TheSkySearchers

If you have any target suggestions for the November 2020 challenge we would love to hear them!

You can put forward a suggestion for the Northern hemisphere or the Southern hemisphere or both if you like!
Also remember our 9th magnitude limit.

Let us know what tickles your fancy for November 2020 and post your suggestions to this topic.
We look forward to hearing them!

I think uranus would be a fun target, it seems to be at a suitable viewable time frame in the southern hemisphere. not too much can be seen in detail but fun to locate .

I would second Uranus as a possible target. Just past opposition (31 Oct), it will be near its brightest and largest.

M74 is one of the most difficult Messier objects right near that 9th mag limit, because of its low surface brighthess, so it could be a good challenge.

NGC 457 in Cass is a favorite of mine. Called by a variety of names (the owl cluster, the ET cluster, the dragonfly cluster, and more). We could even start a poll and see what shapes our users see in this one.

I suggest the following DSOs as appropriate targets for November:

North

Agree with Mr. Shorty about NGC 457. It is a bright and curious open cluster in Cassiopeia informally known by various nicknames such as the E.T. Cluster, Owl Cluster, Kachina Doll Cluster, etc. At magnitude 6.4 and angular size of 20.0', it is a late autumn/winter staple. Easily located with an optical finder scope, it is attractive at all aperture levels.

or

NGC 7662, a bright planetary in Andromeda informally known as the "Blue Snowball." At magnitude 8.3 and nice diameter of 32"x28", it yields a high mean surface brightness of around 6.5. Its attractive bluish tint is an added bonus to this marvelous nebula. Its dim central star is variable between the 12th and 16th magnitude, so don't be shocked if you don't spot it.

South

NGC 253 a large and very bright barred spiral in Sculptor. Discovered by Caroline Herschel on 23 Sep 1783 before her brother William began his famous sweeps. It glows brightly at 7.2 and with its whopping angular size of 27.5'x6.8' it yields a relatively high surface brightness of 12.7. This is a stupendous object.

or

NGC 104, the bright and famous globular 47 Tuc in Tucana. Brightly blazing at mag 3.8 and with a huge angular size of 30.9', it is truly one of the showpieces of the southern hemisphere.

How about The Crescent Nebula (also known as NGC 6888, Caldwell 27, Sharpless 105) Apparent magnitude (V): 7.4

Just fits in my fov nicely at 18′ × 12′

Regards

Graeme

I like Uranus also. Plus, a slightly different take on M45 -- look for the nebulosity surrounding the brighter stars of that cluster. Most of us just look at the pretty stars without taking the time to see the faint, pale nebulosity that is there.

JT

My suggestions for November:

Northern Hemisphere: M52

Southern Hemisphere: Small Megallanic Cloud

BABO