Messier Monster Update

Friday night at Fremont Peak, the West Valley College (Saratoga, California) astronomy class, led by instructor Benjamin Mendelson and retired instructor Tom Bullock, came to Fremont Peak to observe through the 30" Challenger.

Mimi, Rashad, Rich, Jay Freeman and I were set up by the observatory.

There was maybe an hour or so of reasonably clear sky, during which time I mostly watched Mimi show college students Messier objects. I got quite a kick out of the students asking questions, and Mimi doing her best to answer them (what is the focal length of your telescope? What is the eyepiece size? What is the telescope called?). Mimi would explain, then sign the student's worksheets. Friday was a short observing night, but fun.

Saturday night was cold but nice and clear. There was a bad light dome from Salinas, but at least there was no high fog or bad wind.

Mimi wanted to work some easy Messiers, but she'd already logged all the early evening Messiers in prior weeks. All that was up was the Virgo objects. So, in she dove.

I am amazed at the spatial relations she exhibited. Mimi mostly lands on the object she is after... using a 20mm wide-field Meade eyepiece. It was fun watching her on the laptop computer, identifying galaxies in Markarian's Chain, around M84 and M86. She loved "The Eyes".

The only place she had trouble was trying to find M89. She kept landing on the wrong galaxy, and the star fields just did not match up. I asked if she'd scanned around the adjacent fields. She tried, and found M89 immediately. Her next Messier object, and her last in Virgo was M90. She looked at the computer and was very happy to see that M90 was the galaxy she'd been mistakenly landing on while looking for M89.

To finish the night, Mimi climbed the ladder next to my 20" Dob, and pointed the scope at M13. She gasped. What a view! No... not the view of the cluster... the view of the 10 year old pushing around the big Dob, and the charge she got out of her view!

The night was complete. The Messier Monster had completed Virgo. Now she must wait for the summer objects to come up to log more Messiers. She could always start the Hershel 400 in the interim.

I did very little personal observing, but I had a great time.

I wish I could land on objects as easily as the Monster.

Montebello observing - Leos and the BIG one.

I arrived at Montebello Regional Open Space Preserve, on the upper eastern slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains above Palo Alto California about an hour before sunset. I had not felt much like observing, since TAC's mailing list was unusually quiet for a day when some subscribers had said, just a day before, that they'd go observing on Wednesday night. No mention of observing on the list that day. I wondered how it might be to observe there alone, something I only do in my own backyard, but I thought this might be the first time at a remote site. However, when I pulled into the parking lot, there were several cars already positioned with telescopes on their south side. In fact, during the next few hours, we'd end up with 16 observers and almost as many telescopes set up.

In attendance were Peter Natscher (14.5" Starmaster Dob), Rashad Al-Mansour (12.5" Homebuilt Dob), Leonard Tramiel (C8), Alan Adler (8" Celestron Starhopper), Isaac Kikawada (Tele Vue Pronto), Rich Neuschaefer (6" AstroPhysics APO), Gerrit Kooi (14 x 100 binocs), John Gibson (C8), Bob Baldwin (6" Cass and Orion Shortube 80), Tom Moutoux (C8), David Kingsley (7" Starmaster Oak Classic), William Phelps (7" AstroPhysics APO) and Phil Reinders (Vixen 200mm reflector and Vixen 80mm refractor). I had a 14.5" f/5.6 Dob. During the evening, Jeff Crilly and Jay Freeman arrived and visited while mooching photons.

It was a very good turnout for a mid-week observing session. Amazing what a lousy winter and sudden good weather can do!

As one would expect, the two AP's spent most of the evening viewing Mars, while the Dobs were hunting various deep sky objects. During the night, between about 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. (when the moon peeked its brightness over the eastern horizon), I logged 35 galaxies on my observing list, in a very relaxed manner. I would look at objects in other people's scopes, walk around, talk, and in general take a very laid back approach to the night's observing. I will list the galaxies at the end of this report, and only give any detail on the most interesting view of the night.

