The first night, going through the usual pre-observing process, I had everything set up, adjusted and ready to go by 2130 hours and hoped to get in about four hours worth of observing. The conditions seemed about average, with the Milky Way nicely structured, but subdued a bit right at the horizons. Otherwise the sky was ablaze with stars and Jupiter was blindingly bright in the southeast. No moon, that is the main thing though!
The journey would take me from Hercules to Pisces with brief forays into southern Pegasus and finally into the western edge of Taurus for a comet. So let’s get cracking and see what photons I was able scoop up with my old eyes this time around. Opening up the Uranometria to chart 68-left I began my evening’s excursion.
(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)
XW 5mm (397x, 0.2° TFOV, 1.1mm exit pupil)
I aimed the scope at mag 3.1 Alpha Herculis (Rasalgethi) and star hopped my way southeast to this galactic duo, This pair, separated by about 2’ 17” was previously observed over three years ago from our (at the time) typically
SN2021rhu (Hercules, supernova, mag=13.8 to 14.0):
This recent discovery is currently brightening and listed in Sky Tools 4 at 14.0 and 13.8 at another source. Though it belongs to
I decided to stick around Hercules a bit longer to mop up some a few galaxies that were not in the log. First in line was a couple about 16’ west of the 6500/6501 pair. This lenticular was small, but subtly bright at 152x. It exhibited a stellar core pinned to the middle of its round disk. Using 199x it remained obvious, but clearly weaker than
The brighter and larger of this duo, it was somewhat bright at 152x and presented a small out of round homogeneous envelope. Then at 199x, and intermittent stellar core made its appearance. Overall a nice pair, west of a nice pair! (New)
UGC 10985 (Hercules, barred spiral galaxy, mag=13.2, size=1.3’x0.9’, SBr=13.2):
Next consulting chart 86-left in Uranometria, almost 4° SSW of the previous grouping, near the border with Ophiuchus I found this dim out of round glow using 152x. It was only a couple of arc minutes southeast of mag 7.9 HD 161960 whose glare was a little bothersome for the galaxy reducing its visibility. Also viewed with 199x, it was not difficult and remained an even diffuse glow. (New)
Moving back north a bit and back onto 68-left, I was able to pin down this fairly dim little oval using 152x. Presenting a smooth even small disk, it remained weak at 199x and 283x and I noticed a very fleeting stellar core trying to pop through during moments of steady seeing. (New)
A little over 3° north of the previous object I located this scattered grouping of five galaxies. First identified was this spiral, which appeared as a small homogeneous oval that was subtly bright to the eye. Using 199x and 283x it was easy, but remained small and evenly illuminated. (New)
Just 5’ northwest of the previous galaxy and in the same field of view, this lenticular was the dimmer of the pair visually. Small and dim at 152x, it presented a homogeneous oval disk. Even at 199x and 283x it remained a little weak, but not difficult at all. Its envelope remained smooth and even. (New)
Just over half a degree west of the last object, I easily picked up this slightly bright rounded glow that contained a possible stellar core. Viewing with 199x the stellar core was confirmed. At 283x it was an easy, bright object that was quite obvious in the view. (New)
About 16’ northeast of the previous galaxy I studied the field for this spiral. Using 152x I spotted a very small and very dim diffuse dust bunny between two wide spaced field stars (13th and 14th mag). Going ahead to 199x and 283x it remained weak, but not especially difficult. (New)
UGC 10979 (Hercules, spiral galaxy, mag=14.0, size=0.9’x0.8’, SBr=13.4):
Around 7’ NNE of
Next stop was this barred spiral, which lay about 40’ south of the wide pair of 83 (mag 5.6) and 84 (mag 5.7) Herculis pairing. Easily found using 152x, it presented a small and slightly dim diffuse oval about 5’ south of mag 7.0 HD 160965. Using 199x and 283x the galaxy was obvious within the field and I was now detecting a stellar core at its center. (New)
Not quite 2° NNE of the previous object I collected another galaxy pair separated by about 10’. The northern-most of the two is this lenticular which seemed subtly brighter, despite the numbers. At 152x it was a slightly bright small oval with a stellar core. Viewing with 199x and 283x it was easy in the field with an obvious stellar core. (New)
Sharing the field of view with the previous object, about 10’ to the southeast, it was a small and slightly bright homogeneous oval glow at 152x. In moments of clarity I also noticed a very dim 15th mag field star near its southwestern tip. It remained a smooth and even oval at 199x, while at 283x its core displayed a weak broad brightness within the overall halo. (New)
SN 2021rhu (Pegasus, supernova in galaxy, mag=14.7):
At this point I decided to break off from Hercules as it was sinking a bit to the trees northwest of the house. I observed the supernova SN2021rhu back on 05 August when it was around magnitude 13.2. So I decided to return to see if I could pick it up a month later after it has faded some and currently listed at 14.7. Turning to chart 81-left in Uranometria, I aimed the scope at mag 2.8 Gamma Pegasi (Algenib). I quickly star hopped to the northwest just over 2.5° then moved to the eyepiece (152x). I easily picked up this bright galaxy about 12’ southeast of the mag 7.2 star HD 225001. It presented its typical bright elongated disk. At 152x its stellar core was easily discerned, but no sign of the SN about 6’ ENE of the core. I also could not discern it at 199x against the bright galactic disk. Then at 283x I caught a fleeting suspicion of a “2nd stellar core” at the correct position relative to the real core. I went ahead and dropped in the 5mm (397x) and when the seeing steadied, the SN was readily apparent, forming a double stellar core in the galaxy. It was definitely much dimmer than a month ago, and I bid it farewell as I moved on to Pisces to return to my galaxy foraging.
