Herschel 300-3!!!

[Bigzmey]

5/23/20

A bit of history first. The New General Catalog (NGC) was compiled from several deep-sky catalogs in 1880. It contains around 8,000 DSOs of which 2,477 were observed by William Herschel. Herschel 400 (Aka Hesrchel 400-1, Herschel 1, H1) list was created by a collective of amateur astronomers by hand picking ~400 of brightest and interesting targets out of the Herschel catalog. It meant to be next more challenging step after Messier catalog. After success of Herschel 400, Herschel 400-2 and Herschel 300-3 extensions were compiled.

It took me ~1.5 years to complete Herschel 1 by fall of 2017. After that I started on Herschel 2 and 3 in parallel. As you may already know from Messier catalog the objects are not spread evenly through constellations and seasons. There is always a bucketload of targets in spring, notably in Virgo Galaxy Cluster, which coincides with storm season here.

I have observed most of H2 and H3 targets by fall 2018 and was waiting for Virgo Galaxy Cluster targets. Last spring, I barely managed to collect the reminder of H2 and then it swung out of view for a year until this spring. This year spring came late but May turned out to be very productive. With finish line in sight I made the last dash on Saturday, before the area drifts away until the next year.

Location: Anza desert site, Bortle 4.
Equipment: Celestron 9.25” Edge HD SCT on SW SkyTee 2 manual AltAz mount.

Virgo galaxies
NGC 4532 – narrow rod with light knot on the low end. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4564 – elongated oval with compact bright core. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4580 – wide oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4592 – long narrow lens with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4593 – oval with compact round core. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4597 – large faint elongated oval with averted vison (AV). Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4602 – small lens with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).

NGC 4623 – small narrow oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4632 – narrow lens with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4653 – faint small round disk next to star. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4658 – small narrow oval with AV next to star. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4663 – tiny elongated disk with stellar core. Pentax XW 14mm (168x).
NGC 4694 – narrow oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4700 – needle-sharp edge-on. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).

NGC 4731 – large elongated oval with AV. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4771 – narrow lens next to star with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4772 – elongated oval with round core. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4779 – small wide oval. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4790 – small oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4795 – small disk with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4808 – narrow oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).

NGC 4818 – narrow lens. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4825 – round core, hint of disk with AV. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4877 – small faint oval. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4899 – very faint narrow shape. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4933A – narrow oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4951 – narrow oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 5015 – narrow lens with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).

NGC 5073 – very faint narrow shape with AV. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 5147 – faint wide oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 5170 – very narrow log lens. TV Plossl 32mm (73x).
NGC 5230 – very faint oval with AV. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 5247 – large faint wide oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 5300 – faint elongated oval. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 5324 – faint elongated oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).

By midnight I started having problems with dew. Scope body and dew shield were dripping wet, and all finders and XW 20mm fogged. Common! Just 7 galaxies to go. I checked the Edge corrector plate with red light and amazingly it was still clear. The extra log dew shield I have made from foam was doing the job. Warming and whipping finders and the EP I started last stop and go leg of Herschel 300-3 journey.

Canes Venatici
NGC 4861 – faint rod with AV. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4868 – elongated oval with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 4914 – faint oval with stellar core. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 5112 – faint oval. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 5290 – narrow lens with brighter central area. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 5297 – faint narrow shape with AV. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 5301 – faint patchy narrow shape with AV, detected by moving EP. Pentax XW 20mm (118x).
NGC 5326 – faint small oval with AV.

And it is done! I can’t believe it! I have completed H400-1, H400-2 and H300-3. All done star hopping with manual mounts; 100mm, 120mm, 127mm and 150mm refractors, and 8” and 9.25” SCTs.

Now on to Herschel 2,500! I have already a good start with “only” ~1000 targets left.

[Arctic]

Congrats! What a great achievement! I have finished the H-1 List and am more than halfway through the H-2 list. Love the challenge.