The first pair of interesting object were not on my observing list. The first is NGC5139, a remarkable object called Omega Centauri. As the night wore on and the big globular cluster gained even a degree or two in elevation, the view became better and better. We must have had extremely steady and transparent skies, as the view was of thousands of pinpoint stars. All we could say was "wow!!" and "imagine the view from the southern hemisphere." After years of balking at looking at this object from the bay area, this view was well worth it. I had peeked at M3 while the sky was darkening, and the BIG one does not need to be afraid of any competition. This is an awe inspiring sight.

Just above Omega Centauri is NGC5128. This is the radio galaxy know as Centaurus A. While the galaxy was dim in comparison to the big globular, it was easy to see in my scope, Peter's and Rashad's that there was a dark area cutting right through the galaxy. The best view was in Rashad's 12.5" Dob... probably owing the combination of a moment of even more exceptional seeing and the right combination of object and eyepiece. It was fun to play with averted vision and note the large dark dust lane.

Most of my scheduled observing program took place in Leo, Leo Minor, Hydra and Sextans, the bulk of those being in the Leos. The first notable view was of NGC2964 and NGC2968, a pair of galaxies almost equal in size. These looked very much like twins, making a pleasing view. My star hop to this pair involved placing the western edge of my Telrad just about equidistant between 40-Alpha Lynx (the tail star of Lynx) and Rasalas in Leo's head, but a bit more toward Alpha Lynx. NGC2964 is mag 11.3 and the other shines at mag 12.8. This is an easy pair to observe.

NGC3115 in Sextans is a must see. When I first looked at it on my computer (I use a laptop in the field, rather than a paper chart), I thought "okay, an extended smudge... no big deal" and... the DSS image was not very encouraging. But... it is a beautiful bright spindle galaxy, nice well defined core and the edge-on spiral arms extending away into easy to see points. This one was a surprise! I found the galaxy by first going to the brightest star in Hydra... Alphard, at mag 2.6 (yes, it looks bright compared to the rest of the area). Following the constellation's figure toward the serpents tail, you next come to mag 3.6 41-Lambda Hydrae just over 11 degrees away. When you identify that star, place the Telrad such that it is north, with the eastern edge of the outer circle about 2 degrees north and one degree west of the star. This nice galaxy should be within a few eyepiece field's sweeps.

While NGC2964 and NGC2968 were about equal in size, NGC3169 and NGC3166 were equal in size *and* brightness. These two looked like twins two ways! Both galaxies are in the mid 11-mag range, both are about 4.5 x 2.5 arc-minutes in size. Just outside the field of my 20mm Nagler, I easily found NGC3156 at almost mag 13. Nice grouping! These galaxies took a bit more "luck" in star hopping (really, a misnomer, what I do is Telrad placement). Taking 30-Eta Leonis (the star just about Regulus leading up to the backward question mark), and drawing a line to and through Regulus, I placed the Telrad just under two full Telrad distances (about 5 degrees) south. It is almost a straight line, perhaps just a nudge east.

Being a galaxy observer, I always love getting multiple objects in one field. The area around NGC3190 is such a place. I think this is a well know group, given its easy to find location in Leo's "neck" ... between Algieba (the nice double star Gamma Leonis) and Adhafera (Zeta Leonis). NGC3190 is a nice spiral galaxy at mag 12, and good size at 4.3' x 1.5'. Just about 5' away, in the direction of equally bright stars at the edge of the field, sits NGC3193, a round galaxy also at mag 12. Now, going back toward 3190, and past it about twice the prior distance, you will see a dimmer galaxy, NGC3185, about half the size of 3190, shining at mag 12.7. The fourth galaxy was a serious challenge with averted vision. It is NGC3187 at mag 13.2, and forms almost a square with 3190, 3193, and a bright star off 3193. This one I could only occasionally glimpse, and could not detect much shape.

I will briefly mention NGC3226 and NGC3227 in Leo, as they are very close together and make an interesting image. Grab a look at the Digital Sky Survey to see what to expect. These are very easy to find, just off Algeiba by 1/2 degree.

NGC3344 is described in Software Bisque's _The_Sky_ as a round galaxy, but its DSS image shows it to be a beautiful face-on spiral 7 arc-minutes in diameter.

