Winter galaxies

[Bigzmey]

9/10/21

For the past few years I have been working on the Herschel 2,500 list. This list contains about 2,500 DSOs observed by William Herschel at the end of 18th - beginning 19th century and later became foundation of NGC catalog. Astronomy League Herschel 400 (aka H400-1) list is a subset of Herschel 2,500 as well as H400-2 and H300-3 lists. It took me about two years to complete H400-1, another two years for H400-2 and one more year for H300-3. This gave me a good head start on H2,500.

I know some observers prefer freestyle observing and don’t do lists. I love good lists. They make you go to the parts of sky where you would not go otherwise and look at the targets you would not see otherwise. Since I star hop to my targets, often I pick a few none H2,500 on the way. Most importantly, the lists provide increasingly difficult challenges and develop your observing skills like nothing else. When I have gotten to H300-3 with magnitude 14-15 galaxies I was thinking no way I can see something faint like that. Russian proverb says: eyes are afraid but hands doing the job. A few hundred galaxies later I don’t even blink at magnitude values.

One of the reasons I brought this up is to encourage new observers to set the bar higher than comfort zone, you will be surprised how fast your skills will develop.

Another reason is that those who done some of the lists know that the targets are not distributed evenly over the seasons. The bulk is clustered around spring – stormy season here in Sothern California. So typically, for each given list I would run out of summer and fall targets first, then winter. To overcome this issue, I have employed a couple of strategies. When I run out of summer targets on Messier list, I started observing H400-1, and next year when run out of summer targets on H400-1 I have started on H400-2, and so on. Now however I have run out of summer and fall targets on H2,500 and don’t have another list yet. So, to make progress I have shifted my observing hours to early morning when winter constellations come out. Added benefit is that I catch targets as they rise in eastern, darkest portion of the sky at Anza.

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.

All targets unless otherwise stated were observed with Celestron Edge 9.25” SCT. Various EPs were tried in particular on difficult targets. Pentax XW20 (118x), XW14 (168x) and XW10 (235x) were used the most.


Venus and Moon
19:30. I have started the session with Venus and Moon crescent in still blue sky. Gibbous Venus phase was clearly seen with and without filters, but no other details were visible (118x, 276x). Moon was gorgeous no filters necessary (118x, 235x).

After that I had some time to kill before the next set of targets arrives, so I took a nap.

00:30.
Camelopardalis galaxies
North polar region of Anza sky sits in the Riverside light dome. As a result, it is harder to pick faint targets there and most of fine details are lost.

NGC 5640 – extremely faint AV spec, detected by shaking EP (168x, 235x).
NGC 5295 - extremely faint AV spec, detected by shaking EP (235x).
NGC 4127 - extremely faint AV spot detected by moving EP (118x).
NGC 3901 - extremely faint AV spot, detected by shaking EP (168x).

01:06. My next set of targets was too low, so I slept for another two hours.

03:00.
Orion galaxies
NGC 1713 – faint oval with brighter central area (118x).
NGC 1729 – faint wide AV oval touching star (118x).
NGC 1924 – faint oval (118x)
NGC 2063 – OC – long and narrow patch of 30+ faint stars with background glow (118x).
NGC 2110 – faint wide oval (118x).

Gemini
NGC 2291 – this galaxy has been eluding me. So far two previous attempts failed. This time after testing a few EPs I thought I have spotted a subtle presence with Pentax XF 8.5 (276x) and TV Plossl 13mm (181x) but was not confident enough to call it.

04:20
Lynx
NGC 2320 and NGC 2322 – two small narrow ovals in the same FOV (168x).
NGC 2326 – extremely faint wide oval with AV (118x).
NGC 2329 – faint round disk (118x).
NGC 2332 – faint narrow oval (168x).
NGC 2340 – faint oval next to star (118x).
NGC 2415 – small disk with brighter central area (118x).

NGC 2426 – small faint disk (118x).
NGC 2429 – narrow shape with AV touching star in the same FOV with NGC 2426
NGC 2431 (aka 2436) – faint oval with AV (118x).
NGC 2469 – faint small oval (118x).
NGC 2474 – faint oval (118x, 168x).
NGC 2488 – faint small oval (118x).

05:12.
Gemini
NGC 2291 - near the end of astronomical darkness I decided to give another shot this elusive galaxy. Now, it was high in the sky, and with Pentax XW14 (168x) and XW10 (235x) I have detected with AV extremely faint small round spot.

[notFritzArgelander]

Sound advice, even though I don't do lists. I'm too old for the young man's game. Nice haul! I like that you include the dances necessary to make the things appear.

