Date: September 2 and 3, 2011
Location:  Indian Trail Springs in central Oregon
NELM:  7.0 (1^st night),  first two hours at 7.2, then the rest at 7.5 (2^nd night)
Transparency:  4/5  (both nights)
Seeing: 4/5  (both nights)
 

Telescope:  22” f/4.0 on equatorial platform

Eyepieces:

• 24mm Panoptic (96x)
• 18mm BGO (128x)
• 12.5mm BGO (184x)
• 10mm ZAO-II (230x)
• 9mm BGO (255x)
• 7mm BGO (328x)
• 6mm ZAO-II (383x or 690x)
• 5mm BGO (460x)
• 4mm ZAO-II (575x)
• TMB 1.8x ED Barlow

 My daughter Evelyn and I traveled up to Indian Creek in the Ochoco National Forest in Central Oregon for the Oregon Star Party.  We arrived on Friday afternoon for the last two days of the event.  The primary reason why I went is to give a talk about Observe Galaxy Groups and Clusters which fits right in with OSP observer’s crowd.  The talk was well received.  The other primary reason is to meet some of the craziest deep sky hounds from the northwest.

On this brief observing report, I’ll focus on those objects that I found interesting or something new, such as re-observed Hickson Groups, which I missed a component or three under worse conditions than offered here at OSP.  I was successful on a vast majority of the re-observations.  These along with other re-observations at Shot Rock may be included in a revision on my book sometime in the future.

I also observed many brighter objects, which I won’t talk about here as you can find those elsewhere on the web, such as NGC 7331 and its environs, M-101 SN, detail in M-101, etc  Other parts of the night, I was socializing with several others as I haven’t seen them in years.

Lastly, I’ve discussed a bit about the Delos in two objects; Hickson 99 and IC 1296

Hickson 100  (00 01 18.7  +13 07 42  mag: 14.1 – 16.6  size: 4.0’  4 members)

22” f/4 (230, 328, 383x) – 4 members easily seen arranged like an “L”.  I’ll talk about the last three components only.

Component B (Mkn 934, mag 15.3b, 0.8x0.5’) – Bright, 2:1 elongated glow with a slight brighter center.  Well defined edges with a little diffusion on the east side.  PA = 170 and 0.6’ long.  A mag 12.4 star lies 0.7’ west.

Component C (MCG+2-1-9, mag 15.9b, 0.8x0.4’) – Considerably faint, 5:2 elongated glow with a slightly brighter center.  Diffuse edges.  PA = 60 and 0.4’ long.

Component D (MCG+2-1-10, mag 16.6, 0.6x0.3’) – Faint 3:1 elongated even surface brightness glow.  PA = 45 and 0.3’ long.  A 15.2 mag star is just off the NE tip.  Easily held with averted vision 100% of the time.

Hickson 99  (00 00 42.6  +28 23 05  mag: 14.7 – 17.7  size: 3.0’  5 members)
Note:  The photo on the left is the POSS2 plate and the right is from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

22” f/4  (6mm ZAO-II at 383x) – All five members seen.   I’ll focus on component D and E as the first three are blazing.  This observation was made on the first night.

Component D (PGC 60, mag 17.2, 0.5x0.3’) – Very faint, very small round glow held 100% of the time with averted vision.

Component E (PGC 57, mag 17.7, 0.3x0.2’) – Very faint, very small round glow held almost 100% of the time with averted vision.

On the second night, TeleVue rep John Rhodes loaned me a 6mm Delos as I heard great things about it.  I used it for about an hour and gave it back, so someone else can borrow it.  Used this group to do a quick comparison between the 6mm ZAO-II, Delos and Ethos.  I focused on component D and E as they are pretty dim and nearly threshold objects with the Zeiss.  This is what I found.  The Zeiss as described above.  With the Delos, I could hold component E about 75% of the time and still could hold component D 100% of the time.  Now with the Ethos, I could hold component E about half the time and component D less than 100%, about 90% of the time.   Interesting observation and at least two other observers confirmed my observations.

Hickson 96  (23 28 01.3  +08 46 27   mag: 13.9 – 17.1  size: 3.2’  4 members)

22” f/4  (383, 460, 575 and 690x) – Tight group of four members with two blazing members.  Two little guys next to NGC 7674, and will be talked about here.  I saw component D previously, but only as an extremely faint glow.

