NGC and IC DSO observing

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Jnicholes United States of America
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NGC and IC DSO observing

#1

Post by Jnicholes »


Hi everyone,

I have a question. I usually look at Messier objects through my telescope. In fact, I have photographed quite a few Messier objects.

Now, I am looking for a change. I want to try looking at IC objects and NGC objects. I have a general list of objects from both IC and NGC, (I got it from a book,), but I was wondering if there is anything I could add ti this list that my telescope is capable of observing.

My list goes as follows, Number/type or name of object/constellation/magnitude.

Here is my list:

NGC6633 Open Cluster Ophiuchus 5
NGC7000 North American Nebula Cygnus 4
NGC6992 Veil Nebula Cygnus 7
NGC6960 Veil Nebula Cygnus 7
NGC6940 Open Cluster Cygnus 6
NGC7293 Helix Nebula Aquarius 7.6
NGC7009 Saturn Nebula Aquarius 8
NGC7331 Galaxy Pegasus 9.7
NGC752 Open Cluster Andromeda 7
NGC253 Sculptor Galaxy 7
NGC247 Cetus Galaxy 9
NGC1647 Open Cluster Taurus 6.4
NGC1746 Open Cluster Taurus 6.1
NGC1499 California Nebula Perseus 6
NGC2244 Open Cluster Monoceros 4.8
NGC2477 Open Cluster Puppis 5.8
NGC2451 Open Cluster Puppis 9.5
NGC2158 Open Cluster Gemini 8.6
NGC869 Open Cluster Perseus 3.7
NGC884 Open Cluster Perseus 3.8
NGC663 Open Cluster Cassiopeia 7.1
NGC457 Open Cluster Cassiopeia 6.4
NGC7789 Open Cluster Cassiopeia 6.7

IC4665 Open Cluster Ophiuchus 4.2
IC4756 Open Cluster Serpens 4.6
IC434 Horsehead Nebula Orion 7.3

Are there any NGC or IC objects that you guys would recommend adding to these lists?

FYI, The dimmest object I have seen with my telescope WITH the aid of my phones Nightcap camera app was magnitude 9.4.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Jared
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
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Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera

"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."

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Re: NGC and IC DSO observing

#2

Post by JayTee »


Hi Jared,

Why not do the Caldwell list first.

Cheers,
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

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Jnicholes United States of America
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Re: NGC and IC DSO observing

#3

Post by Jnicholes »


JayTee wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2023 10:06 pm Hi Jared,

Why not do the Caldwell list first.

Cheers,
The Caldwell list? I can’t say I’ve heard of that. I’ll give it a try.
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera

"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."

Alfred North Whitehead
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Bigzmey United States of America
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Re: NGC and IC DSO observing

#4

Post by Bigzmey »


How dark is your sky? Since you have a small aperture scope some of the nebulae on your list might be challenging.
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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Re: NGC and IC DSO observing

#5

Post by Jnicholes »


Bigzmey wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2023 11:35 pm How dark is your sky? Since you have a small aperture scope some of the nebulae on your list might be challenging.
Pretty dark. On a moonless night at my astronomy spot you can see the Milky Way. With the help of my phone camera I can see things down to magnitude 9.4. That’s the dimmest object I’ve seen, the black eye galaxy, to be exact.

Here’s a reference photo.
Dimmest object I have seen so far with my phone camera. Black eye galaxy.
Dimmest object I have seen so far with my phone camera. Black eye galaxy.
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera

"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."

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Bigzmey United States of America
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Re: NGC and IC DSO observing

#6

Post by Bigzmey »


Here is a nice planning tool

https://telescopius.com/deep-sky/search

You can set criteria, like globular and open clusters visible from my location tonight between 7 and 10pm with mag brighter than 9 and elevation at least 30 deg above horizon, and it will generate a list across many catalogs (Messier, NGC, IC, etc.)
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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Re: NGC and IC DSO observing

#7

Post by JayTee »


I use Telescopius a lot. If you look at your Celestron mount HC, under the "deep sky" button you have the option of choosing objects from the Caldwell catalog.
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."

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Re: NGC and IC DSO observing

#8

Post by Don Pensack »


Many of the Caldwell objects are best considered photographic objects, and many will be too far south for the UK.
Here is a link to 500 deep sky objects visible in my 4" from a dark site that are all visible from 50°N.
Some will be challenges, but most won't. It just depends on your sky darkness.
https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/4728 ... ?p=6165843
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Re: NGC and IC DSO observing

#9

Post by Greenman »


Patrick Caldwell Moore is a hero of mine (being English) there's a fair amount of crossover with other lists wikipedia has a page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldwell_catalogue
Cheers,

Tony.

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Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

Filters: Astronomik IR cut; Optolong L-Pro; Optolong L-Enhance.

Binoculars: Celestron 15 x 70.

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Longitude: -1.034471
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Re: NGC and IC DSO observing

#10

Post by Jnicholes »


Thank you all for the advice. I really appreciate it. I will do the Caldwell list, then.
Celestron Nexstar 8SE Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
25mm plossl Eyepiece
Goto mount
Iphone 11 Nightcap app Camera

"Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude."

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Re: NGC and IC DSO observing

#11

Post by Don Pensack »


This list will be better:
https://www.saguaroastro.org/wp-content ... estNGC.pdf
It's a list chosen by observers for beginners just getting past the Messier objects. as my list of 500 linked above is.
The Caldwell list was not picked as the next best list of 110 objects to view after the Messiers.
Many of the objects were picked from photographs.
Many are going to be beyond reach of small scopes in urban/suburban backyards.
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Re: NGC and IC DSO observing

#12

Post by helicon »


To throw one object in there - NGC 4565 in Coma Berenices, 10th magnitude. It's my favorite galaxy overall. I found this one surprisingly easy in both 6" Achro and 10" Dob from the light polluted Berkeley Hills in California. Called the Needle Galaxy it presents an amazing edge on view. In contrast to many other galaxies the high surface brightness makes it easily visible, even though it is listed at 10th magnitude. I haven't observed it in my new 4" refractor but will give it a try this Spring.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
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