I liked the view of NGC3377 combined with NGC3377A in the same field. There was nothing particularly exciting about 3377, but the view of 3377A seemed to be ghostly in comparison. 3377 is a bright (mag 10.2) elongated galaxy, that shows on screen as larger than 3367. But, 3377A appears larger although it is not, and at mag 13.6 it is substantially dimmer. This one is an interesting view. You can also get NGC3367 in the field, at mag 12.1. A Telrad makes these galaxies a snap to get to. Look at Leo's tail stars... three of them. Take the northwest one (Chertan, Theta Leonis) as a starting point. Two line emanate from it, one toward Eta Leonis (which we visited before), the other to Rho Leonis, south east of Regulus. Using Chertan as the vertex of a widening angle, place the Telrad so it just touches the edge of both lines that extend toward Eta and Rho. You should be just about on NGC3377. Enjoy the view!

If you place the lower portion of the Telrad's inner 2 degree circle just about midpoint between Chertan and Rho Leonis, you should find a very nice grouping of three galaxies... NGC3379, NGC3384 and NGC3389. My notes called this a grouping of "big" galaxies. Two glow in the mag 10 range, the dimmer of the three is in the 12's. Easy to find, worth the trip.

Finally, I enjoyed looking at NGC3395, 3396, 3413, 3424 and 3430, all in the same field. This group is in Leo's little sibling, Leo Minor, just south of 46-Leonis Minoris. The stars of Leo Minor can be difficult to find, as there are no really bright ones in the area. But, with some study, one can distinguish the triangular shape of the constellation, beginning just west of the tail of Ursa Major (the stars Alula Borealis and Alula Australis). The star (46-Leonis Minoris) should be placed just outside the 2 degree Telrad circle to find these galaxies. NGC3395 and 3396 appear to be very close together. In fact, the DSS seems to show them as interacting. They are mag 12.2 and 12.6 respectively. Moving west toward a grouping of three bright stars, you will find NGC3430 (mag 12.05 and easy to see), NGC3424 (mag 13.18 and not too difficult), and along that line, but curving away from 3395/96, finally you can detect NGC3413 (dim at 13.08). This is a fun field to try getting some detail out of, and to view in context of he bright stars and various patterns.

It was a very good night observing. We also had some nice views of Mars (thanks to William and Rich for sharing their nice refractors), and then the moon rose. The conditions were quite nice, almost shirtsleeve weather by leaving time. The sky was bright by Montebello standards, but the transparency and steadiness made it very worthwhile. By 2 a.m. I was on my way home.

Here is a complete list of objects observed last night:

• NGC2811
• NGC2859
• NGC2964 & NGC2968
• NGC2974
• NGC3115
• NGC3166
• NGC3169 & NGC3156
• NGC3190, NGC3185, NGC3139, NGC3189
• NGC3198
• NGC3226
• NGC3227
• NGC3245
• NGC3277
• NGC3294
• NGC3344
• NGC3377, NCG3367
• NGC3379, NGC3384, NGC3389
• NGC3395, NGC3396, NGC3413, NGC3424, NGC3430
• NGC3412
• NGC3414
• NGC3432
• NGC3486
• NGC3489
• M3
• M104
• NGC4565
• NGC5128
• NGC5139
• Mars
• Venus
• Moon (naked eye)

Observing Four Daze

I am still recovering. Four trips to and from Fremont Peak over five days, late nights observing on each trip. It was a whirlwind of observing activity resulting from incessant cloud cover over the winter months. I am tired, but my appetite has just be en whetted.
In The Beginning

Tuesday, April 13, my daughter Mimi was on spring break from school, and I had promised to take her observing once the weather improved. This was a great opportunity to do so. Rashad Al-Mansour had plans to do two nights of observing if the skies looked good, and when I looked outside that morning, I knew I and probably a few other observers would be joining Rashad by the ranger's house at the Peak, at least for one night. I would do two, but not until I was reasonably certain of the second night would not be a bust.

When we arrived at the Peak, only one other observer was there. We set up just east of the observatory. I took out my 20" F/5 and my Cassiopeia, my daughter's 10" f/4.5. You can read about my daughter's two nights of observing in The Messier Monster in TAC's observing report archives at http://www.seds.org/TAC ... but I will concentrate on my experiences in this report.

