Observing Distant Fires (Holy Smokes!)

Richard Navarrete, Elisabeth Oppenheimer and I all met Saturday afternoon in Mogran Hill for a trip to Deep Sky Ranch at Willow Springs. Conditions were uncertain, as the Lockheed fire in Bonny Doon, up in the Santa Cruz Mountains was covering the south bay in a thick smoky haze.... In Morgan Hill, it smelled like BBQ. A quick trip to San Juan Bautista for dinner at Jardines, then down through the wilds east of Paicines, and we were relaxing at the ranch, sipping cool beers in the shade... the only sounds around being the cats, a few horses, Magpies flying around, and Scrub Jays eating unripened fruit off the nearby trees. The hills were golden, and tinged with the yellow-green of tarweed. Temps were comfortable, a cool breeze blew through along with some relaxed, enjoyable conversation. Our hosts were away at an eclectic party in Santa Cruz, and returned after dark... what a treat to have such friends... my thanks to them for their hospitality and generosity. Thank you, Kevin.


We set up our telescopes at sunset... the sky showing some haze to our south and east... and a layer of orange/red glop in the west, all indicating that the smoke indeed would be a factor for us. Just how much depended on the whims of the winds...

I think we got lucky. During the night we were observing targets to about mag 17.2 in the 18" telescopes. When our host arrived home, out came the monster, Dobzilla. I have no idea what limit it was hitting. I was busy working on targets I'd compiled for the evening, Richard was hunting Hickson Galaxy Clusters. Elisabeth, who brought a 4.25" Starblast spent much of the evening in initiation on the big Dob. I would chuckle at times, when Kevin's voice would warn from high up on the ladder, that it was just too dangerous to do. Kevin's twelve foot ladder is about two feet to short!

Aside from the objects below, which were on my list, a few views are worth noting as they were simply spectacular...



M31 in Richard's 18" with a 35 Panoptic showed extensions of its spiral arms way out beyond what I consider even good views. Tenuous thin gauze, the sheerest of silk, fading out behind the foreground of stars, and into the background deep space beyond. The dark lanes were pronounced to the point of being black swaths with etched edges, sharp as you'd see in a master pen and ink rendition, or a woodcut. M110 and M32 were beacons.




To finish off the night, as the earthshine side of the moon rose over the mountains to the east , I noticed Cetus was up high, and suggested the planetary NGC 246 for the big scope. The first view was without a filter, and I do not know the magnification or eyepiece, but it nearly filled the field. It showed its gray form and embedded stars easily, and hinted at the amazing detail we'd soon view when a filter was added. With the filter, the structure in the shell was reminiscent of some fine views of the Crescent Nebula. Parts were thick and ropey, one end appeared to be "broken open" like a cracked egg. The view was mesmerizing.






Here are my observations. Most of these were very difficult objects... the last one was quite special.

Sh 2-136 Cep BN 5 21 16 29 68 15 12
18" 12mm NPB, distinct but dim triangular glow extending west from, and involving stars GSC 4461:645 and GSC 4461:1453.

Abell 75 Cep PN 67"x47" 14.5 21 26 23 62 53 33 PK 101+8.1 = NGC 7076 = PN G101.8+08.7
18" 12mm easily picked up with NPB filter, 7mm shows slight elongation N/S with star embedded in slightly brighter E section. Planetary appears mottled or possibly slightly annular.

vdB 142 Cep RN/DN 15 21 36 42 57 30 00 the "Elephant's Trunk"
18" 20mm - large elongated dark lane running WWSW/EENE, with glowing edge especially along the S edge along star forming region. UHC filter. Very near the nice triple and double stars Struve 2819 and 2813.

Sh 2-131 Cep BN 170 21 39 00 57 29 10 IC 1396
18" 20mm - scan very large are full of nebulosity

Abell 73 Cep PN 80"x66" 17 20 56 27 57 26 03 PK 95+7.1 = PN G095.2+07.8
18" 12mm UHC- large, elongated slightly N/S, E and W edges show more than N/S, annular, only edges show. Very dim. Dim star inside E edge of shell, brighter star just outside E edge of shell.