Component C (MCG+1-59-81, mag 15.4  0.5x0.3’) – Faint small round glow with defined edges, sometimes pretty easy with direct vision.  0.2’ across and 0.3’ away from NGC 7674.  A faint 17^th mag star lies between it and NGC 7674.

Component D (PGC 71507, mag 17.1  0.4x0.2’) – Very faint, very small round glow.  Held 100% of the time with averted vision.  Less than 0.1’ across.

Hickson 95  (23 19 30.4  +09 29 49  mag: 14.9b – 17.2  size: 2.0’  4 members)

22” f/4  (383, 460 and 575x) – All four members seen for the first time.  Missed one the last several times I observed this group.  I’ll focus on component C and D.

Component C (MAC 2319+0930, mag 16.2  0.9x0.4’) –A very faint glow with a stellar core.  The halo is nearly attached to Component A.  0.2’ across.  This is the first time I’ve observed this component.

Component D (MCG+1-59-46, mag 17.2, 0.8x0.1’) – Very faint thin glow.  PA = 135 and 0.3’ long.

Hickson 94  (23 17 15.9  +18 42 57  mag: 14.3 – 18.4  size: 4.3’  7 members)
Note:  The photo on the left is the POSS2 plate and the right is from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

22” f/4  (383, 460, 575 and 690x) – All seven members seen the first time with first observations of components E to G.  I personally think that the listed mags may be a bit on the low side as I doubt that I can go as deep as mag 18.4 with a 22” reflector.  I’ll discuss all but A and B

Component C (PGC 70943, mag 16.2b, 0.7x0.3’) – Considerably faint 5:2 elongated glow with defined edges.  Slight brighter center.  PA = 0 and 0.5’ long.

Component D (PGC 70936, mag 16.4b, 0.3x0.2’) – Faint, very small round glow with a stellar core.  0.1’ across

Component E (PGC 70937, mag 17.7, 0.4x0.1’) – Extremely faint, very small round glow that pops in and out several times.  Averted vision about 33% of the time.

Component F (PGC 70939, mag 18.2, 0.2’) – Very faint, very small round glow.  Held with averted vision about 75% of the time.  This is actually brighter than component E.

Component G (PGC 70941, mag 18.4, 0.2x0.1’) – Extremely faint, extremely small round glow that popped in and out only four times.  Averted vision about 25% of the time.

Hickson 5  (00 38 54.4  +07 03 39  mag: 14.9 – 17.3  size: 1.8’  4 members)

22” f/4  (383, 575 and 690x) – Nice tight string of four galaxies anchored by two fainter members. I’ll talk about all four members.

Component A (NGC 190  mag: 14.9b  0.9x0.7’) – Blazing round glow with a much fainter diffuse halo.  The center is 0.3’ across and halo is 0.6’ across.

Component B (MCG+1-2-42  mag: 15.7b  0.5’) – High surface brightness round glow with defined edges.  Faint halo extending just a little beyond the bright core and is merged with NGC 190 to the north.

Component C (PGC 2322  mag: 16.5  0.3’) – Considerably faint small round glow with defined edges.  Easily held with averted vision and on occasion pops into view with direct vision.  0.2’ across

Component D (PGC 2326  mag: 17.3  0.5x0.1’) – Very faint 2:1: elongated glow.  Even surface brightness.  Held 100% of the time with averted vision, no direct vision.  PA = 45 and 0.2’ long.

Hickson 9  (00 54 18.2  -23 33 13  mag: 15.3 – 16.8,  size2.5’  4 members)

22” f/4  (383, 460 and 575x) – Successfully observed one more than last several times making a total of three out of four components seen.  I observed component D for the first time and still did not see C.  Component C lies just 0.5’ west of a mag 11.7 star!

Component D (PGC 3198, mag 16.7, 0.5x0.3’) – Very faint, small round glow.

IC 1296 (18 53 18.8  +33 03 57  0.9x0.5’  14.8p)

22” f/4 (383x with all thee 6mm eyepieces; ZAO-II, Delos and Ethos).  This is the other object that I decided to compare the Delos with the Ethos and ZAO-II as this is a very low surface brightness object with a stellar core – if you can see it.

Ethos – very diffuse glow held nearly 100% of the time

ZAO-II – Diffuse glow held 100% of the time.  A very faint stellar core pops in and out about 50% of the time.

