My primary focus was working in western Leo between the lion’s head and the Cancer border. My hopes were that I could also pick up a fading supernova in western Virgo to wrap up the evening, despite the poor seeing and its diminishing stature within the host galaxy. After deploying my gear about 1930 hours, I headed back out about 2030 hours to begin my quest. Turning my Uranometria to chart 93 I started my galaxy hunt just 1.5° west of mag 5.0 Xi Leonis with a triplet of galaxies.
(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)
I easily spotted this elliptical using 152x as a somewhat bright, small thick oval disk. I immediately noticed a stellar core set within its envelope. It was quite obvious at 199x dominating this field that contained three galaxies. This elliptical, along with the spiral
Immediately east of the previous object I easily spotted the other portion of the duo known as Arp 307. At 152x it was slightly dim and small. The disk was a slender oval and revealed an intermittent stellar core at its center. It was more apparent at 199x, and while dimmer than
Plotted in the same field of view with the members of Arp 307 was a third galaxy. Northeast of the previous pair, it was only fleetingly suspected at 152x, or perhaps this was a case of averted imagination. Anyway, I quickly went to 199x and confirmed my suspicions of this galaxy within the field. It was a very small and very dim out of round diffuse glow. I was only likely seeing the brighter central region of this object. At times it would drift out of view as seeing worsened, only to return as the view settled down again. (New)
I moved ESE to find another grouping of galaxies (four this time) that lie east of a line between Xi Leo and 6 Leo (mag 5.1). Most easily seen was the dominant member of this little group. This lenticular is also known as Arp 232. Using 152x it presented a small and slightly bright oval disk that was of lower surface brightness. Subtly large to the eye, it contained a stellar core. Viewed at 199x it was quite obvious to the eye. (New)
About 5’ southeast of the previous object I also picked up this little spiral using 152x. A little dim to the eye, its oval disk displayed a non-stellar brightness in the core. At 199x the core became intermittently stellar and the galaxy was more apparent overall. This object is also catalogued as Arp 137 (New)
UGC 5093 (Leo, spiral galaxy, mag=14.1, size=1.0’x0.4’, SBr=13.0):
Not quite 5’ south of
Shifting my attention about 15’ northeast of NGCs 2911 and 2914, I picked up this object. Using 152x it appeared as a small and dim slightly thin oval disk. It was evenly illuminated across its envelope. More apparent at 199x, it remained a ghostly sliver of light. (New)
About half a degree south of the previous grouping I located this spiral. With 152x it was a fairly faint and small rounded disk. Homogeneous to the eye, it remained a weak visual object at 199x. (New)
I nailed down this galaxy about 14.5’ southeast of the previous object and nearly 50’ southwest of mag 3.5 Omicron Leo (Subra). With 152x it revealed a small and subtly bright oval disk. I noticed a broadly bright core that was slightly elongated in the major axis. Using 199x the core now appeared more stellar and the galaxy’s disk was more elongated as extensions to its outer halo became more apparent. (New)
Only about 5.5’ north of
This spiral was located about 2.5° south of the previous galaxy duo. Using 152x it appeared as a small and slightly faint oval disk with subtle non-stellar core brightness. More apparent at 199x, there seemed to be a very fleeting stellar appearance that was off-set slightly from the center of the galactic disk. This occasional blink of a foreground star was very erratic in the poor seeing. (New)
Returning to Omicron, I hopped northward first to mag 5.4 Psi Leo and finally to 8 Leo (mag 5.7). About half a degree NNE of this star I located a scattered grouping of six fainter galaxies. The brightest of the lot was this elliptical. I found it slightly bright and slightly small in visual extent at 152x. Oval in shape, its disk displayed a broadly brighter core set within. Viewed with 199x it was an obvious object in the field of view, and it exhibited an intermittent pop of a stellar core. (New)
This dim bulb was in the same field of view immediately to the west of
About 7’ east of
About 9’ west of
Next up was this spiral about 11’ WSW of
The last member of this scattered grouping was this spiral, which I located about 20’ southeast of
Moving to the mag 6.4 star 23 Leo, I located another little group of galaxies about 20’ to its southwest. Easily the dominant member of this group of four was this spiral. At 152x it was somewhat bright and slightly large. Its slightly elongated oval disk was diffuse and an intermittent stellar core was noted. At 199x it was quite obvious within the view, with two of the remaining three in this group easily visible within the same field of view. (New)