I next turned to chart 101-right in Uranometria as I returned to the fish pond. This galaxy was found between 14 (mag 5.9) and 13 (mag 6.4) Piscium. With 152x it presented a small dim and homogeneous oval. It remained a bit weak at 199x and 283x, but was not difficult to see. (New)
About 1.5° south of the last object I studied the field for a small grouping of six
About 23.5’ southeast of the dim pair I easily picked up this small out of round oval. Overall it was somewhat dim and contained a stellar core. Though still a little dim at 199x and 283x it was not difficult in the least, and its stellar core was more obvious. (New)
North of
Studying the field halfway between
I nudged east and about 18.5’ from the previous north-south line of three galaxies, I located this little lenticular. At 152x it presented a small and dim oval with a stellar core at its center. Taking a look at 199x and 283x it remained a weak oval, though not particularly challenging. (New)
Almost 8° of the last grouping I located another of four galaxies. First was this spiral which lay about 17’ west of the other three. Picked up at 152x, to my eye it was a small and fairly dim evenly illuminated oval disk. It remained homogeneous at 199x and 283x, and though weak was not difficult to see. (New)
The northern-most of a north-south curve of three galaxies east of the previous object, this lenticular was easily found using 152x. Slightly dim, it was small and displayed a smooth featureless oval envelope. Viewing with 199x and 283x it remained an evenly illuminated and was the brightest of the line of three. (New)
About 4.5’ SSW of the prior object, this galaxy was likewise small and dim, but easily seen at 152x. Homogeneous to the eye initially, when viewed with 199x and 283x it displayed an intermittent stellar core. Though dimmer than the previous galaxy, it was not difficult. (New)
The southern of the curve of three, this barred lenticular was easily the dimmest of them. Though not difficult to see at 152x, it was a small and fairly dim rounded glow with an intermittent stellar core. Still weak at 199x and 283x, again it was not difficult and its stellar core was more steadily seen. (New)
A little over 1.5° southwest of the last group of four galaxies, I found another scattered grouping of four. First up was this lenticular which was found about 26’ east of two of the others and SSE of the fourth one. Small and a little dim at 152x, it displayed an oval shape with an intermittent stellar core within its envelope. Taking a peek at 199x and 283x it remained a little dim, but was very easily seen. Its stellar core was more apparent, but still was not held steadily as seeing shifted. (New)
Nudging back west to the closer pair, this one was easily seen at 152x as a small round homogeneous glow. Using 199x and 283x it presented a very diffuse envelope with a weak intermittent stellar core trying to push through at times. (New)
This galaxy was about 4.5’ WSW of the previous one and in the same field of view. At 152x it was slightly bright, oval in shape with an obvious stellar core. Using 199x and 283x it was obvious in the view and had a strong stellar core blazing away at its center. (New)
The final galaxy in this little clutch was located 22’ NNW of
67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (Taurus, comet, mag=12.51,
After a nice run of galaxies in Pisces it was after 0100 and my observing eye was sending me signals that it wanted to call it quits. That coupled with general tiredness of about four hours in the field and the cooling damp air. So I moved on to my last object of the evening, the comet suggested by Andrey. Swinging the scope over to western Taurus and turning to chart XXX in the IDSA, I had previously printed out a chart for its position at 0100 using Sky Tools. Star hopping to the mag 11.53 star TYC 00655-0739-1 I immediately saw the comet at its expected position immediately ENE of the star. Viewed at 152x it presented a somewhat bright small round
A couple of SNe, a basket full of galaxies and a comet to top it off. It was a pleasing, tiring and satisfying session under a dark country sky. Thanks for following along, and I will be out there again tomorrow night (07 Sep) for another round of galaxy hunting. See you then!