Once the setup was complete, we had dinner and watched as the fog rolled in to the north and south. Mimi and I headed over to the western ridge of the park to watch the sunset. Over there, too, the fog was streaming in, low, but thick, over the cities and hills that frame Monterey Bay. The smokestacks of the Moss Landing power station were buried under a blanket of gray-white, the only indication of their location being a billow of fog thermally risen above the rest of the spreading blanket. This cert ainly looked like a promising night.

The sun dropped, as Mimi and I talked to a lone observer, his 18" Dob set up along Coulter Row. We headed back to the observatory side, and our observing group.
Like Days Of Old

As the twilight changed to astronomical dark, it became clearly obvious to me that we were in for a dark night at Fremont Peak. There were but a few clouds on the horizon, but they would not intrude on our evening. After helping my daughter observing, I settled down to hunting the Herschel list in Leo and Ursa Major about 11 p.m. or so.

As the night wore on, I came to realize this was a particularly special one. The fog laid in sufficiently to totally remove the lights of Soledad, Salinas and Hollister. San Jose and the cities to the north were nothing more than a soft, muted glow low on the horizon. I could not recognize faces. The sky above looked black rather than gray-tone. There was little evidence of dew, there was no breeze. We were on an observing island, removed, separate from the rest of the 6 million people under the blanket of fog, in and around the bay area. What a great night it would be.... like days of old at Fremont Peak!
The Views

When I finally did get to my own observing program, I logged 28 new objects. The sky was so dark, compared to the usual nights at Fremont Peak, I could not help but linger on many of my finds, using what I had learned over the years to try picking out as much from each object as possible. It would be a relaxed observing session, I think I am over the "rush" to find things. Here are those new objects I was able to view on this first exceptional night of 1999:

Located west of, and on a right angle formed by 70-Theta Leonis (Chertan... mag 3.3) and 78-Iota Leonis (mag 4), which describe the "hind leg" of Leo (where M65 and M66 are found):

Galaxy NGC 3547 Other description Elongated galaxy with bright core.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Faint, small, little extended, very little brighter middle.
Magnitude 12.8
RA 11h 09m 54.0s
Dec +10 43'00" (Epoch 2000)
Size 2.0' x 0.8'

Taking the line described by 30-Eta Leonis (mag 3.5, located just above Regulus in the "question mark") and Chertan, place the upper 2 degree circle of the Telard "on that line" and the lower part of the 2 degree circle so it almost touches the line described by Chertan and 47-Rho Leonis (this is the mag 3.8 star "below" Leo's body, just about 6 1/2 degrees east of Regulus) This will place your around the field for:

Galaxy NGC 3599 Other description Round galaxy.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Bright, pretty small, round, pretty gradually much brighter middle.
Magnitude 11.9
RA 11h 15m 21.8s
Dec +18 07'15"
Size 0.6'

In and around the field for NGC 3599 will be:

Galaxy NGC 3608 Other description Round galaxy in group.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Bright, pretty large, round, pretty abruptly brighter middle, 3rd of 3.
Magnitude 11.0
RA 11h 16m 57.9s
Dec +18 09'15"
Size 1.4' x 1.0'
Position Angle 74.0

and....

Galaxy NGC 3607 Other description Round galaxy brightest in group.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Very bright, large, round, very much brighter middle, 2nd of 3.
Magnitude 10.0
RA 11h 16m 51.9s
Dec +18 03'15"
Size 1.8' x 1.3'
Position Angle 120.0

also...

Galaxy NGC 3605 Other description Round galaxy close companion.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Faint, small, round, southwest of 3.
Magnitude 13.0
RA 11h 16m 45.9s
Dec +18 01'15"
Size 1.4' x 0.8'
Position Angle 16.0

as well as...

Spiral Galaxy UGC6296 Other ID MCG3-29-21
Other ID CGCG96-20
Other ID PGC34419
Magnitude 14.5
RA 11h 16m 48.9s
Dec +17 48'19"
Size 1.2' x 0.4'
Position Angle 166.0

and the last I observed in this area...