Nearly 6’ southeast of the previous object I also noticed this little dust bunny at 152x. It presented a small and subtly bright thin disk with a very intermittent stellar core popping in and out. At 199x the galaxy was obvious in the view, and its core remained sporadically stellar. (New)
This very faint little dust mote was picked up using 152x, but with some difficulty. As seeing shifted it would drift in and out of view. It displayed a very small diffuse rounded disk, and a very dim field star was noted nearby. I also took a look at 199x and while it was modestly more apparent and held full time through shifts in seeing, this galaxy remained quite dim, smooth and evenly illuminated. (New)
The final galaxy in this little grouping was easily spotted about 5’ southwest of the previous one. At 152x it was considerably easier than
I back tracked slightly having noticed this galaxy plotted a little over 1° northwest of previously mentioned star Psi Leo. Easily spotted using 152x, it presented a small and slightly bright oval disk containing a stellar core. Very obvious at 199x, its envelope remained diffuse, and its core clearly stellar set within. (New)
I now moved northeast of Psi Leo, about 3.5° to locate this spiral. I found it somewhat bright and slightly large at 152x, presenting an oval disk that seemed to be uneven in light distribution. I found it exhibited some subtle central brightness within its uneven envelope. I noted a 12th mag field star immediately to its southwest. Viewing at 199x, the sense of uneven light distribution across its envelope was more pronounced. The core also appeared brighter and more prominent. Checking images of this galaxy after the session confirmed my suspicions about its mottled appearance. This unevenness was due to the transitional areas between the brightness of the spiral arms and the lower light of the dust lanes between them. It is always fun to pick up such detail in galaxies. I have attached an SDSS image of this galaxy to illustrate the appearance that I detected in a subtle manner. (New)
Just over half a degree southeast of the previous galaxy, I spotted a second. Using 152x, this one appeared small and slightly bright. Its oval disk sported an intermittent stellar core winking in and out at the center. Using 199x this object was obvious within the view, with a diffuse envelope and intermittent stellar core. I also looked for
Up next was yet another spiral, about 26’ NNE of
My last galaxy in Leo for this evening was found just over a degree northeast of brilliant Regulus. I found it small, oval in shape and slightly bright to the eye at 152x. It appeared smoothly illuminated across its disk. Viewing with 199x it was fairly bright, with its envelope having a smooth, diffuse ghostly appearance. (New)
At this point I was getting tired and was about ready to call it an evening. But before I do, I had planned to attempt to pick up a fading supernova in the Virgo galaxy
Aiming the scope at bright Denebola (Beta Leonis), I star hopped about 6.5° to the east to pick up 6 Comae (mag 5.1). I then nudged about 1.5° south, crossing into Virgo, to pick up mag 8.8 HD 106774. About 14.5’ to the southwest in the field of view I easily spotted this previously observed bright galaxy. At 152x it was a very bright and very thin strip of light, with tapered ends. The core was a bright non-stellar presence and the extensions in the major axis faded as the eye followed along toward the tips. This is a very fine galaxy indeed, but now to why I returned to this field.
SN 2024gy (Virgo, supernova in
Studying the host galaxy,
Interestingly when I had the aforementioned star HD 106774 in the field of view, I noticed a dim, very thin sliver of diffuse light about 4’ west of the star. After finishing with the supernova, I returned to this object, as it was not in my log. Studied at 152x and 199x, it remained a ghostly little slice with a slight central bulge and tapered tips. Its core region exhibited a modest uptick in brightness. Dim and small in visual presentation it was nonetheless easily spotted next to the star. (New)
After my little foray into Virgo, my evening was complete, as the time was around 2330 hours and admittedly I was a wee bit tired. I had an enjoyable time in Leo, working around the lion’s head. This constellation is overflowing with galaxies, ranging from the well known to the obscure. Under a dark sky one can spend multiple evenings within the lion’s lair in pursuit of these distant star islands. I have observed over 150 galaxies in this constellation and I am no way close to running out of possible targets! Anyway, thanks for coming along on my journey and I wish you all clear skies.
