09/07/2023
Location: Anza desert site,
Bortle 4.5.
Equipment: Celestron 9.25” Edge HD
SCT on
SW SkyTee 2 manual AltAz mount.
EPs:
Pentax XW 10mm, 70 deg (235x, 1.0mm exit pupil, 0.30 deg TFV)
Pentax XW 14mm, 70 deg (168x, 1.4mm exit pupil, 0.42 deg TFV)
Pentax XW 20mm, 70 deg (118x, 2.0 mm exit pupil, 0.6 deg TFV)
With moon rising after midnight and dry crisp air it was a perfect evening to devote to the faint fuzzies hunting. As always, I have arrived on site about an hour before sunset, set my camp and scopes, and had dinner enjoying sunset colors.
A couple of months ago I had to wait until 22:00 for astronomical darkness. Now just little past 20:00 the sky got dark enough for Milky Way to appear. Another few minutes and I was on my first target.
20:30. CAPRICORN GALAXIES
IC 1322 (mag 14.1, size 54" x 24", SB 12.7) – I had one unsuccessful attempt at this galaxy before. This time the sky was better, and I have managed to resolve very faint small narrow oval, detected with AV by moving
EP (168x).
IC 1324 (mag 13.5, size 1.5' x 1.4', SB 14.0) – very faint round spot with AV (168x).
IC 1328 (mag 14.1, size 48" x 24", SB 12.6) – FAIL. This was my second attempt, one year apart.
IC 1334 (aka
IC 1333: mag 13.6, 1.5' x 48", SB 13.5) – extremely faint elongated oval, detected with AV by moving
EP (168x).
IC 1404 (mag 14.0, size 48" x 48", SB 13.3) – faint round spot with brighter central area (118x).
IC 1408 (mag 13.9, size 1' x 24", SB 12.6) – faint AV oval (168x).
NGC 7073 (mag 13.5, size 54" x 48", SB 12.9) - faint round disk with AV (168x).
NGC 7131 (mag 13.9, size 1.7' x 1', SB 14.2) – faint oval (118x).
21:40. PEGASUS GALAXIES
IC 1418 (mag 14.0, size 54" x 42", SB 13.2) – failed this galaxy previously. This time have managed to detect extremely faint round spot with AV by moving
EP (235x).
IC 1461 (mag 14.2, size 36" x 24", SB 12.4) – failed this one last year, but this time have managed to resolve extremely faint small spot with AV by moving
EP (168x, 235x).
IC 5104 (mag 13.4, size 1.6' x 24", SB 12.7) – FAILED this galaxy previously and again this time. Maybe third time will be the charm?
IC 5242 (mag 13.7, size 48" x 48", SB 13.0) – failed this one previously. This time it was revealed as very faint small oval touching star, same
FOV with
IC 5243 (235x).
IC 5284 (mag 13.9, size 1' x 12", SB 11.9) – FAILED this galaxy previously and again this time.
IC 5285 (mag 12.6, size 1.6' x 1.2', SB 13.1) – very faint oval near star with AV (235x).
IC 5331 (mag 14.1, size 1' x 18", SB 12.5) - FAILED this galaxy previously and again this time.
NGC 7489 (mag 13.4, size 2.1' x 1.1', SB 14.0) – another double FAIL.
NGC 2 (mag 14.2, size 1' x 36", SB 13.4) – failed it previously, but this time resolved small very faint oval in the same
FOV with
NGC 1 (168x, 235x).
23:15. PISCES AUSTRINUS GALAXIES
I still had plenty of galaxies to go in Pegasus but was taking a breather from the
EP, enjoying the dark night sky naked eye, and noticed bright Fomalhaut – the eye of the Southern fish below Capricornus. Fainter stars forming Pisces Austrinus body were clearly visible, and the whole constellation was at the highest point in the south. I only had one brief session in it six years ago and jumped on the opportunity to log more targets.
IC 5131 (mag 12.3, size 1' x 1', SB 12.0) – faint round disk with compact core (118x, 168x).
NGC 7130 (mag 12.1, size 1.6' x 1.5', SB 12.8) – faint round disk with brighter central area, same
FOV with
IC 5131 (168x).
IC 5139 (mag 12.3, size 2.1' x 1', SB 12.8) – very faint oval (118x, 168x).
IC 5149 (mag 13.6, size 1.2' x 30", SB 12.8) – FAIL.
PGC 67740 (mag 13.9, size 1.1' x 0.7', SB 13.6) – glow around star with AV (168x).
IC 5156 (mag 12.2, size 2.2' x 48", SB 12.6) – faint lens with AV 168x).
IC 5157 (mag 12.0, size 1.3' x 1.3', SB 12.3) – small, faint, AV oval with compact core (168x).
IC 5169 (mag 12.9, size 1.9' x 30", SB 12.6) – FAIL.
I have run out of gas around midnight. It was a challenging but fun session.
