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The forecast for our second night at the dark site house was a little better than that for the previous evening and I had higher hopes for more time in the field before the predicted weakening of transparency came sometime toward 0100 hours. Given the observing focus I had in mind for this evening, I would certainly need more than the 1.5 hours the sky grudgingly gave me the previous night.
All my stuff had been placed outside earlier and about 2100 hours I went out to deploy the table, chair, ready the eyepieces, lay out the Interstellarum (IDSA), Uranometria and some other printed charts that I wished to reference from time to time as well. With the gear all set up, the 17.5 inch collimated and the Rigel QF and
As with the previous session I quickly located
About 6.5’ south of the galaxy center I studied the field around a mag 10.7 field star. I finally picked up a relatively bright small knot of fuzz just to its south that gave the illusory impression of the two being involved. (New)
Nearly 4’ north of the previous object I studied the field a bit and noted two dim and very small dust bunnies. The eastern one of the pair was this small bit of fuzz. It was a little challenging but clearly there. (New)
The western of the pair of small dim knots north of
I next headed over
At that point as I looked at the sky I could see the tendrils of high thin clouds creeping, like icy fingers, across the celestial canvas. So I resigned myself to sitting back in my chair to wait a bit to see what transpired. While doing so, I busied myself with organizing my other charts, opening the IDSA to chart 33 plus detailed chart D24, as well as the Uranometria to detailed chart A8.
After a while I looked skyward and noticed that the intrusion of the high thins seemed to be abating, and at that moment another breezy gust of air came through. I felt a very light bump on my left leg, and looking down I saw a white sheet of paper lying on the ground. Picking it up I was quite surprised to find it was my wayward chart that seemingly came back after wandering about the yard for a while. It was as if it were trying to tell me that the sky was on the mend so break time was over and to get back to work! I found the whole experience a very curious occurrence indeed.
So after that interesting turn of events, I headed to
At 110x this beauty was just that – a beauty! It presented a very large and bright extended spindle running southeast to northwest. It was bisected by a prominent dark lane running the full length of the galaxy disk, and a modest central bulge was also apparent. I also viewed it with 152x and it was simply a stunning sight to behold. Those kind of views really bring back to me why I am first and foremost a galaxy hunter.
I next looked for this elusive galaxy just over 13’ southwest of
Abell 1656 (
The cluster Abell 1656 is large and rich cluster lying between 31 Comae (mag 4.9) and 41 Comae (mag 4.8). Though it boasts more than 1000 known members, a much smaller number are accessible to typical backyard scopes. It lies at a distance of about 322.9 MLY and has a radius of approximately 10 MLY. The cluster is dominated by two 11th magnitude elliptical galaxies at its center,
For my excursion into this busy and confusing field, I had several resources at my disposal. First and foremost was an annotated image of the central 1° of the cluster’s field. I also had various charts that were less detailed that were more in hand to deal with the peripheral areas of the cluster that were outside the coverage of my primary chart. Given the vast number of objects plotted on the charts I tended to focus on finding galaxies within the
The observations were primarily carried out using my Ethos 13mm eyepiece, which yielded 152x with a 0.7° TFOV and exit pupil of 2.9mm. Occasionally the
So with that, I will present my haul from Abell 1656 during the nearly three hours I spent following this cluster across the sky with the 17.5 inch
Somewhat bright, small and round, it was broadly brighter in the center.
Brighter than
Pretty dim, this small rounded glow had a slight central brightness involved.
Another dim and rounded dust bunny near
Faint and small, round in shape and homogeneous to the eye.
Quite dim and small at 152x. I was more of threshold object with its breath on a mirror appearance.
Very faint and small. Appeared rounded in shape and more of a threshold object at 152x.
Again, another very small and very dim rounded dust bunny at 152x.
Immediately northwest of the last object, it presented as a small and fairly dim oval.
About 2’ northwest of the previous pair, it appeared small and faint, and slightly out of round at 152x.
Small, dim and oval in appearance. Located between the two main elliptical at the center of the cluster.
A fairly faint and diminutive oval.
Companion to
A pretty dim threshold object that was similar to a fuzzy star. I used 199x to confirm its presence in the field.
