I had to stop several times as groups of vehicles passed the house after they departed the fairgrounds. In those cases I would simply sit back in my chair and close my eyes for a bit or turn my back to the road until they passed. The traffic was more than normal, but eventually subsided sometime after 2300 hours, and the light from the fairgrounds also dropped off as they shut down for the night. The temperature was around 62° F when I began, and when I stopped about four hours later it was down to a chilly 48° F. Dew was heavy, which necessitated dew heaters on the finders and secondary. Overall, the general sense I had was the transparency was about average and seeing was indeed on the weak side, though it did seem to stabilize a bit later on. Regardless, it was time to start my foray into the night sky.
After getting set up, it was after 2130 hours and full astronomical darkness was in place. My goal for the session was work on some galaxies in both Aquarius and Pisces that are plotted on charts 102 in Uranometria. Magnitude 2.9 Alpha Aquarii (Sadalmelik) was just out from behind the trees to the east, so I started there. This necessitated moving to the left side of chart 103 to begin with until enough of the sky east of the star cleared the tree enabling me to move onto chart 102. It was now time to start my favorite pastime, galaxy hunting.
(Equipment used)
17.5 inch
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)
About 21’ SSW from Sadalmelik my first target of the evening was picked up using 152x as a small and dim oval with a suspected stellar core at its center. Viewed with both 199x and 283x it remained weak in the field, but the stellar core was confirmed. The weak seeing was definitely impacting the visual punch of the galaxy. Though transparency is more important for galaxy observing, seeing is also a factor. Also, the glare from Sadalmelik was bothersome unless I moved it out of the field of view. (New)
This lenticular was found using 152x and presented a small and dim oval that was homogeneous in appearance. Viewing with 199x and 283x it remained dim, but was not especially difficult to see its small diffuse oval disk. (New)
Swept up with 152x, this barred spiral presented a small fat oval disk that was evenly illuminated across its dimension. Using 199x and 283x it remained dim, but not a difficult object. During moments of steady seeing, at 283x I was picking up sporadic flashes of a very dim field star at the southeastern end of the disk. Checking afterwards in Sky Tools 4 it appears to have been a magnitude 16.3 star at that position. (New)
A little over 2° southwest of Sadalmelik I picked up this very weak dust mote at 152x. Observed with 199x and 283x it remained fairly dim and small, but was not difficult to confirm. (New)
About 14’ north of the previous object I also located this galaxy using 152x. I appeared as a small and dim homogeneous thick oval. Also observed with 199x and 283x it remained a dim object but not particularly difficult. With 283x I noticed a very dim field star (mag 15.3) to its southeast. (New)
The sky had shifted a bit by now and I moved over to the right side of chart 102 in Uranometria as I continued my slow movement eastward in search of some dim galaxies. Located 37’ northwest of 44 Aquarii (mag 5.7), this little dim little fuzzy was just discerned at 152x. Using 199x it was confirmed as a small and dim homogeneous oval. Even at 283x it remained a weak and diffuse little thick oval glow. (New)
Next up was this lenticular, founding using 152x it appeared as a small and slightly dim oval. I was picking up some subtle non-stellar core brightness. When observed at 199x, the core appeared more stellar and this was confirmed at 283x. Overall the galaxy was a little dim, but easily discerned. (New)
This barred spiral has a secondary identifier is also sometimes listed as
Slightly dim and small, this rounded glow was easily found using 152x. An intermittent stellar core was glimpsed. Viewing with 199x and 283x it was very easy to see. It remained a small rounded glow that displayed an obvious stellar core. (New)
This small oval was dim and evenly illuminated at 152x. Observing with 199x and 283x, it remained dim and homogeneous, but not particularly difficult to see. (New)
Picked up with 152x, this lenticular presented a slightly bright and small oval. Evenly illuminated across its disk it was somewhat bright at 199x. Seen with 283x it was very obvious in the view, and now displayed a non-stellar small concentrated core. (New)
Easily seen using 152x, this barred spiral was fairly bright and slightly large in the major axis. A thin oval in appearance it was evenly illuminated across is narrow disk. Viewed at 199x and 283x it was very obvious in the field and remained a homogeneous thin oval. (New)
This galaxy is also known as Arp 15 from Dr. Halton Arp’s Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies, where it appears in the category of “galaxies with detached segments.” Found using 152x, I found it a homogeneous small and slightly bright oval. Observing with 199x and 283x it remained small buy very obvious in the field, with a concentrated non-stellar brightness in its core. I however could not discern the detached segment that is evident in images and why it appears in Arp’s catalogue. (New)
I now moved into southwestern Pisces to continue my foraging. Not knowing how dim this galaxy truly was beforehand, I struggled to find it at 152x, but eventually did get a suspicion of it in moments of clarity. Dropping in the 10mm (199x) I was able to confirm its presence in the field at a very small and woefully dim little out of round dust bunny. Trying with 283x it of course remained weak in visual presences, but was consistently seen as a small diffuse and slightly out of round glow. (New)
My observing eye was happy to have something a little brighter to pursue when I located this next object. Picked easily at 152x, it presented a fairly bright homogeneous small oval. (New)
I next targeted a scattered grouping of 13
This lenticular was one of three galaxies in the same field of view. Found with 152x, it was a small and very dim oval. Evenly illuminated across its dimension, it remained dim at 199x and 283x, but it did reveal a stellar core. (New)
