermittent stellar core became apparent, while it became steady at 199x, with the galaxy becoming an obvious small oval presence in the view. (New)
Just over 1° to the east was my next find. It was slightly dim to the eye, small and oval in shape at 94x. It lay a couple of minutes west of an 8th mag field star and at 152x and 199x it was a more obvious oval glow, but remained small and homogeneous in appearance. (New)
Next in the bag was this barred spiral, found just over 1° east of the last object near a curving line of 7th to 11th mag field stars. However, it was not initially seen at 94x and I had to move up to 152x to tease it out of the sky. It presented a small and dim slightly elongated homogeneous glow. I also observed it with 199x and 283x, which rendered it easier, but it remained visually weak overall. Evenly illuminated it appeared more as a delicate low surface brightness ghostly apparition. (New)
I went looking for my next target just over 1° southeast of the previous object and found it next to a dim field star, though initially at 94x I only suspected its presence. Going ahead to 152x it presented itself as a slightly large diffuse low surface brightness oval. Though more obvious at 199x it remained evenly illuminated and a little diaphanous to the eye. (New)
Moving back to the northwest in the direction of the border with Hydra, I found my final two targets of the evening east of the 6.3 mag star HD 85725. This galaxy was spotted less than 14’ east of the star as a slightly dim and small diffuse non-stellar mote of light at 94x. It was more obvious and better defined at 152x as a rounded glow with an intermittent stellar core pinned to its center. Finally at 199x the stellar core became steady and the galaxy disk much easier as a nice round smooth puff of galactic light. (New)
For my final object I only had to look about 1° further ENE of
And my time had come to an end. Not that they sky had changed, other than having shifted over the two hours I was out, but my exhaustion level was taking its toll. Beyond the fact that I had my first vaccine on the Wednesday before, Friday evening, we were informed by our daughter that she tested positive for COVID that day. So as each day went by for us at the dark site, we both could feel that something was amiss. I initially considered a general reaction to my first shot, but we had to eventually come to grips with the fact that we quite likely had contracted the dreaded scourge. So we made plans to sleep in as late as we could on Sunday and schedule rapid tests online for at home on Monday. We then headed home late Sunday afternoon so that our arrival would come after our grandson was in bed for the night. Unfortunately there were not locations in the region of the state where our dark site house is giving rapid tests, plus we decided if we had any issues, it would be better to be home where emergency health care is readily available. After all, we contracted it at home from our daughter.
As it turned out, and as we expected, the results were positive for us both on Monday (08 March). So over the succeeding days, we have endured the results of our exposure. I am now wrapping up my 11th day of the countdown and the 12th for my wife. Our worst impact has been an almost debilitating exhaustion. But we are both coming out from under that slowly. It’s taken me about a week to finally wrap up this report simply because I didn’t have the energy to focus on its writing. But slowly it seems better days are coming, and none too soon for us. Thanks for following along and I hope to see you back out there again sometime during the next dark cycle.
I know an immovable object when I see one. The good thing is at the moment, because there are no leaves it doesn't present the same opaque barrier that it will later on! Things can be seen through the outer reaches of the branches presently at least.
