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Location: Anza desert site, Bortle 3.5
Equipment: Celestron 9.25” Edge HD SCT and Celestron 150ST achro on SW SkyTee 2 manual AltAz mount.
Went last weekend to my favorite desert site. Summer seems to be late this year, so we are still enjoying mild dry weather. On the way in saw two California quals crossing the road. They were stretching necks and running as fast as they can, but there is that much you can do with such tinny legs. The whole scene had cartoonish appearance, I half expected to see the coyote and roadrunner next.
Had plenty of time to set the camp and even managed an hour nap waiting for the darkness. Quarter past nine the sky has reached that ‘galaxy ready’ quality. I am working on the Herschel 2,500 and the targets on that list often push my optics and skills to the limit. To play it right I always scout for constellations at their highest or in the darkest area of the sky. This evening Draco was in its best position.
Draco galaxies (all observed with 9.25” Edge SCT)
NGC 2938 – First target has validated my choice. Lat summer I have already tried for it with 9.25” but failed. I suspected because it was lower to horizon. This time first two EPs – Pentax XW20 (118x) and XW14 (168x) had shown nothing again, but with XW10 (235x) it did not take too long to detect with AV extremely faint round spot.
NGC 2963 – faint oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW20 (118x). NGC 2977 – small faint elongated oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW20 (118x). NGC 3057 – extremely faint small elongated spec with AV. Pentax XW10 (235x). NGC 3061 – faint oval with AV. Pentax XW14 (168x).
NGC 3197 – extremely faint small elongated oval with AV. Used several powers and shook and moved EP to gain confidence in detection. Pentax XW14 (168x), XW10 (235x), XF8.5 (276x).
NGC 3210, NGC 3212 and NGC 3215 – difficult but fun group in the same FOV. NGC 3210 is listed as two stars. It appeared to me as very faint single fuzzy dot, XW14 (168x) and XW10 (235x). Next, I have spotted NGC 3215 – gal – faint small oval some distance from NGC 3210, XW10 (235x). NGC 3212 – gal - took the longest. I almost gave up, but then reminded myself to slow down and just sit on the field for a while. Leisurely moving my eye around I finally spotted faint glow next to NGC 3210. It had blinking effect - disappeared the moment you look at it but would slowly light up when you keep it in the AV. Pentax XW10 (235x).
NGC 3252 – elongated lens with AV with brighter central area next to STF 1437. Pentax XW14 (168x).
STF 1437 – double – 7.6, 10.4, 23.6”, white, orange. Pentax XW20 (118x). NGC 3343 – elongated oval with brighter central area next to HJ 2542. Pentax XW20 (118x).
HJ 2542 – double - 10.3, 11.8, 22.6”, white, brown. Pentax XW20 (118x).
NGC 3465 – faint small round spot with AV. Pentax XW14 (168x). NGC 3500 – small extremely faint spot, detected with AV by moving EP. Pentax XW10 (235x). NGC 3523 – small extremely faint spot, detected with AV by moving EP. Pentax XW10 (235x). NGC 3562 – round spot with brighter core. Pentax XW20 (118x).
NGC 3747 – extremely faint tiny spec, detected with AV by moving EP. Pentax XW10 (235x). NGC 3752 – very faint elongated oval with AV. Pentax XW14 (168x). NGC 3879 – extremely faint narrow shape with AV. Pentax XW20 (118x). NGC 3890 – faint wide oval with AV. Pentax XW20 (118x).
One thing I noticed this evening that quite few of the AV targets where coming in and out of the view (slowly pulsating would be another way to describe it). Since I was using high powers and most of the galaxies were quite small it could be because of the seeing. Another explanation I read somewhere is that your eye sensitivity depends on blood oxygenation level, so the brightness variations may have to do with my breathing.
Overall, this session was very rewarding since I managed to pull some very difficult targets, but also very taxing. I spent hours popping my eyes trying to pick minute differences in brightness. The success would not be possible without Pentax XW EPs. This EP line combine extremely high light transmission with coating uniformity second to none. My previous DSO set consisting of ES82s and Meade 5000 UWA also had high transmission, but the coatings were slightly uneven resulting in the patchy sky background. A few modern TeleVue EPs I have tried had darker coatings compared to XWs.
Congrats on being able to pull all those galaxies out if their hiding places Bigzmey! Great report, I felt like I was there with you. I've had that blinking effect too, but with a star close to the Ring Nebula!
Your designation as Intergalactic Ambassador couldn't be more true!
Clear skies!