Abell 77 Cep PN 67"x50" 14 21 32 10 55 52 43 PK 97+3.1 = Sh 2-128 = PN G097.5+03.1 = LBN 443
18" 12mm UHC - smallish, elongated N/S slightly, can only hold parts of the object, seems brighter on N and S edges, perhaps mostly even brightness across disk.

Sh 2-127 Cyg BN 2 21 28 41 54 37 14
18" 20mm - large area of dim nebulosity between and involved in stars extending mostly E/W, like a river, non-uniform, mottled with dark areas embedded. Subtle.

Sh 2-120 Cyg BN 1 21 03 46 49 52 51
18" 12mm - obvious rectangular brightness with extensions off the corners. In area of rich nebulosity.

Sh 2-121 Cyg BN 1 21 05 12 49 38 59
18" 12mm - very large region of faint nebulosity in rich Milky Way field - dark lanes running through. Sh2 must be a photographic object to separate it from other nebulosity. Very near prior target.

Sh 2-123 Cyg BN 13 21 42 22 44 32 25
18" 20mm - large rectangle, almost square, of nebulosity in rich Milky Way, with many stars embedded - surrounded by dark lanes.

CRL 2688 Cyg PPN 24"x6" 21 02 18 36 42 00
18" 7mm 2x Barlow - elongated N/S with a dark lane separating two nearly equal sized lobes. N lobe is significantly brighter, and shows at times a stellar point embedded. S lobe is nearly equal in size, but significantly dimmer. Entire object is surrounded by oblong faint shell. PK 80-6.1 - Northern lobe is elongated at 824x - more clearly than the S lobe.

Short But Good Night at Houge Park

I arrived at Houge Park in San Jose from Aikido, for the SJAA's in-town public star party as twilight was setting in. I quickly collimated my 10" f/5.7 Dob, it was almost dead on and required almost no effort. How nice!

The turnout was good, in terms of both telescopes and visitors. Of course, most scopes were aimed at the moon, which was getting larger by the minute, well past first quarter. I showed it briefly, noting a good view of the fully lit Alpine Valley, some great Mare ringed by sharp mountains, some nice large craters showing with ejecta rays, but soon decided to offer views of targets less obvious.




I began with Alberio. The colors were quite vivid tonight. I was showing it at 120x. I'd ask people the usual questions; what colors do you see, and which of the two stars should live (last) longer? Its always good for conversation, gets them thinking.... helps bring astronomy "to earth".


I moved to Epsilon Lyrae, the Double Double. It was splitting at 120x, but people were having difficulty really seeing it cleanly. I went to the 7mm and, at 207x the views were excellent; the stars separated into four very clean points. Again, people were amazed. They'd look at the "pair" in my 9x60 finder, then again in the eyepiece. The seeing was fantastic.


A quick trip over to the Ring Nebula, which was fairly washed at 120x out in the bright moonlight, and I decided it was either a moon night, or one for good double stars.

That said, my next target was M3, which I picked up in the finder next to a bright star. The view was actually quite good at 120x, even though it was nothing like the great view it can be, again due to the moonlight. But, it was obvious, and if you took a moment at the eyepiece, it was obvious that the "haze" was actually a great buzz of stars. Nice view. People "got it".


After that, another nice double. I headed to Izar in Bootes. At 207x it was a nice split, with its obvious magnitude differences, and striking colors. I stayed there for a while, as people would look, move the scope, ask questions about how I made it, and how it worked.



By 11 pm, the atmosphere had condensed, and clouds were quickly erasing the sky. It was getting chilly too... so time to pack up, head home, have a glass of wine and think about the next time out.

All in all, it was a fun night, and a great start to a full weekend.