Spiral Galaxy MCG3-29-24 Other ID PGC34493
Magnitude 13.4
RA 11h 17m 37.9s
Dec +17 49'36" (Epoch 2000)
Size 1.8'

Taking a line from Zosma north to mag 3.6 Alula Borealis (54-Nu Ursae Majoris), just slightly north, place the western portion of your Telrad's two degree circle there, and you should find:

Galaxy NGC 3629 Other description Round galaxy.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Considerably faint, large, round, very gradually very little brighter middle.
Magnitude 13.0
RA 11h 20m 27.8s
Dec +26 58'17"
Size 1.9' x 1.5'
Position Angle 30.0

Next was NGC 3681, with NGCs 3684, 3686 and 3691 in the immediate area. Find this group in the triangle of Leo's tail. Place your Telrad four degree circle so the bottom edge is on the line from Chertan to Denebola (the tip of Leo's tail). The distance between the four degree and two degree Telrad circle is one degree. Place the western edge of the four degree circle one degree from the line between Zozma and Chertan. Look in your eyepiece. Is NGC 3681 there? Look for NGCs 3684, 3686 and 3691 in the area.

Galaxy NGC 3681 Other description Round galaxy with bright core.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Bright, pretty small, round, brighter middle.
Magnitude 11.7
RA 11h 26m 27.9s
Dec +16 52'15"
Size 3.0'

Spiral Galaxy NGC3684 Dreyer description Pretty bright, pretty large, extended, very gradually brighter middle.
Other ID UGC6453
Other ID MCG3-29-50
Other ID CGCG96-47
Other ID PGC35224
Magnitude 12.2
RA 11h 27m 09.0s
Dec +17 02'04"
Size 3.0' x 2.1'
Position Angle 130.0

Spiral Galaxy NGC3686 Dreyer description Pretty bright, large, very little extended, very gradually
brighter middle, resolvable, but mottled.
Other ID UGC6460
Other ID MCG3-29-51
Other ID CGCG96-49
Other ID PGC35268
Magnitude 11.8
RA 11h 27m 42.0s
Dec +17 13'40"
Size 3.2' x 2.5'
Position Angle 14.0

Spiral Galaxy NGC3691 Dreyer description Faint, pretty small, little extended, resolvable, but mottled.
Other ID UGC6464
Other ID MCG3-29-53
Other ID CGCG96-50
Other ID PGC35292
Magnitude 13.4
RA 11h 28m 06.4s
Dec +16 55'30"
Size 1.4' x 1.0'
Position Angle 14.0

The next object is back up above Zosma, but a bit closer to the star than NGC 3629. Use the same line from Zozma to Alula Borealis, but this time place the western edge of the Telrad's 4 degree circle on the line between the stars, and just so the edge of the circle touches that line a tick below the center point. Hopefully, you'll see a lone galaxy, and a pair of almost equally bright stars at about 5 minutes away... the stars will have about 7 minutes separation.

Round galaxy NGC 3689 Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Pretty bright, pretty large, little extended, brighter middle.
Magnitude 12.3
RA 11h 28m 09.9s
Dec +25 40'17"
Size 1.3' x 0.9'
Position Angle 96.0

Now for an easy location. Place your Telrad's eastern 4 degree circle on Denobola (the tail star). Use the line to Zozma to bisect the area of your Telrad between the upper 1/2 degree and upper 2 degree circle. Bingo... there will be NGC 3800. It should appear as a nice thin slash, and if you have a really transparent night (or big aperture), you should see NGC 3789 just off the western edge of NGC 3800. A mag 10.8 star, the brightest in the field, sits just 2 minutes off the pair to the south.

