When my chores were complete, I went in to fix some lunch and watch the Indiana University women’s basketball game. The rest of the afternoon was spent more or less relaxing and working on my notes from the evening before, and working up a plan for the evening’s galaxy hunt. I settled on starting in southern Gemini and heading back into Cancer, which would entail using only charts 75, 76 and 93 in the Uranometria. I like to keep my hunts simple and focused in a smaller area of the sky to reduce the amount of gross movements and thus keep my observing more productive.
At about 1730 hours I put all my gear out at my normal observing position, and then headed back indoors for a little more rest and dinner. I returned to the field around 1915 hours to allow time for my eyes to adjust, recheck collimation of the scope and align the finders. Around 1930 I began my evening’s quest for galaxies. But in this case I started with a couple of open clusters! Let’s get going folks and see what I managed to dredge from the dark deep sky this time out.
(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)
Uranometria All-Sky Edition (and red light)
This cluster is often regarded as an
Just south of the previous object and in the same field of view, this cluster at 152x was better detached within the field, with about 15 stars scattered around the field. I felt it was the more obvious of the pair and more in keeping with the appearance of a cluster. (New)
The famous “Monkey’s Head Nebula” was nearby to the south of the previous topics, just into Orion. Since it is part of the Jan/Feb
I now slipped back into Gemini, and aimed the scope at bright Delta Geminorum (Wasat). Here my galaxy hunt would continue. I might add that I did not observe
Just over a half degree east of Wasat I picked up my first galaxy for the evening. Slightly small and somewhat bright, this little oval displayed some non-stellar core brightness within its diffuse envelope at 152x. Taking a look with 199x the object was very obvious within the field, and its core now sported an intermittent stellar core. I noted a mag 12.7 field star lay in close attendance off its western side. (New)
UGC 3827 (Gemini, barred spiral galaxy, mag=13.6, size=1.0’x0.8’, SBr=13.2):
While I was observing the last object I also spotted this barred spiral about 13’ to the northeast. Focusing my attention here, using 152x it presented a fairly small diffuse thick oval disk with a mag 11.8 field star right off its southeastern edge. Overall the galaxy was a little dim, but not difficult. Taking a gander at 199x it was more apparent, with the core now showing an intermittent stellar appearance. (New)
UGC 3824 (Gemini, lenticular galaxy, mag=13.4, size=0.9’x0.8’, SBr=12.9):
I nudged about 23’ to the NNW to locate this object. Easily seen at 152x it was slightly dim, small and diffuse. Out of round in shape, the core seemed to exhibit a very fleeting stellar appearance. Going to 199x the galaxy was more apparent, and the core definitely was showing an intermittently stellar within the diffuse disk. (New)
About 46’ southeast of Wasat I located this dim object. Using 152x I just perceived a small diffuse oval disk. It was more apparent at 199x and remained a smooth envelope. Going ahead to 283x it was easy to see but remained a bit dim. Discovered by Stephane Javelle in 1896, it is thought a duplicate observation by Javelle in 1900 also resulted in a “new” object catalogued as
Immediately south of
I returned to Wasat then shifted my attention to the northeast, picking up 58
UGC 3869 (Gemini, lenticular galaxy, mag=14.2, size=1.0’x0.4’, SBr=13.9):
A little over 1.5° NNE of the last object I picked up the double star STTA 85, a pair of white stars (mag 7.6 and 8.9 with sep of 64.2”). About 10’ south of the pair I located this lenticular. Using 152x it displayed fairly small and fairly dim oval disk that appeared homogeneous. At 199x it was slightly more apparent, but remained dim and smooth across its envelope. (New)
Next was this spiral, about 21.5’ east of the previous object. Picked up with 152x, it appeared as a small and dim diffuse oval glow with a broadly brighter core. Though more apparent at 199x it still remained dim overall. This is actually two galaxies (MCG 4-18-22 & MCG 4-18-23) with one seemingly lying in front of the other (closer to us). However, they were discovered as a singular object and thus carry only one designation in the
Nearly half way along and east of a line between the stars 58 and 57
UGC 3911 (Gemini, lenticular galaxy, mag=13.7, size=1.1’x0.8’, SBr=13.4):
Moving farther east of Wasat (Delta
