Round 2
Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2021 12:48 am
4/3/21
Hello Again Friends,
The weather cooperated again nicely, and I got back out for another night of observing.
My scope and gear were still in the car so all I had to do was get the wife and dog settled in bed and I was out the door. I returned to the same spot by the baseball field but was a little more prepared with a blanket to shield my eyes from ground lighting.
I was hoping to have gotten out early enough to try to catch the nova in Cassiopeia, but I just missed it diving below the trees. Taking a little stock of the sky I noticed that toward the north the sky looked noticeably darker. This is because I was looking out of the light dome from Greensboro rather than looking through it.
I chose a quick list of brighter objects in Ursa Major using Sky Safari and went to work. I also spent a little more time on each target and utilized more than one eyepiece.
M109
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mag: 9.6
At 83x magnification it was averted vision only. Faint oval shaped smudge. Target popped into existence when moving my scope but wanted to disappear with direct vision. Best viewed at 120x using 12.5mm ortho
(Equipment: Z12 withES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)
M97
Planetary Nebula in Ursa Major, Mag: 9.8
Starting at 83x, circular smudge of light faintly visible directly, but pretty obvious in averted vision. Switched to 120x with a slightly increase in visibility. Averted vision now revealing a faint mottled texture. Best viewed at 167x using 9mm ortho
(Equipment: Z12 withES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)
M108
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mag: 9.9
This guy wanted to be a challenge. Near invisible at 83x, but came into existence in averted vision at 120x. Tried increasing magnification to 167x, but no change. Just a faint slim oval shaped ghost that came and went.
(Equipment: Z12 withES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)
M81
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mag: 6.7
Easily located as a tiny smudge through my 9x50RACI . At 83x the core was directly obvious, but with averted vision I could make out an extended glow surrounding the bright core. Object felt like it was revealing a slight spiral structure, but this could have just been averted imagination instead. Increasing magnification improved the core, but the best view was going a little wider at 83x. Fun object just to stare at and ponder if right now someone/thing else is looking back with the same thoughts.
(Equipment: Z12 withES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)
M82
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mag: 8.0
Another obvious target and a good one to explore for a while. Skinny oval shaped glow, slightly broken up across the middle. Increasing magnification to 120x gave a slight improvement.
(Equipment: Z12 withES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)
NGC 3077
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mg: 9.9
Not an easy one to pull out but, but I did manage to get an averted vision hint of something there at 120x magnification.
(Equipment: Z12 withES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)
Mizar and Alcor
Double Star in Ursa Major, Mag: 2.22 & 3.88
This one is always a fun little split. Both stars had a blueish/white color with an obvious magnitude difference between the two
(Equipment: Z12 withES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 9mm)
M3
Globular Cluster in Canes Venatici, Mag: 6.2
It’s been quite a while since I’ve viewed a globular and this one didn’t disappoint.
At 83x magnification this object was directly visible as a circular splotch with a definite grainy texture. Increasing magnitude to 120x and then to 167x I was able to pick out some individual stars.
(Equipment: Z12 withES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)
M53
Globular Cluster inComa Bernices, Mad: 7.6
Easily spotted at 83x magnification. Similar in appearance, but slightly smaller than M3. Object had the same grainy texture of thousands of stars.
(Equipment: Z12 withES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)
Kind of a mixed bag tonight of Galaxies, Globs aPN and even a double star! I figured this was as good a place as any to end close my session and head on home.
Thanks for sticking around and reading my report.
Hello Again Friends,
The weather cooperated again nicely, and I got back out for another night of observing.
My scope and gear were still in the car so all I had to do was get the wife and dog settled in bed and I was out the door. I returned to the same spot by the baseball field but was a little more prepared with a blanket to shield my eyes from ground lighting.
I was hoping to have gotten out early enough to try to catch the nova in Cassiopeia, but I just missed it diving below the trees. Taking a little stock of the sky I noticed that toward the north the sky looked noticeably darker. This is because I was looking out of the light dome from Greensboro rather than looking through it.
I chose a quick list of brighter objects in Ursa Major using Sky Safari and went to work. I also spent a little more time on each target and utilized more than one eyepiece.
M109
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mag: 9.6
At 83x magnification it was averted vision only. Faint oval shaped smudge. Target popped into existence when moving my scope but wanted to disappear with direct vision. Best viewed at 120x using 12.5mm ortho
(Equipment: Z12 with
M97
Planetary Nebula in Ursa Major, Mag: 9.8
Starting at 83x, circular smudge of light faintly visible directly, but pretty obvious in averted vision. Switched to 120x with a slightly increase in visibility. Averted vision now revealing a faint mottled texture. Best viewed at 167x using 9mm ortho
(Equipment: Z12 with
M108
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mag: 9.9
This guy wanted to be a challenge. Near invisible at 83x, but came into existence in averted vision at 120x. Tried increasing magnification to 167x, but no change. Just a faint slim oval shaped ghost that came and went.
(Equipment: Z12 with
M81
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mag: 6.7
Easily located as a tiny smudge through my 9x50
(Equipment: Z12 with
M82
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mag: 8.0
Another obvious target and a good one to explore for a while. Skinny oval shaped glow, slightly broken up across the middle. Increasing magnification to 120x gave a slight improvement.
(Equipment: Z12 with
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mg: 9.9
Not an easy one to pull out but, but I did manage to get an averted vision hint of something there at 120x magnification.
(Equipment: Z12 with
Mizar and Alcor
Double Star in Ursa Major, Mag: 2.22 & 3.88
This one is always a fun little split. Both stars had a blueish/white color with an obvious magnitude difference between the two
(Equipment: Z12 with
M3
Globular Cluster in Canes Venatici, Mag: 6.2
It’s been quite a while since I’ve viewed a globular and this one didn’t disappoint.
At 83x magnification this object was directly visible as a circular splotch with a definite grainy texture. Increasing magnitude to 120x and then to 167x I was able to pick out some individual stars.
(Equipment: Z12 with
M53
Globular Cluster in
Easily spotted at 83x magnification. Similar in appearance, but slightly smaller than M3. Object had the same grainy texture of thousands of stars.
(Equipment: Z12 with
Kind of a mixed bag tonight of Galaxies, Globs a
Thanks for sticking around and reading my report.