Galaxy NGC 3800 Other description Very elongated galaxy close companion.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Faint, pretty small, extended, pretty gradually little
brighter middle, resolvable, but mottled, eastward of 2.
Magnitude 13.0
RA 11h 40m 10.0s
Dec +15 21'15"
Size 1.7' x 0.4'
Position Angle 52.0

Spiral Galaxy NGC3799 Dreyer description Considerably faint, round, westward of 2.
Other ID UGC6630
Other ID MCG3-30-37
Other ID CGCG97-47
Other ID PGC36193
Magnitude 14.7
RA 11h 40m 06.8s
Dec +15 19'54"
Size 0.8' x 0.5'

This one is easy to id in the eyepiece, as there are several stars pairs in the field that appear to be pairs of equal magnitude. It is a distinctive field. To get to NGC 3872, place the 2 degree circle of the Telrad just west of Denebola. The 1/2 degree circle should appear to form a 45 degree angle with Denebola at the junction with Chertan. Easy hop, nice view!

Galaxy NGC 3872 Other description Round galaxy with bright core.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Bright, small, round, abruptly much brighter middle star.
Magnitude 11.7
RA 11h 45m 46.0s
Dec +13 46'14"
Size 0.8' x 0.6'

I can honestly state that I have no idea how I located the next pair of galaxies. They are at the conjunction of Leo, Coma Berenices and Ursa Major... an area just west of the Coma "open cluster".... nothing in the area as far as bright or landmark stars go. It is most likely that I took Denebola, and the naked-eye star 93-Leonis to its north, and extended that line about one and a half of their separation again to the north, placing the Telrad's western 4 degree circle just on the line. That is approximately the right area. The star field is again, destinctive, with nice geometric shapes of bright stars to help confirm. In the field with NGC 4008 is UGC 6968, and although The Sky does not show it here (maybe it was in Uranometria), I also logged NGC 4008A.

Galaxy NGC 4008 Other description Round galaxy with bright core.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Pretty bright, pretty small, extended, pretty
abruptly brighter middle, star involved north.
Magnitude 12.0
RA 11h 58m 16.1s
Dec +28 12'18"
Size 0.6' x 0.4'
Position Angle 166.0

Spiral Galaxy UGC6968 Other ID MCG5-28-64
Other ID CGCG157-70
Other ID PGC37704
Magnitude 14.1
RA 11h 58m 41.7s
Dec +28 17'43"
Size 2.8' x 1.0'
Position Angle 84.0

The next object is an easy star-hop. In the "question mark" of Leo's head is the star Rasalas (24-Mu Leonis, at mag 4). Use it as a starting point. If you are familiar with the lower "paw" of Ursa Major, and Gemini's bright Castor and Pollux, you can use them to locate the tail pair of stars in Lynx. Both pairs seem to point "off" their constellations at the Lynx pair. The southern, or end star, in Lynx is slightly brighter than the other, mag 3.3 vs mag 3.9. From the mag 3.3 star, draw a line back to Rasalas. Place the Telrad in the center of that line and nudge is very slightly up toward Lynx. You should find NGC 2893 there, with a mag 9.2 star outshining any other in the field, just 7 minutes northeast.

Galaxy NGC 2893 Other description Round galaxy with bright core.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Very faint, small, round, very abruptly brighter middle 12th magnitude star.
Magnitude 13.0
RA 09h 30m 15.0s
Dec +29 32'14"
Size 1.0' x 0.8'

How about a fun one? Why fun? Because it was difficult to confirm this one.... took a bit of work to assure myself it was "fuzzy" and not just a group of stars. NGC 2894 is "buried" in a chain of stars. Not until I looked at the DSS image included with The Sky could I convince myself I was seeing a galaxy. The other thing that is usual, at least to me, is that at one NGC digit from the prior galaxy, I expected it to be a close neighbor. Instead, it is on the opposite side of Regulus from 2893, over 21 degrees away. Still, its location easy to find. Look at Regulus, then find Leo's "front foot" (21-Omicron Leonis). If you continue the line from Regulus past 21-Omicron, you will find 22-Theta Hydrae, in the serpents's "neck." Use this star and 21-Omicron. The 2 degree circle of the Telrad should sit just outside the line, and the edge of the circle closest to Omicron should be just over one degree away. I did say it was easy to find the location, but the galaxy has a low surface brightness, and required persistent averted vision.