Bruce
Refractors: Meade AR-5 127mm f/9.3, Meade ST-80 f/5 and Meade 60mm f/12, Jason 60mm f/15 #313, Jason 60mm f/12 #306 S7, Bushnell Sky Chief III 60mm f/15. Reflectors/Catadioptrics: Meade 10" F/4 Schmidt-Newtonian, Galileo 120mm f/8.3 Newtonian, Meade 2045D 4" f/10 SCT, Meade ETX-90EC f/13.8 & Sarblue 60mm f/12.5 Maksutov-Cassegrains. Mounts: Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro & Meade LXD55 Equatorial mounts, ES Twilight II and Meade 2102 ALT/AZ mounts, a modified 10" SkyQuest Dobsonian mount, various 60mm EQ mounts. Misc: Celestron 20x80mm binoculars, Revolution II Imager/accessories, & lots of optical accessories/eyepieces. Projects: 8" f/2.9 and 65mm f/10 reflectors, Dobson-style binocular mirror mount.
Gabrielle See Far Sticks: Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser 127/1200 BV, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS 100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885 EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, SXP2, AXJ, AXD Az/Alt: AYO Digi II, Stellarvue M2C, Argo Navis encoders on both Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102 Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Tak prism, TAL, Vixen Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss (1011110) The only culture I have is from yogurt
Thanks for the nice report, BigZmey! I appreciate you taking the time to bring us along on a difficult hunt for very challenging objects.
Definitely some food for thought here. I had one of Pentax's Spotmatic II cameras when they first came out, with the first multi-coatings. Other people would rave about this or that brand, and as far as I know rightly so, but I always thought there was something special about the Pentax lenses. Seems like they have continued the tradition with their astronomy eyepieces.
By the way, I do in a way envy your dark site in the desert.
Bill Steen
Many small scopes, plus a Lightbridge 12, LX 70-8R,6R,6M
Many eyepieces, just not really expensive ones.
Bigzmey wrote: ↑Thu Jun 03, 2021 10:54 pm
Thanks Jeff! I don't need to go far. Pair of coyotes hang on our front yard every night.
A goose and gander will take care of the coyote problem and you will not have to worry about your chickens afterwards
Gabrielle See Far Sticks: Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser 127/1200 BV, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS 100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885 EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, SXP2, AXJ, AXD Az/Alt: AYO Digi II, Stellarvue M2C, Argo Navis encoders on both Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102 Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Tak prism, TAL, Vixen Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss (1011110) The only culture I have is from yogurt
What's this "AV with moving EP"? What way do you move the EP?
Oh, and congrats. That "win" didn't come easy.
- Juha
Senior Embedded SW Designer
Telescope: OrionOptics XV12, Mount: CEM120, Tri-pier 360 and alternative dobson mount.
Grab 'n go: Omegon AC 102/660 on AZ-3 mount
Eyepieces: 26 mm Omegon SWAN 70°, 15 mm TV Plössl, 12.5 mm Baader Morpheus, 10 mm TV Delos, 6 mm Baader Classic Ortho, 5 mm TV DeLite, 4 mm and 3 mm TV Radians
Cameras: ZWO ASI 294MM Pro, Omegon veLOX 178C
OAG: TS-Optics TSOAG09, ZWO EFW 7 x 36 mm, ZWO filter sets: LRGB and Ha/OIII/SII
Explore Scientific HR 2" coma corrector, Meade x3 1.25" Barlow, TV PowerMate 4x 2"
Some filters (#80A, ND-96, ND-09, Astronomik UHC)
Laptop: Acer Enduro Urban N3 semi-rugged, Windows 11
LAT 61° 28' 10.9" N, Bortle 5
I don't suffer from insanity. I'm enjoying every minute of it.
Nice haul of galaxies, Bigzmey! I like that part of the sky. I had to smile when you said it was dark enough for galaxies by 9:15p, because up here I need to wait until 11:30p for the sky to be completely dark this time of year.
Gordon
Scopes: Meade LX10 8" SCT, Explore Scientific AR102 Refractor on ES Twilight 1 Mount, Oberwerks 15X70 Binos, Nikon Action Extreme 10X50 Binos.
Eyepieces: ES 68* 24mm, ES 68* 20mm, ES 82* 11mm, ES 82* 8.8mm
Observing: Messier Objects--110/110, H1 Objects-- 400/400. Hundreds of additional NGC Objects. Significant Comets: Kohoutek, West, Halley, Hyakatake, Hale-Bopp, McNair, Neowise. Transits of Mercury and Venus.
2017 Total Solar Eclipse
Bigzmey wrote: ↑Thu Jun 03, 2021 10:54 pm
Thanks Jeff! I don't need to go far. Pair of coyotes hang on our front yard every night.
A goose and gander will take care of the coyote problem and you will not have to worry about your chickens afterwards
You sure it will be not the other way around, Gabby? Our coyotes grow big, German shepherd size. In any case our chicks are safely locked in the coop at sunset. In addition to coyotes we get bobcats and racoons to.
MistrBadgr wrote: ↑Fri Jun 04, 2021 2:15 am
Thanks for the nice report, BigZmey! I appreciate you taking the time to bring us along on a difficult hunt for very challenging objects.