Mark

Two Nights With New Sights

Richard Navarrete and I observed Tuesday and Wednesday nights from Deep Sky Ranch, south of Hollister in San Benito County. Conditions both nights were excellent. Richard was using an equatorial platform he'd just purchased along with his 18" Obsession, I had my 18" Obsession undriven. I was impressed with the performance of the platform, and am convinced it allows a more relaxed observing session. I had great success both nights, logging many new targets that were both interesting and challenging. I did not do a star count or use an SQM, but both seeing and transparency were excellent. We observed until dawn the first night, and to about 2:30 the second night. My target list was compiled from objects between RA 19:40 and 20:39:59. First night I started in the north and worked south, next night from the south to the north. Aside from what I observed in my telescope, I spent a good amount of time looking at Hickson groups in Richard's scope - I believe we were seeing into the mid 17th magnitude. If I had to pick out a few objects I viewed and say they were highlights, they'd be the views of the Crescent Nebula, Sh2-101 and Sh2-100 which I refer to as a planetary, but it isn't. I also had the opportunity to use some new eyepieces with 82 degree fields, that performed very nicely.

Here are the targets I viewed, and my observing notes:

ARP 29 11.6'x9.9' 8.8 20 34 52 60 09 NGC 6946

Large core with two arms coming off to NE and swinging E. Southern of the 2 arms is fatter. Dimmer arm comes off S of core and swings tightly around to W. Large core has a gradually brighter center. Finally noticed another long arm, from WNW and winding around straight to NE.

Abell 71 Cyg 165"x150" 14.5 20 32 23.2 47 21 04 PK 85+4.1 = PN G084.9+04.4 = Sh 2-116

7mm 18" - very dim glow, no definition at all, surrounding a mag 13.5 star with more "glow" around a mag 12.5 star on the edge. Extremely difficult. Dim star actually appears involved in a haze.



Sh 2-115 50 2 20 34 33.0 46 52 40

12mm UHC 18" - dim linear glow with some structure running E/W of two pair of stars to the S. Dimmer pair appears involved in nebulosity. OC Berk 90 is obvious at E of the two pair of stars.





Sh 2-112 15 2 20 33 50.2 45 39 35

12mm UHC 18" - easy to view this Sharpless around GSC49801. Nebulosity forms an arc through the star, running mostly N/S and arcing to the E, forming a J with most but thinnest section to the N. Bottom of J is most pronounced.



AGC 2319 0.973 15.4 19 20.8 43 59

7mm 18"- Viewed CGCG230-9, CGCG230-8, CGCG230-7 and CGCG230-4




Sh 2-108 180 3 20 22 34.8 40 15 15 IC 1318

30mm 18" - nebulosity with dark veins throughout over large areas around Gamma Cygni, through into the North American Nebula. Outstanding views throughout the entire area. Truly great view of the North American, rivaled only by high elevation views at Mount Lassen.

Abell 69 Cyg 25"x22" 20.2 20 19 58.3 38 24 02 PK 76+1.1 = PN G076.3+01.1

7mm 18" - perhaps at most the southern arc of this planetary is visible, very elusive.















Sh 2-105 18 3 20 12 02.4 38 20 59 N6888 = Crescent Nebula

12mm 18" UHC - spectacular view, wispy nebula with blue glow and blue stars. Internal knots inside western edge, northern and eastern edge very thick and distinct. Mottling throughout. Star embedded in northeastern wisp is very reminiscent of Veil Nebula's Witches Broom.



Sh 2-106 3 3 20 27 26.9 37 23 49

12mm 18' UHC - amorphous glow involved with dark veins interspersed in distinct star field just NNW of SAO 70038. Subtle, but there.


Sh 2-104 7 2 20 17 44.6 36 44 40

12mm 18" UHC - faint but distinct even nebulosity surrounding stars of Dolidze 4, elongated E/W, with a "Pac-Man" type notch taken out of the NW edge.