A tough threshold object that was a very small and woefully dim oval that required 199x for confirmation. In the same
This is a double system. Immediately south of
PGC 309854 (lenticular, mag=14.3, size=0.25’x0.23’, SBr=):
Sometimes referred to as
Very faint, small and round; a simple dust mote.
Another pretty faint and small round dust bunny.
Part of a looping string of galaxies east of the cluster center. Very dim and small elongated sliver.
A dim oval, small in size, just east of the previous object.
Just south of the last object and still in the same
Small and round dim dust bunny.
Yet another small and dim round dust bunny.
And another member of this clutch of rabbits, small, dim and round.
Small, round and dim to the eye. A 14th mag field star lie just west of the disk.
Small and a little faint, it displayed some broader brightness within its center.
MCG 5-31-63 (mag=14.6, size=0.7’x0.6’, SBr=13.4):
Pretty dim and small slightly out of round fuzzy spot.
Small, but slightly larger visually than many. Slightly dim and oval, revealing a nearly stellar core.
Just separated from
Simply a faint and small elongated strip of light..
Pretty small and very faint oval visually. This is a duo, but second galaxy was not resolved.
Noticeably elongated homogeneous glow. Dim and thin, it was fairly dim to the eye.
About 16.5’ northwest of HD 142734 (mag 6.9) I easily spotted this double system. The primary, sometimes referred to as
MCG 5-31-27 (elliptical, mag=13.0, size=1.0’x0.7’, SBr=12.3):
Shared a common envelope with
Southwest of the primary galaxy
This very small and very thin sliver was nearby. Though more noticeable than nearby
Another challenging small round bit of fuzz in the
The fuzz-fest continued with this little dim oval.
Small and round, this dim glow fit well with its group mates.
This round small patch was extremely faint, and I utilized 199x to confirm.
This very dim and small oval completed the group and formed a tiny triangle with
Just a little brighter than that last grouping of
About 5.5’ southwest of
MCG 5-31-74 (lenticular, mag=14.5, size=1.1’x0.4’, SBr=13.3):
This small thin slice of fairly dim light was oriented north-south. Presented as dim and homogeneous.
Moving over to a elongated grouping southeast of
PGC 83751 (lenticular, mag=14.9, size=0.4’x0.2’, SBr=11.9):
This was a secondary and very dim small knot southwest of
MCG 5-31-94 (spiral, mag=15.3, size=0.4’x0.3’, SBr=12.9):
A pair of extremely dim knots oriented north-south were found just east of the previous duo. The southern of this pair is this spiral. Very small and round, it was only suspected at 199x and confirmed with 297x.
MCG 5-31-96 (elliptical, mag=15.4, size=0.6’x0.4’, SBr=13.6):
Similarly to the previous object, this little rounded knot was confirmed to its north utilizing 297x, though only suspected about 199x.
A dim, small and slightly oval puff. This one was just east of the previous very dim north-south pair.
ENE of the previous clump, this was one was obviously brighter, though still a bit dim. Round and small, it did reveal a brighter concentration within its center.
Just NNW of
Next up I went back to the dimmer side. Small and rounded in appearance, it contained a tight brighter core within its envelope.
I next moved to a field north of the primary clump east of
Presented a slightly dim and small extended oval that contained some central brightness.
PGC 44717 (elliptical, mag=15.0, size=0.7’x0.4’, SBr=13.7):
About 3’ southwest of the previous galaxy I picked up (with difficulty) this little oval. It is sometimes listed as
At the northwest end of a line of three with
North of the previous string I nailed down this dim and small oval.
MCG 5-31-95 (elliptical, mag=13.8, size=0.7’x0.5’, SBr=12.5):
Just ENE of
Moving to the eastern side of the cluster field for a little bit, I swept up this small and round dim homogeneous glow.
Almost 4’ east of
Just north of the previous pair is a line of three smaller dimmer galaxies, with this one being the western-most. Slightly out of round it was small and pretty dim, and though seen with 152x, I used 199x to confirm it and the others in the line.
Just north of
Then just east of
To the ESE of the previous group I picked up this one, which presented a dim and very small round dust mote.
Also in the field was this very dim and small oval.
Just to the north I located this small elongated narrow oval that displayed a small brighter core. Overall it was slightly bright and clearly the most apparent within the field.