UGC 3932 (Gemini, spiral galaxy, mag=14.1, size=1.5’x0.3’, SBr=13.1):
Just about 1° to the southeast of the previous object, and only 8.5’ west of mag 7.0 HD 60914, I picked up my next galaxy. Viewing with 152x it revealed a small and diffuse fairly dim oval envelope. As with the previous object, at 199x, it also displayed an intermittent stellar core at the center of the diffuse disk. (New)
UGC 3960 (Gemini, elliptical galaxy, mag=13.3, size=1.3’x1.1’, SBr=13.6):
Over 1° to the northeast of the previous object I nailed down this elliptical. With 152x it showed a slightly dim thick oval disk that was small and evenly illuminated. Seen at 199x it was a little brighter to the eye, and a stellar core was now showing at its center. (New)
UGC 4054 (Gemini, spiral galaxy, mag=13.5, size=2.0’x0.5’, SBr=13.4):
Using mag 3.6 Kappa
Moving close to the Gemini-Cancer border, I picked up this small and dim thick oval disk using 152x. An intermittent stellar core was also detected. Using 199x the stellar core was more obvious, and the galaxy was a little brighter to the eye in general. (New)
About 22.5’ north of the last object I picked up this spiral. At 152x it only gave me a fleeting suspicion of a very small and pretty dim little dust bunny. Going to 199x I got confirmation of its presence though it remained visually weak. It was merely a faint homogeneous oval puff of smoke. Going ahead to 283x I truly confirmed the galaxy though it was still weak as a ghostly oval glow. 0(New)
I now moved across the border into the celestial crab. First up was this barred spiral which was easily spotted using 152x as a small and subtly bright homogenous oval glow. Viewed with 199x it was more obvious, but remained a smooth even disk. (New)
Just over a degree SSW of the previous target I found the next one very close to the border of Gemini. I found it a small and fairly dim rounded object that was smoothly illuminated. Easier to see at 199x it remained homogeneous to the eye. (New)
Now moving to the northeast to mag 5.7 Psi Cnc, I focused my attention to its southwest, not quite a degree. I was able to pin down this small and fairly dim thick oval disk using 152x. Homogeneous in appearance, it remained smooth at 199x thought a little more apparent. (New)
About 20.5’ north of Psi Cnc I picked up 13 Cnc (mag 6.4). Only about 7’ WNW of this star I was able to see the very small and quite dim diffuse oval glow of this spiral using 152x. Taking a peek at 199x, though slightly more apparent, it remained quite dim and evenly illuminated. In reality this is two objects, seen as one. The two components are PGC 22903 (east) and PGC 93095 (west). They may well be non-interactive companions. They also carry a secondary Index Catalogue identifier as Javelle “discovered” this object twice – 1892 (
Nearly 21’ SSE of bright Psi Cnc, I easily spotted this spiral using 152x. It presented as a small and subtly bright diffuse oval glow. Very obvious at 199x it remained evenly illuminated across its oval disk. This was the much brighter and larger of two within the same
Less than 2’ SSE of the previous object I also noticed this galaxy. With 152x it was very dim and small, clearly the less obvious than its neighbor to the north. Its oval disk was smooth and even across its envelope. At 199x it was a little easier to see, but still remained a weak visual object. (New)
About 22’ southwest of the previous pair, in the direction of the mag 7.3 star HD 67544, I picked up my next object. This spiral was seen at 152x as a small and fairly dim diffuse oval disk with a dim 14th mag field star just of its northwestern tip. A little easier at 199x it remained dim and homogenous. The interesting thing about this object is that originally I thought I was pursuing UGC 4257, which is plotted in the atlas – but
Nearly 47’ northeast of the star 13 Cnc (mentioned with
UGC 4300 (Cancer, spiral galaxy, mag=13.4, size=1.3’x1.0’, SBr=13.5):
Continuing my nudge to the northeast for about 1° I swept up this spiral, about halfway between mag 8.5 HD 68774 and mag 7.4 HD 69312. With 152x it revealed a small and dim homogeneous oval disk. It was more apparent at 199x, but remained smooth across its envelope. (New)
UGC 4341 (Cancer, lenticular galaxy, mag=13.8, size=1.0’x0.5’, SBr=12.9):
Nearly a degree east of the previous object I settled on the bright star mag 5.1 Chi Cnc, and turned my attention immediately to its south (about 7.5’). Using 152x I spotted this lenticular as a small and dim diffuse oval dust bunny. The glare from Chi Cnc was bothersome. Using 199x the galaxy was more apparent, and its core now displayed a non-stellar uptick in brightness. The star’s glare was still an irritant unless I moved it out of the view. (New)