About 4’ to the northeast of the previous galaxy I also spotted this small homogeneous oval smudge. Fairly dim to the eye, it was not difficult however. It remained an even smooth oval disk at 199x and 283x, and a bit more obvious. (New)
Only about 2’ northeast of the previous object and in the same of view as the previous two I pulled down little barred irregular (Magellanic type) galaxy. Picked up with 152x, it appeared as a small and pretty dim homogeneous oval. Using 199x ad 283x it remained fairly dim and evenly illuminated, but not supremely difficult. (New)
This lenticular forms a close duo with
Only about 48” west of the previous object I was able to spot this very dim and very small round dust bunny using 152x. Looking with both 199x and 283x it remained a homogeneous little round glow that was held steadily despite remaining fairly dim. (New)
This galaxy was also in the field, 13.5’ to the ENE of the previous pair. Easily seen at 152x, it was a small and slightly bright oval that was smooth and even across its envelope. At 199x and 283x it was easy, sitting in a triangle of three field stars (12th and 13th mag). It remained a homogeneous small oval. (New)
Just over 10’ WNW of the
Nearly 8’ NNW of the previous object I studied the field just west of a north-south curving line of four 13th magnitude field stars. Try as I might, I just could not seem to discern the galaxy at 152x, which surprised me just a little. Not deterred I moved on to 199x where I had an intermittent suspicion of a tiny diffuse out of round dust bunny. Taking a look at 283x I confirmed without a doubt its presence in the field, but I found that as seeing shifted, it seemed to drift in and out of view. It remained pretty dim and homogeneous. I suspected conditions might be worsening based on my results with this object versus the previous one and vastly different surface brightness levels between them. (New)
Just over 13’ to the northwest of the previous galaxy I looked for my next one. Using 152x I studied the field inside of a scalene triangle of three field stars (9th and 10th mag). I picked up a very weak suspicion of a very small diffuse glow, but was uncertain. Moving to 199x I was able to confirm its presence as a small and very dim homogeneous oval. Even at 283x it remained fairly weak visually, but clearly seen. (New)
Nearly 21’ NNW of the previous object I located a pair of galaxies. This barred lenticular was the western most of the east-west pair and at 152x it presented a very small rounded glow that was subtly bright and contained a stellar core. Also observed at 199x and 283x where it was easily seen, but remained a small and round disk with a noticeable stellar core. (New)
Less than 3’ to the east and in the same field of view was this lenticular. At 152x I found it very difficult to discern, being more of a suspected threshold object. I confirmed its presence at 199x but it remained weak as a small out of round homogeneous dust mote. It remained visually poor at 283x, but was held steadily and remained small and diffuse. (New)
Next up was this lenticular, just over 38’ southwest of the previous duo. Easily picked up at 152x it was a small but somewhat bright oval glow that exhibited concentrated non-stellar core brightness. Very obvious at 199x, its core now became more stellar I appearance. Then at 283x the galaxy clearly dominated the field of view, and its core now revealed an inner lens of brightness, with the stellar core set within. (New)
About 22.5’ ENE of the previous galaxy, I went looking for this small elliptical and last of the grouping of 13. Interestingly at 152x I was not picking up any trace of it. Then at 199x I picked up a suspected diffuse mote just east of a 13th magnitude field star. Moving up to 283x, it was now more apparent as a small, extended homogeneous glow. (New)
After spending a while ferreting out that scattered grouping, I was heading into the home stretch for this session. Next up was this spiral, a Seyfert galaxy, found a little over 2° southwest of mag 4.9 Kappa Piscium. Easily found at 152x as a small but slightly bright oval displaying a stellar core. At 199x and 283x it was very obvious within the view, and its stellar core was very strong. This galaxy is part of Arp 93 with PGC 71041, but this tiny mag 15.8 background galaxy was not seen. (New)
About 10’ west of the previous galaxy and in the same field of view, I suspected this spiral just west of an 11th mag field star using 152x. It was intermittently confirmed at 199x as a small homogeneous oval. It was more obvious and held steadily at 283x, but remained a smooth oval disk. (New)
It was after 0100 hours and I was getting chilled and quite frankly tired. I had some issues from time to time with the muscles around my observing eye starting to twitch a little necessitating my taking a break to let me face relax. Hunting dim galaxies does take a toll after a while, what with the intense concentration.
To finish out the session I headed to mag 4.5 Beta Piscium. This galaxy was located just over half a degree southeast of Beta using 152x. It presented a small and slightly dim oval that was punctuated by a stellar core. At 199x and 283x it was more obvious but still a little weak overall, but its stellar core was very obvious within the disk. (New)
About 29’ south of the last galaxy, I pinned down this elliptical. Picked up using 152x, it revealed a stellar core in its center plus a very dim star involved in the halo at its southwester side. Viewing with 199x and 283x it remained a little dim overall, but not difficult. This object carries a second identifier of
An additional 29’ SSW of
It was now after 0130 and to be honest I was done in due to the cooling air and the roughly four hours of hunting what were mostly dimmer galaxies. The conditions weren’t supreme, but they also weren’t horrible either. So I was thankful for that, and also for another opportunity to pursue my favorite targets – galaxies. It always gives me a thrill. It is a tiring endeavor, but infinitely satisfying for me. Thanks for following along on this journey and I hope to see you out there again soon.