Delos – Diffuse glow held 100% of the time.  The stellar core popped in and out a couple times.  The view is between the ZAO-II and Ethos. 

ACG 2666  (23 50 54  +27 08 00  Mag₁₀: 13.8  Size 78.4’  34 members)

22” f/4  (230 and 383x) – 16 members seen mostly by galaxy hopping at 383x using the ZAO-II eyepiece.

A (NGC 7768  mag: 12.2v  1.4x1.0’) – Very bright slightly elongated glow with somewhat diffuse edges.  PA = 45 and 0.7’ across.  Two very faint stars detected at the NW and west edge.

B (NGC 7765  mag: 15.5p  0.7’) – Considerably bright very small core with a faint diffuse halo.  Core is 0.1’ across and halo is 0.5’ across.

C (NGC 7767  mag: 14.5p  1.2x0.3’) – Bright thick high surface brightness glow with defined edges.  PA = 135 and 0.8’ long.  A mag 12.8 star lies just 0.2’ SW.

D (MCG+4-56-19  mag 15.6p  1.1x0.3’) – Faint, thick glow with defined edges.  Even surface brightness.  PA = 150 and 0.6’ long. 

E (PGC 72606  mag: ?  0.5x0.2’) – Very faint, thin glow with defined edges.  Even surface brightness.  Able to hold 100% of the time with averted vision.  PA = 120 and 0.3’ long.

F (PGC 72608  mag: ?  0.3’) – Considerably faint round glow with diffuse edges.  Brighter small core.  0.2’ across.

G (PGC 72609  mag: ? 0.3’) – Similar in appearance as the previous galaxy, Considerably faint round glow with diffuse edges.  Brighter small core.  0.2’ across.

H (MCG+4-56-14  mag: 15.0p  0.7x0.6’) – Faint round glow with diffuse edges and much brighter very small core.  0.3’ across.

I (CGCG 477-21  mag: 15.6  0.4x0.3’) – Faint, slightly elongated glow with defined edges.  PA = 135 and 0.2’ long.

J (CGCG 477-23  mag: 15.6  0.5x0.3’) – Considerably bright 2:1 elongated glow with a much brighter center.  PA = 135 and 0.3’ long.

K (PGC 72647  mag: ? 0.3x0.1’) – Very faint small round glow.  0.1’ across.  Able to hold with averted vision about 90% of the time.

L (MAC 2351+2703  mag: 16.0  0.4x0.2’) – Very faint, small 2:1 elongated glow.  PA = 120 and 0.2’ long.

M (MAC 2350-+2708  mag: 16.5  0.5x0.2’) – Very faint low surface brightness slightly elongated glow.  PA = 135 and 0.2’ long.  Held with averted vision about 75% of the time.

N (NGC 7766  mag: 15.8  0.7x0.3’) – Bright, small 2:1 elongated glow.  High surface brightness with very faint extensions each end.  PA = 45 and 0.4’ long.

O (MAC 2350+2706  mag: 16.0  0.2’) – Very faint small round diffuse glow.  0.1’ across.  Held with averted vision about 75% of the time.

P (MAC 2351+2707  mag: 16.0  0.2’) – Very faint small round glow.  0.1’ across and held with averted vision nearly 100% of the time

ACG 119  (00 56 24  -0115 00  mag₁₀: 15.0  Size: 39.2’  69 members)

22” f/4  (230 and 383x) – 26 members detected.  Unfortunately I decided not to take individual notes as it took forever to do AGC 2666, so I got a bit lazy.  I just galaxy hopped with my 6mm ZAO-II and marked on my printout on the individual members detected.  I didn’t notate that “A” is suspected to be a close double galaxy.  I looked at the DSS at home and it is a double galaxy.  The two marked as “B” were the dimmest of the 26 and difficult.  I could hold it with averted about 50% of the time.  Overall a fun group by galaxy hopping.  This would have been a good group to observe with the Delos as I tend to get lost while galaxy hopping in star poor, but galaxy rich region, especially with a lot of very faint glows.

Abell 71 – Sharpless 2-116  (20 32 23.4  +47 20 55  2.6’  15.2p)

22” f/4  (128 and 184x) – Helped another observer to look for this in his 25” reflector.  Also one of the Level 3 objects (Advanced Level).  It was seen best at 128 and 184x with O-III filter. It was an amorphous faint large glow with uneven surface brightness.  Brighter on the west side.