Moving southeast of Chi Cnc, I picked up this galaxy immediately east of mag 8.5 HD 70403. Challenging at 152x, it appeared as a fairly small and very dim thin diffuse glow. A little more apparent using 199x, it remained a thin even streak. (New)
Nearly a degree ENE of the last object, I picked up a pair of galaxies about 6’ apart. The more apparent was this elliptical. Using 152x it was a small and subtly bright thick oval glow. More obvious at 199x it remained homogeneous to the eye. I noted a very dim 15th mag) field star to its immediate west. This was the brightest and largest of the pair in the same
A mere 6’ south of the previous object and within the same
About 2° north of the previous galactic duo, I found the bright star mag 5.6 Phi1 Cnc. Not quite 4’ to its southwest I spotted this lenticular galaxy. At 152x it displayed a small and dim oval disk that was evenly illuminated. The glare of Phi1 was bothersome. While more apparent at 199x, its disk remained homogeneous and the glare from the nearby star continued to impact the view. (New)
Nearly 8’ WNW of
I next nudged to the southeast nearly 2° to pin down this spiral about 24’ south of a very wide pair of 8th magnitude field stars. Small and fairly dim using 152x, it presented a rounded diffuse disk. A little more apparent at 199x, it remained homogeneous, but I did pick up a dim field star just to its southwest. (New)
A little over 1.5° southeast of the previous object I located my next one, south of a triangle of three 7th magnitude stars. Using 152x it was a small and dim thin oval disk that was evenly illuminated across its disk. More apparent at 199x, its core now showed a weak non-stellar brightness. (New)
Slipping southward nearly 1° I located a pair of widely spaced field stars (8th and 9th mag) that would lead me to this object. Picked up using 152x, I was seeing a small and dim slightly elongated oval disk that contained an intermittent stellar core. When viewed with 199x the galaxy was still dim, but not difficult. The stellar core was still popping in and out of view. I did look for
Just ESE (about 10’) of
At this point I was coming into the finish line for this evening. The brightest galaxy in Cancer is an object I had not observed in about 12 years. So I wanted to wrap up my outing by giving it a look from this location with the larger scope, plus a couple of nearby galaxies that were not in the log. So I now moved to chart 93 in the atlas to finish up the evening’s show.
Reacquiring Acubens (Alpha Cnc) I then quickly star hopped to the southeast a little over 5.5° to locate this nice object. Easily picked up with 152x it presented a large and bright thick oval disk with a strong core at its center. The galaxy’s envelope was quite diffuse. Using 199x the galaxy was curiously entrancing, with its disk appearing uneven in brightness indicative of its spiral structure. The core was intensely stellar in appearance set within this large diffuse disk. The outer portions were extended as a diaphanous halo. This is an amazingly beautiful galaxy to behold under darker skies.
In the same field of view at 152x I also picked up this object about 11.5 NNE of the core of
As with the previous object, at 152x, this object was likewise visible in the shared field of view with
UGC 4900 (Cancer, spiral galaxy, mag=14.5, size=1.4’x0.7’, SBr=14.2):
Just over 1.5° east of the previous group of three galaxies I spotted the double star STTA 98, a pair of white stars oriented north-south. Their separation is listed at 111.1” with magnitudes of 8.0 and 8.4. They were easily split, and they also helped me find my last object for the evening. The spiral UGC 4900 is plotted almost 7’ west of the star pair. At 152x I did not see any sign of the object in the field. Going ahead to 199x I was now picking up hints of a small and very dim diffuse object. I moved on to 283x and was able to confirm the object as a small homogeneous oval disk of low surface brightness. (New)
I checked the time and it was after 2300 hours, and I had had enough of a good thing. The evening went well, and I was pleased, but I was also just plain tired. I was a little chilled, but not quite as bad as the previous evening. I had layered a little better this time. Anyway, that was it for this journey through a dark country sky. I had a great two nights of galaxy hunting, with a few other objects tossed in for good measure. Thanks for coming along with me as I dug deep into the night sky. Keep looking up friends, as that is where the good stuff truly is found!
