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I have observed the September northern challenge object , Messier 33, countless times over the years. Below are the notes from one of these observations from 2013 using my Z10 dob during a visit to our dark site area in the western part of the state.
Messier 33 / NGC 598 (Triangulum, spiral galaxy, mag=5.7, size=70.8’x41.7’, SBr=14.2):
This low surface brightness face-on galaxy in Triangulum was frequently just discernible naked eye, particularly with averted vision. In the 10x50 binoculars it was easily scooped up as a large and bright diaphanous oval glow. In the Z10 at 69x, it was quite bright and large angularly, presenting a bright core, with the arc of the spiral arms just discernible curling out from the core. Some small bright knots of H-II regions were also faintly seen in the arms, including the brightest of the lot NGC 604. An amazingly beautiful object that was made even more so by the dark richness of the skies at this location.
The southern object for this month, Messier 2, has likewise been observed numerous times. The below observation is also from 2013 with the Z10, but in this case from our typically lightly polluted backyard at home.
Messier 2 / NGC 7089 (Aquarius, globular cluster, mag=6.6, size=16.0’, class=2):
Moving southeast into Aquarius, to 2nd magnitude Sadalmelik (Alpha Aquarii), I then hopped just over 8 degrees to the west where the magnitude 6.6 globular Messier 2 slipped into the FOV of my 8x50 finder scope. At 69x in the Z10 it was somewhat small though very bright with a noticeably bright small core within a small symmetrical halo. The overall presentation was granular, hinting that at least some resolution might be possible. Moving through 89x, 114x and 142x it grew in visual size and core intensity, with the outer stars gradually becoming resolved. The core, however, remained intensely bright and tightly condensed.
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
Nice Alan! Sounds like I need to get to a good dark sky for a really good look at M33 - I've observed it from my yard twice - but each time, my notes say it was a "dim patch".
-- Brett
Scope: Apertura AD10 with Nexus II with 8192/716000 Step Encoders EPs: ES 82* 18mm, 11mm, 6.7mm; GSO 30mm Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 Binoculars List Counts:Messier: 75;Herschel 400: 30;Caldwell: 12; AL Carbon Star List: 16 Brett's Carbon Star Hunt
Thanks guys. I don't observe the Messier objects frequently any more because I've seen them so many times, but sometimes it is nice to re-visit them once in a while.
Brett, yes indeed, do get to a dark site. Dark skies are the great equalizer when it comes to diffuse extended objects. Less LP means less sky brightening that the feeble light from the object must overcome to be easily seen. I have always referred to the difference between our backyard at home (typically Bortle 5) to our dark site house (typically Bortle 3) as exponential. My 10 or 12 inch dobs used at the dark site compare favorably to the 17.5 inch used at home. That is why I call darker skies the great equalizer. Thus why I have the 17.5 inch at our dark site house full time now, so I get the combined advantage of larger aperture under darker skies.
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
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"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)