Galaxy NGC 2894 Other description Elongated galaxy with bright core.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Very faint, extended, easily resolvable, 2 or 3 stars involved.
Magnitude 13.0
RA 09h 29m 21.4s
Dec +07 43'06"
Size 1.6' x 0.8'
Position Angle 26.0

Not so very far away sits NGC 2914. Place your Telrad outer circle so 14-Omicron Leonis is just inside the 4 degree circle. If you extend an imaginary from Regulus beyond Omicron, such that the south edge of the 2 degree circle touches the line. Omicron should be at the inside edge of the outer circle. This should be a pleasing view, with NGC 2914 joined by NGC 2911, 2919 and UGC 5093.

Galaxy NGC 2914 Other description Round galaxy close companion.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Very faint, small, round, brighter middle nucleus, eastward of 2.
Magnitude 13.1
RA 09h 33m 57.4s
Dec +10 07'07"
Size 0.8' x 0.6'
Position Angle 14.0

Lenticular Galaxy NGC2911 Dreyer description Faint, pretty large, round, gradually brighter middle, westward of 2.
Other ID UGC5092
Other ID MCG2-25-3
Other ID CGCG63-7
Other ID PGC27159
Magnitude 13.1
RA 09h 33m 43.9s
Dec +10 09'16"
Size 1.9' x 1.5'
Position Angle 140.0

Spiral Galaxy UGC5093 Other ID MCG2-25-4
Other ID CGCG63-8
Other ID PGC27175
Magnitude 14.9
RA 09h 33m 56.3s
Dec +10 01'45"
Size 1.0' x 0.3'
Position Angle 152.0

Spiral Galaxy NGC2919 Dreyer description Faint, pretty small.
Other ID UGC5102
Other ID MCG2-25-7
Other ID CGCG63-13
Other ID PGC27232
Magnitude 13.7
RA 09h 34m 45.2s
Dec +10 17'11"
Size 1.8' x 0.6'
Position Angle 158.0

Sitting above Leo's head, the galaxy NGC 2918 is found by again locating the two tail stars of Lynx. Use them to point about the same distance between them, beyond to their south. Now, move just under one degree further south. Place the western edge of the 4 degree Telrad circle on that spot.

Galaxy NGC 2918 Other description Round galaxy with bright core.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Very faint, considerably small, round, abruptly brighter middle nucleus.
Magnitude 13.0
RA 09h 35m 45.0s
Dec +31 42'15"
Size 0.6' x 0.4'
Position Angle 64.0

NGC 3107 is easy to find. Place the Telrad's outer ring on Regulus, with the center of the Telrad between the front "legs" of Leo, just slightly to the east. The distance between the outer Telrad circle and its northern neighbor (31-Eta Leonis) should be about 1 degree. The galaxy is just under 2 minutes from a mag 8 star, the brightest by far in the field. At the edge of the field is another mag 8 star, with a dim small triangle of stars just to its north.

Galaxy NGC 3107 Other description Round galaxy.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Pretty faint, pretty large, irregularly round, 8th magnitude star, 148 , 112".
Magnitude 13.0
RA 10h 03m 15.5s
Dec +13 38'10"

My last object for the night (excluding the big bright showpiece objects, which are unreported here, but were interspersed with the objects in this write-up) was NGC 3691. This is very easy to find. Place the Telrad in the triangle of Leo's tail. Get the 2 degree circle situated to it touches the line between Denebola and Zosma, and get the 4 degree circle to rest on the line between Denebola and Chertan. Look in your eyepiece. In the immediate vicinity you will find NGC's 3681 (mag 12.4), 3684 (mag 12.2), 3686 (mag 11.8) and if you can go deep enough, MCG3-29-54 (mag 15.2) and UGC 6843 (a nice edge-on at mag 15.1).

Galaxy NGC 3691 Other description Round galaxy.
Constellation Leo
Dreyer description Faint, pretty small, little extended, resolvable, but mottled.
Magnitude 14.0
RA 11h 28m 09.9s
Dec +16 55'15"
Size 0.8' x 0.6'
Position Angle 14.0

Having had enough, I sat back with the remaining observer, looked naked eye at the clouds of the Milky Way up high in the east, and thought about summer.

I don't think I even felt my head hit the pillow as I crawled into the truck and laid down next to my little girl. Part 2 of this report at a later date...