Definitely some food for thought here. I had one of Pentax's Spotmatic II cameras when they first came out, with the first multi-coatings. Other people would rave about this or that brand, and as far as I know rightly so, but I always thought there was something special about the Pentax lenses. Seems like they have continued the tradition with their astronomy eyepieces.
By the way, I do in a way envy your dark site in the desert.
Thanks Bill! Yes, Pentax surely knows how to make them right.
turboscrew wrote: ↑Fri Jun 04, 2021 4:28 pm
What's this "AV with moving EP"? What way do you move the EP?
Oh, and congrats. That "win" didn't come easy.
Thanks TS! Our brain is wired to detect moving objects better than stationary. So, if you have difficulties visualizing faint target you can grab and shake the EP, tap on the EP, or in this particular case I was using slow motion knobs to move the FOV slightly vertically and horizontally. AV stands for averted vision.
Arctic wrote: ↑Fri Jun 04, 2021 4:42 pm
Nice haul of galaxies, Bigzmey! I like that part of the sky. I had to smile when you said it was dark enough for galaxies by 9:15p, because up here I need to wait until 11:30p for the sky to be completely dark this time of year.
Thanks Gordon! I guess I should not complain about 9:15 then.
Last edited by Bigzmey on Fri Jun 04, 2021 5:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Excellent outing Andrey! Draco is a simply littered with galaxies, ranging from fairly easy to very tough. Plus it is well positioned for those of us at mid-northern lats to the far north. Right now our astro-dark is about 2230 hours, but I typically start around 2200 or a little earlier given our normally Bortle 3 skies at the dark site. Even though it is not astronomically dark at that point, it is still dark enough to pick up the brighter ones as the sky continues to darken and my eyes adjust gradually.
Alan
Scopes: Astro Sky 17.5 f/4.5 Dob || Apertura AD12 f/5 Dob || Zhumell Z10 f/4.9 Dob ||
ES AR127 f/6.5 || ES ED80 f/6 || Apertura 6" f/5 Newtonian
Mounts: ES Twilight-II and Twilight-I
EPs: AT 82° 28mm UWA || TV Ethos 100° 21mm and 13mm || Vixen LVW 65° 22mm ||
ES 82° 18mm || Pentax XW 70° 10mm, 7mm and 5mm || barlows
Filters (2 inch): DGM NPB || Orion Ultra Block, O-III and Sky Glow || Baader HaB
Primary Field Atlases: Uranometria All-Sky Edition and Interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas
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"Astronomers, we look into the past to see our future." (me)
"Seeing is in some respect an art, which must be learnt." (William Herschel)
"What we know is a drop, what we don't know is an ocean." (Sir Isaac Newton)
"No good deed goes unpunished." (various)
“Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't you think?” (Scarecrow, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
-Michael Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50 Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl Camera: ZWO ASI 120 Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs Latitude: 48.7229° N
quote=kt4hx post_id=154594 time=1622850110 user_id=101]
Excellent outing Andrey! Draco is a simply littered with galaxies, ranging from fairly easy to very tough. Plus it is well positioned for those of us at mid-northern lats to the far north. Right now our astro-dark is about 2230 hours, but I typically start around 2200 or a little earlier given our normally Bortle 3 skies at the dark site. Even though it is not astronomically dark at that point, it is still dark enough to pick up the brighter ones as the sky continues to darken and my eyes adjust gradually.
[/quote]
Thanks Alan! Here polar constellations ride lower and I also have a light dome that direction, so catching those in the right position is tricky but rewarding.
John Baars wrote: ↑Sat Jun 05, 2021 10:05 am
Great Anza season is open for Summer!
Yep, the summer sky is back! The weather still feels like spring which is a good thing for the desert.
helicon wrote: ↑Sat Jun 05, 2021 1:52 pm
Excellent report on a great session Andrey! Congratulations on the TSS VROD for today...
Hello Andrey. Yet another great observing report from the Anza Desert site. This is a huge haul of fine objects in Draco. Thanks for your well written and fun read report Andrey, and congratulations on winning the TSSVROD Award today.
Marshall
Sky-Watcher 90mm f/13.8 Maksutov-Cassegrain on motorized Multimount
Orion Astroview 120ST f/5 Refractor on EQ3 mount
Celestron Comet Catcher 140mm f/3.64 Schmidt-Newtonian on alt-az mount
Celestron Omni XLT150R f/5 Refractor on CG4 mount with dual axis drives.
Orion 180mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain on CG5-GT Goto mount.
Orion XT12i 12" f/4.9 Dobsonian Intelliscope.
Kamakura 7x35 Binoculars and Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 Binoculars. ZWO ASI 120MC camera.
>)))))*>
Makuser wrote: ↑Sat Jun 05, 2021 7:15 pm
Hello Andrey. Yet another great observing report from the Anza Desert site. This is a huge haul of fine objects in Draco. Thanks for your well written and fun read report Andrey, and congratulations on winning the TSS VROD Award today.
