Since I have not been able to observe lately, I thought I would submit another previously unreported observing session from 2020 until such time as I can get back into the field at the dark site. For this outing, I began a little after 2200 hours and had to battle intermittent high thin clouds before the moon began to rise in the east sometime after 2330. While a bit of a quick hunt, it went well despite the intermittent clouds. Jupiter and Saturn were obvious and bright in eastern Sagittarius, as I swung the scope into western Aquarius. I also tossed in a bright globular and planetary nebula just for some easier fare to allow my eye to relax a little!
While it is fun to relive some previous observing and share a previously unreported galaxy hunt with you, I am looking forward to getting back out into the field at our dark site before too long. Between highly variable weather, the upcoming lunar dominance of the night sky and other personal considerations, I have not been able to get over there as much as I would have liked recently. But I hope that the coming autumn will bring with it better conditions. Anyway, in the meantime I hope you enjoy coming along with me on this little galaxy hunt.
Equipment used:
17.5 inch
f/4 dobsonian
ES 82 24mm (82x, 1.0° TFOV, 5.4mm
EP)
ES 82 18mm (110x, 0.7° TFOV, 4.0mm
EP)
XW 10mm (199x, 0.4° TFOV, 2.2mm
EP)
XW 7mm (283x, 0.2° TFOV, 1.6mm
EP)
NGC 6968 (Aquarius, lenticular galaxy, mag=13.2, size=1.6’x1.2’, SBr=13.8):
At 110x it presented a small and dim homogeneous oval next to dim field star. Viewed at 199x there was an intermittent stellar core present. (New)
MCG -2-53-7 (Aquarius, barred spiral galaxy, mag=14.5, size=0.8’x0.3’, SBr=12.8):
Only vaguely suspected at 110x, it was confirmed at 199x as a very small and rounded ghostly glow. Even at 283x it remained quite weak. (New)
IC 1331 (Aquarius, lenticular galaxy, mag=13.7, size=1.8’x0.6’, SBr=13.6):
Viewed at both 110x and 199x it presented a small diffuse oval that was evenly illuminated. (New)
MCG -2-53-4 (Aquarius, spiral galaxy, mag=15.2, size=0.9’x0.2’, SBr=13.2):
A fleeting suspicion at 199x just NNW of
IC 1331. Even with 283x, though confirmed, it could not be held 100% of the time. Simply a small non-stellar pip of weak light. (New)
NGC 6985 (Aquarius, spiral galaxy, mag=13.8, size=1.3’x0.9’, SBr=13.9):
Often times listed as
NGC 6985A, this oval was observed at 110x to 283x. Overall was a dim and small homogeneous oval that was not prominent within the field. At 199x I suspected a second galaxy at its southwestern edge. Again at 283x I felt that a second object was present, but very intermittently so. I tried for a bit but could not confirm the presence of PGC 969910 attached at the southwestern end. This may have been a case of wishful thinking and averted imagination. Not counting the secondary object as confirmed however. (New)
NGC 6981 / Messier 72 (Aquarius, globular cluster, mag=9.2, size=6.6’, class=9):
Glimpsed in the 8x50
RACI as a very small round non-stellar pip. At 110x small and a little bit bright to the eye, but lacking any significant resolution. Using 199x I picked up some modest resolution, and the core region seemed slightly misshapen. This may have been due to two or three small dense knots of stars giving the impression of unevenness.
MCG -2-53-3 (Aquarius, barred irregular galaxy, mag=13.9, size=2.2’x1.1’, SBr=14.7):
The Aquarius Dwarf Galaxy is a member of the Local Group at a distance of about 3.2 MLY. Searching the field at 82x and 110x using averted vision, I picked up a very subtle small oval patch of glow. Under the conditions it was a bit challenging and was not held steadily, but was confirmed multiple times at both magnifications. (New)
IC 1332 (Aquarius, spiral galaxy, mag=13.5, size=0.9’x0.6, SBr=12.6):
Merely suspected at 110x, it was confirmed at 199x as a very dim and small rounded ghost in the field. I did utilize 283x for full confirmation of its presence – very weak. (New)
IC 1330 (Aquarius, spiral galaxy, mag=14.0, size=1.2’x0.4’, SBr=12.9):
Picked up with difficulty at 110x as a small and dim rounded pip. Confirmation was at 199x as a dim homogeneous oval. (New)
MCG -2-53-13 (Aquarius, barred spiral galaxy, mag=13.9, size=1.3’x0.5’, SBr=13.2):
Unseen at 110x, it was merely suspected at 199x. Using 283x I confirmed its presence in the field as a very dim, small rounded puff of light next to a dim field star. It was quite weak visually. (New)
IC 1344 (Aquarius, spiral galaxy, mag=13.7, size=1.0’x0.4’, SBr=12.4):
Weakly observed at 110x as a dim and small homogeneous oval. It was fully confirmed at 199x but remained poor visually. (New)
NGC 7009 (Aquarius, planetary nebula, mag=7.8, size=0.5’x0.4’:
The “Saturn Nebula” was picked up in the
RACI as a stellar presence in the field. Overall, observing at 110x to 283x it presented a pale blue out of round glow. Seeing and transparency were both weak overall, but the ansae were glimpsed as very stubby extensions to the disk.
NGC 7010 (Aquarius, elliptical galaxy, mag=13.5, size=2.3’x1.3’, SBr=14.5):
Picked up at 110x, it presented a small and dim homogenous oval. Easier at 199x though its overall appearance changed little. Also erroneously listed as
IC 5082 due to a positional error by John Herschel in 1823. Though this error was noticed by Herbert Howe and reported to Dreyer, when corrected in the second release of the Index Caralogue, he failed to notice it was essentially the same position as a galaxy that was “discovered” by Bigourdan in 1886 that was inserted by mistake as
IC 5082. (New)
NGC 7065 (Aquarius, barred spiral galaxy, mag=13.3, size=1.1’x0.8’, SBr=13.0):
Weakly seen at 110x as a small and pretty dim oval. At 199x a stellar core was detected but the galaxy disk was weak. Even at 283x the galaxy remained poor though the stellar core stood out reasonable well. (New)
NGC 7065A (Aquarius, barred spiral galaxy, mag=13.1, size=1.0’x0.9’, SBr=12.9):
More properly known as MCG -01-54-018, this companion was not seen at 110x and suspected at 199x as a soft puff just ESE of
NGC 7065. Even at 283x, with the approaching moonrise and high thin clouds, it was nothing much more than a small ghostly round mote. (New)
Thanks for reading along, and I do hope you can get out under a night sky soon. I sure would like to myself!