(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) - not used during this portion of the session
Over 5.5° east of Arcturus I located this small elliptical. At 152x it appeared as a slightly bright round disk with a stellar core embedded within. With 199x it was quite obvious within the field with a strong stellar core. (New)
My next galaxy was easily seen with 152x, presenting as a small thick oval. Subtly bright to my eye, it was a smoothly illuminated disk. Then at 199x a non-stellar core brightness was detected within its oval envelope. (New)
A little over 3° southeast of Arcturus I swept up this subtly bright oval disk. Small in angular extent it contained a stellar core. It was quite obvious at 199x, with a strong core. (New)
I foraged briefly in the area east and north of mag 3.0 Gamma Boo (Seginus). First I located this small and subtly bright oval using 152x. An intermittent stellar core was noticed, then at 199x the core became a steady stellar presence and the galaxy itself was quite obvious. (New)
Up next was this spiral. With 152x it was a small and slightly bright oval glow with a broadly brighter core region. It was very strong visually at 199x and hints of a weak stellar core were beginning to show. (New)
This irregular galaxy was easily picked up at 152x, but it was a small and subtle thin glow. Averted vision made it pop more but its low surface brightness elongated disk was noticeably weaker with direct vision. With 199x it was more obvious, particularly with averted vision, yet it remained a ghostly homogeneous glow. (New)
This inclined spiral was the most visually intriguing galaxy of the evening. Easily picked up at 152x it presented a diffuse elongated disk that was small and slightly dim. Curiously it was uneven in brightness, with the core and eastward being brighter than the western section, which was of lower surface brightness. With 199x the galaxy was quite obvious, though it remained noticeably diffuse and uneven. After the session I checked images of this spiral and indeed noticed that the galaxy’s bar was brighter plus there were noticeable HII regions in the arms to the east of the core. These two features obviously combined to make the eastern half of the galaxy noticeably brighter. Good stuff! (New)
Next up was this small and slightly bright thick oval disk. Easily found with 152x it contained a stellar core at its heart. I noticed a dim 14th mag field star just off its eastern side. At 199x it was very obvious in the field and its stellar core was quite strong within the disk. (New)
About 1° west of the previous object I picked up this spiral. At 152x it presented a small and subtly dim small oval disk. Smoothly illuminated initially, with 199x a non-stellar brightness within the core region was evident. (New)
Not quite 10’ southwest of the last object and within the same field of view I spotted this little smudge. With 152x it was a small and dim oval dust bunny that was homogeneous. Using 199x it remained dim though not particularly difficult to pick up. This one was not plotted in the IDSA but was noted and then confirmed after I returned indoors. (New)
Over 1° south of
This spiral was located about 2.5° east of the last object in the direction of mag 3.5 Beta Boo (Nekkar). Easily found with 152x it presented a small but somewhat bright oval disk with a stellar core. Viewing with 199x it was very obvious within the view. Diffuse generally, it contained a very strong stellar core. (New)
About 2.5° NNE of Nekkar I located this lenticular which is actually a pair of lenticular galaxies (PGC 53939 and 93127) that are almost fully merged. Images show a pair of cores side by side. However my view of this object was of a single entity. Easily seen with 152x the combined disk was small and subtly bright to the eye, and oval in shape. There was no hint of the double core of the pair of merged galaxies, only a smooth and homogeneous disk. At 199x its envelope remained a smoothly illuminated oval. (New)
Moving to the portion of Bootes northeast of Nekkar I was heading into the home stretch for the evening. This spiral appeared as a small and subtly bright thin disk at 152x. Within its envelope I noticed a small elongated brightness in the core. This inner lens of brightness was oriented in the major axis became more apparent at 199x, and the galaxy in general was more obvious and easy. (New)
Next was this barred spiral. At 152x it presented small and slightly bright oval glow that contained a broadly brighter core. With 199x it was quite obvious within the field and its central brightness more apparent as well. (New)
About 8.5’ south of the last object and within the same field I spotted this slightly bright round disk containing an intermittent stellar core. Obvious at 199x the core remained intermittently stellar. (New)
Just over 10’ southeast of the previous galaxy and within the same view was this dim and small round glow. Homogeneous in appearance it was a little weak at 152x. A little more apparent at 199x it remained generally weak and smooth visually. (New)
A little over 1° to the northeast of the last group of three, I located group of six galaxies known as the
First galaxy I located in the
Next up was another spiral just over 10’ northwest of the previous object in the direction of the line of four. Found with 152x, it presented a very small oval glow that was fairly dim to the eye. When viewed with 199x it was more apparent, and not difficult, but remained homogeneous in appearance. (New)
Focusing my attention northwest of
PGC 55563 (Bootes, compact galaxy, mag=14.4, size=0.3’x0.3’, SBr=11.5):
Immediately northeast of
Next up was this spiral 4.5’ ENE of PGC 55563 (
The final member of this group of six was yet another spiral 3’ ENE of
About 2.5° southeast of
Just southwest of the previous galaxy, this small thick oval was outclassed by its neighbor to the northeast. Slightly dim, it presented a smoothly illuminated envelope at both 152x and 199x. (New)
My final object for the evening was swept up about 2° southwest of the previous duo, and easily spotted with 152x. It presented a small and somewhat bright oval glow with a stellar core pinned to its center. Nearby was a bright white pair of stars (mag 6.8 + 7.8). At 199x the galaxy was more obvious and seemed to thin out a little as more of its major axis became apparent. It was a nice ending to a fine evening. (New)
The time was now approaching 0200 hours and frankly I was a bit tired. The air was cool (upper 50’s F), but comfortable with a thin shell jacket on. Everything around me was damp from the elevated humidity, but the sky still seemed quite decent overall, though it did seem to drop off slightly after 0100 hours. Anyway it was a very fruitful galaxy hunt and I appreciate you coming along with me as we peered into the depths of the universe. I hope you all get a chance soon to blaze your own trail through the night sky. Keep looking up friends.