Sh 2-101 20 2 19 59 56.8 35 17 27

12mm 18" NPB - reminiscent of Crescent, but dimmer. Two bright stars embedded in W end of nebula. Brightest portion is to N and E of bright stars, Another bright section runs E of the S star of the pair. More nebulosity is to th S and W of the pair of stars, but much more subtle. This is a very good target.


Sh 2-100 4 3 20 01 50.6 33 30 41 N6857

7mm 18" NPB - planetary appears almost triangular, nearly as distinct without the filter. Elongated slightly NW/SE. But appears to have somewhat triangular shape, with a harder edge running N/S. Star embedded in nebula, but seems offset to the N, which may be an illusion due to a dim northern edge of the shell.



Sh 2-77 8 1 19 48 16.6 01 08 52

12mm 18" - very faint and tenuous nebulosity, very indistinct, around a few stars and perhaps between. Nothing certain.





Abell 70 Aql 45"x40" 14.7 20 31 33.2 -07 05 17 PK 38-25.1 = PN G38.1-25.4

12mm 18" - entire disk shows without filter but NE section is clearly brighter. 7mm shows annularity and galaxy visible through NE edge of nebula.


Palomar 11 10.0' 17.3 19 45 14 -08 00 26

12mm 18" - obvious granular appearance and bracketed by 2 concave chains of 4 = mag stars each running N/S with a bright star nearby to the N.








NGC 6822 15.5'x13.5' 8.8 19 45 00 -14 48 NGC 6822 19 45.0 -14 48 15.5x13.5 8.8

12mm 18" - elongated NE/SW and embedded in stars, there is a dark rift or two that run along the major axis and several HII regions embedded, most noticeably the two at the NE end of the object. Using an NPB filter shows the entire NE portion of the galaxy as a triangle glowing in HII.


SagDIG 3.2'x1.5' 15.0 19 30 00 -17 41 00 SagDIG 19 30.0 -17 41 3.2x1.5 15

7mm 18" - oval glow between parallelogram of stars, elongated NW/SE and appearing almost annular - no doubt it is there.







Abell 66 Sgr 295"x241" 19 57 31.5 -21 36 46 PK 19-23.1 = PN G019.8-23.7

12mm 18" - Pair of stars equal mag nearby to NNE. Planetary is large and perhaps elongated slightly N/S with slight annularity. Dim stars appear embedded in E edge - perhaps 2. Very faint, although occasionally the central area appears to brighten and negate annular feeling.



Sh 2-052 2 2 19 47 46.3 -23 05 15
See next entry - how many types of catalogs is this in!

Abell 65 Sgr 134"x34" 13.8 19 46 33.8 -23 08 12 PK 17-21.1 = UGCA 415 = MCG -04-46-001 = PN G017.3-21.9 = PGC 63654

12mm 18" - visible without filter, but UHC helps. Round and mostly even brightness, but SW edge seems brighter than rest of disk. Chain of 4 dim stars cup N edge, and 3 dim stars extend W from S edge, with E star touching disk.

Hickson 086D 0.3x0.2 14.7 19 51 51.9 -30 48 30 63749
7mm 18" not observed, or if so a very tight split with Hickson 86B

Hickson 086B 0.5x0.4 13.8 19 51 59.0 -30 48 57 63748
7mm 18" observed

ESO 461-007 1.2'.7' 13.3 19 52 06 -30 49 00
7mm 18" observed, aka Hickson 86A

Hickson 086A 1.2x0.7 13.3 19 52 08.7 -30 49 30 63753
7mm 18" observed.

Hickson 086C 0.4x0.3 14.9 19 51 57.3 -30 51 23 63752
7mm 18" observed.


Terzan 8 3.5' 12.4 19 41 45 -34 00 01

12mm 18" - forms an almost equilateral triangle with GSC 7434:401 and GSC 7434:31, but feeling is I'm seeing the core as it is relatively small and not all that difficult.