It's interesting how H-2 is significantly tougher than H-1. Maybe many H-300-3 objects will be beyond the reach of my 8-inch in Bortle 3 skies?

I'm already having to download deeper atlas images to ID some faint objects, the IDSA not going deep enough...

[bladekeeper]

Congratulations, Andrey!

[terrynak]

Congrats Andrey for finishing H1, 2, and 3!

I was about 9 objects short of finishing the Herschel 400 about 3 yrs ago but never bothered to complete it. I don't get out to dark skies much lately anyways. The H1 can be done with scopes of 4.5" or less and with just moderately dark skies (Bortle 4 or brighter), as I found out.

Best of luck with completing the rest of the Herschel 2500!

[KingClinton]

Congratulations on an amazing achievement!

[10538]

Congratulations Andrey on a fine achievement! That’s really something to be extremely proud of! I have deviated from the Herschel catalogue with less than 100 total to complete H2 and H3. It seems I can’t give up viewing my favorites on a good night to search out extremely faint fuzz balls. I don’t get that many good viewing opportunities anyway! Best of luck on completing your Herschel quest!

[Peter802]

Congratulations on you fine achievement.

[John Baars]

Congratulated on this major achievement!
I don't think there are many observers out here (planet Earth) who match that!!!

[Mark Moyer]

Wow, that's great, Andrey!! 'Tis the season! Time to celebrate! Maybe by going out observing?

And you've only got 1,000 to go for the full list!

[Bigzmey]

Congratulations, Andrey!

Congratulations on you fine achievement.

Congratulations on an amazing achievement!

Thanks Bryan, Peter and KC!

Congrats Andrey for finishing H1, 2, and 3!

I was about 9 objects short of finishing the Herschel 400 about 3 yrs ago but never bothered to complete it. I don't get out to dark skies much lately anyways. The H1 can be done with scopes of 4.5" or less and with just moderately dark skies (Bortle 4 or brighter), as I found out.

Best of luck with completing the rest of the Herschel 2500!

Thanks Terry! Yes, I would say H1 is within the reach of 4-5" scope from Bortle 4 sky, but quite a few targets will be barely resolved as averted vision fain spots.

Congrats! What a great achievement! I have finished the H-1 List and am more than halfway through the H-2 list. Love the challenge.

It's interesting how H-2 is significantly tougher than H-1. Maybe many H-300-3 objects will be beyond the reach of my 8-inch in Bortle 3 skies?

I'm already having to download deeper atlas images to ID some faint objects, the IDSA not going deep enough...

Thanks Gordon! I did all H2 and most of H3 before I picked my 9.25" Edge, with 8" SCT from Bortle 4 skies. You have a advantage of Bortle 3, so give it a shot! Having detailed charts with stars down to 12-14 mag is a must. I use SkySafari app on phone as detailed atlas. If you zoom in on the area it shows stars down to mag 15.

[Bigzmey]

Congratulations Andrey on a fine achievement! That’s really something to be extremely proud of! I have deviated from the Herschel catalogue with less than 100 total to complete H2 and H3. It seems I can’t give up viewing my favorites on a good night to search out extremely faint fuzz balls. I don’t get that many good viewing opportunities anyway! Best of luck on completing your Herschel quest!

Thanks Ed! On a typical night I like variety, so in addition to galaxy hunting I would do a few old favorites, some binos observing, planets (if they are around), even a comet or SN. I am a big fan of doubles, but I reserve them for Moon nights. Big or small I like them all.

Wow, that's great, Andrey!! 'Tis the season! Time to celebrate! Maybe by going out observing?

And you've only got 1,000 to go for the full list!

Thanks Mark! I will be there every weekend as long as weather cooperates.

Congratulated on this major achievement!
I don't think there are many observers out here (planet Earth) who match that!!!

Thanks John! First I thought I would stop after H1, then after H3, now H2,500 does not sound to bad... And if you think about, after H2,500 is done I will already have ~30% progress for whole NGC catalog.