PGC 214061 (spiral, mag=15.6, size=0.4’x0.3’, SBr=13.0):
Just off the eastern tip of
This little rounded bit of fuzz was faint and homogeneous. It was framed between a pair of dim field stars (12th and 14th mag)
A fairly dim oval at 152x it was small in apparent size and homogeneous in appearance.
I now re-aimed the scope at 31 Comae (mag 4.9) to begin moving into the WSW periphery.
Small and oval, it was slightly bright and displayed a modestly brighter concentration in its middle.
A small and little dim slightly oval glow that exhibited some central brightness within a diffuse envelope.
MCG 5-31-7 (lenticular, mag=14.3, size=0.9’x0.7’, SBr=13.5):
This one was kind of dim and small with a bit of a rounded shape, and mostly homogeneous in appearance.
MCG 5-31-8 (spiral, mag=14.2, size=0.7’x0.3’, SBr=12.2):
Another weak oval glow in the field south of the previous object that was small and diffuse to the eye.
A few minutes south of MCG 5-31-8 I picked up this small and rounded glow. Though mostly dim, it did reveal a brighter core embedded within the halo.
MCG 5-31-2 (elliptical, mag=14.7, size=0.9’x0.3’, SBr=13.0):
I picked up vague traces of this very dim and small oval at 152. Going ahead to 199x confirmed its weak presence in the field as a homogeneous glow.
A little bit bright to the eye, this small north-south oval was mostly evenly illuminated, and forms a pair with
Immediately west of the previous galaxy I noticed this weak thin sliver also oriented north-south. It was poor at 152x and only marginally better at 199x. Small in size, it was simply a diffuse little slip of light.
MCG 5-30-120 (barred irregular, mag=13.6, size=1.8’x1.3’, SBr=14.4):
Northwest of
MCG 5-30-116 (mag=13.9, size=0.9’x0.7’, SBr=13.3):
Appeared small and slightly out of round, and was visually dim and evenly illuminated at 152x
Fairly dim and small, it was oval in shape and homogeneous. Next to a mag 10.8 field star which interfered a little bit.
Just north of a 14th mag field star, I found this one small and slightly oval. It was a little dim and mostly diffuse in appearance.
Presented small and fairly dim with an oval shape. A stellar nucleus was suspected very intermittently.
Small and a little bright with a bright core area. A weak and small outer halo was noted.
Formed a wide (nearly 2’) pair with
Smaller and dimmer than
MCG 5-31-18 (elliptical, mag=14.6, size=0.7’x0.6’, SBr=13.7):
This small round glow was pretty dim and required 199x to confirm to my satisfaction.
As the cluster was nearing the
Aiming at the pair of mag 4.9 stars Nu1 and Nu2 Draconis, I nudged a little over 2° to the northeast picking up the mag 6.5 star HD 158013. Within its glare field to the south I found this small and round glow. It was dim and homogeneous to the eye at 110x up to 199x and significantly impacted by glaring from the nearby star. (New)
Nudging NNE almost 2° to the mag 6.5 star HD 158485, I found this galaxy’s field. In the IDSA it plots a tight clump of four galaxies. This spiral is the southwestern corner of a triangle formed with the others in the field. Dim and small, this rounded glow is also catalogued as part of Arp 311 along with
This is a double system comprised of PGC 60323 and PGC 60325 that was the northern apex of the triangle of three glows. It is sometimes listed as
The southeastern corner of the triangle of three glows was this very challenging round glow. Not seen at 110x, it was a mere whisper of presence at 152x, it was confirmed as a very small and very dim rounded glow at 199x. After affixing its position visually I was just able to make it out when dropping back to 152x, but it remained out of sight at 110x. This galaxy is part of Arp 311. (New)
I felt very tired after tediously working my way through a good portion of Abell 1656 and then digging out the galaxies in Draco. I also noticed that parts of the sky were starting to diminish. Sitting back in my chair I watched for a few minutes as stars started to fade as the high thin clouds began their main push into the area.
Seeing Hercules was gaining some elevation in the northeast, I decided to go out with a bang. Aiming the scope easily and spotting
So that was it for both myself and the sky. I rolled the scope back into the garage and put my other stuff back where it belonged. Then headed in for a snack and to warm up a bit as the 30° air had chilled me sufficiently. Thanks for coming along to share this two night journey of galaxy hunting at our dark site house. Hope to see you out there soon, and as always, keep looking up friends.
