Observing Session: 2, May02/05/2013
Astronomy

Tonight ended a run of what has been the best week of observing to date. Five clear nights at the scope in seven days. I’m knackered!

These last few sessions, have now now pushed me past the half way mark through my Messier List. I’ve now made 62 of the 110 objects.  I have a feeling that the other remaining objects still to observe will be harder work than the first. While I have a good view of the Southern horizon this Summer, a lot of the ‘M’ objects in Sagittarius will be  right above the skyglow of Porthleven, so the nebulous objects here will be a bit of a challenge.

Session Data

  • Date: 02/05/2013
  • Time: 21:21 – 22:43 UT
  • Temp: 7.0c, 
  • Air Pressure: 1012Mb,
  • Humidity: 93%,
  • Dew point: 6.0c,
  • Wind Speed: 3.5 MPH .
  • Seeing: I Perfectly Stable,
  • Transparency: Clear


Conditions were pretty good, although the session was cut short when a bank of ground hugging fog rolled in.

M81

Observed width is half a FOV in Altair Astro 250mm, UWA 18mm, 113 X, 43.6′. A bit of a core.

 M82

Wow. This time I can see a dark vertical band running perpendicular the the width. This bar appears to be to the East of what looks to be the core of the Galaxy. The galaxy itself appears to be asymmetrical in the that the Western side is longer that the other. This might be an illusion caused by the vertical bar being offset from the core.

The galaxy itself appears to cover say 1/2 to 1/3 the diameter of Altair Astro 250mm, Plossl 26mm, 78 X, 38.4′

M108

North is to the 7 O’Clock in the Altair Astro 250mm, Plossl 26mm, 78 X, 38.4′

To the South of M108 are 5 stars that form their own little Cassiopeia. and to the North are 6 small stars scattered around.  The Core is stellar and a little to the right at what is visually the edge of the galaxy tip is what looks like another star (GSC3827-00308). Galaxy appears asymmetric with the bulk of its length offset the Eastern side as the core is not central.

M91

East is to the 2 O’Clock. The core is not very bright.  Diameter of galaxy is is about 1/3 the diameter of Altair Astro 250mm, UWA 18mm, 113 X, 43.6′  and sitting in the middle of a line between two stars  ID/s: GSC0881-00035 and  ID/s: GSC0880-00167. Galaxy is very faint at 10.6 mag

M97

Looks very circular, but its very faint. Stuck on the Nebula filter and this does increase the contrast a little but at the same time makes everything looks a little darker. Now I can see a brighter circular area at the centre, so now looking at a donut! No Owl features are visible.

M90

Ahh!. Recorder turned off during taking notes, so no detailed observation for this 🙁