[Bigzmey]

Sound advice, even though I don't do lists. I'm too old for the young man's game. Nice haul! I like that you include the dances necessary to make the things appear.

Thanks nFA! Well, by now you should know what you are doing.

[notFritzArgelander]

Sound advice, even though I don't do lists. I'm too old for the young man's game. Nice haul! I like that you include the dances necessary to make the things appear.

Thanks nFA! Well, by now you should not what you are doing.

Well I'm reading that as "by now you should know what you are doing" optimist that I am...

My only ambition in observing visually is to see how old friends are doing.

[Bigzmey]

Sound advice, even though I don't do lists. I'm too old for the young man's game. Nice haul! I like that you include the dances necessary to make the things appear.

Thanks nFA! Well, by now you should not what you are doing.

Well I'm reading that as "by now you should know what you are doing" optimist that I am...

My only ambition in observing visually is to see how old friends are doing.

Thanks for spotting it.

[kt4hx]

Excellent Andrey, another fine galaxy hunt from Anza. NGC 2291 is a little one at 0.9'x0.9' and visual mag of around 13.2. Persistence paid off, well done!

You also reminded me I have another report to file as well!

[bladekeeper]

Good haul, Andrey!

And sound advice. I recall being intimidated by magnitude and surface brightness values, and well-challenged by some of the more ornery members of the Messier catalog. I still remember the night everything finally clicked for me and I was off to the races. No fear after that.

Of course, I understand what I can see and what I can't with the sky and equipment I have, but by pushing the envelope and stretching the skill set, the sky really opened up for me. You just can't win if you don't play the game.

[kt4hx]

Good haul, Andrey!

And sound advice. I recall being intimidated by magnitude and surface brightness values, and well-challenged by some of the more ornery members of the Messier catalog. I still remember the night everything finally clicked for me and I was off to the races. No fear after that.

Of course, I understand what I can see and what I can't with the sky and equipment I have, but by pushing the envelope and stretching the skill set, the sky really opened up for me. You just can't win if you don't play the game.

I always take the posted visual magnitudes of galaxies with a grain of salt. As you both know and have said, never be afraid to push yourself to go deeper. You just might surprise yourself.

[Bigzmey]

Thanks Alan and Bryan! Yep, can't win if you don't play.

After doing three morning sessions in a row I must say I starting to like those. I thought that would be too exhausting but they carry easier than evening sessions. In part this is because most of the summer I had to wait until astronomical darkness around 22:00 to start observing and by that time I would be pretty tired after a long day. Now I set the equipment, go to sleep for a few hours and wake up ready for action. I also feel there is a bit less LP in the morning - less people keeping lights on at 2 am vs 10 pm.

[KingNothing13]

Good night, Andrey!

Thanks for including the details as well, I like reading how others observe to see if it will give me any tips or ideas!

[Arctic]

I finished the H400-1 List a couple of years ago, and am most of the way through the H400-2.

The first list was pretty easy, with most objects being visible with my 4 inch refractor.

The second list is more difficult, largely because you need more detailed star atlases for many of the objects, plus excellent observing conditions. I mostly use my 8-inch SCT for those objects.

We'll see how far I can eventually get on the H400-3. Mag 14 might be about the visual limit for most galaxies through my scope...

[helicon]

Nice haul Andrey and some excellent views. Also, great job on logging those Herschels. It seems like surface brightness is the key factor in observing galaxies, rather than an absolute magnitude. Congrats also on nabbing the VROD for the day for a very deserving report.

[Bigzmey]

Thanks Brett, Gordon and Michael! And thanks for the VROD, much appreciated!

@Arctic I have completed H400-2 with 8" SCT, but many targets where only visible with averted vision, some required multiple attempts and tricks.

[turboscrew]

Very nice list. Congrats on the VROD and NGC 2291!

[Bigzmey]

Very nice list. Congrats on the VROD and NGC 2291!

Thanks Juha!

[Makuser]

Hi Andrey. Another great collection of targets from the Anza Desert site again. Lots of NGC objects and you are really moving forward with your Herschel list totals. Thanks for another well written and informative observing report Andrey, and congratulations on receiving another well deserved TSS VROD Award.

[Bigzmey]

Hi Andrey. Another great collection of targets from the Anza Desert site again. Lots of NGC objects and you are really moving forward with your Herschel list totals. Thanks for another well written and informative observing report Andrey, and congratulations on receiving another well deserved TSS VROD Award.

Thanks Marshal!