Darren Drake
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/02
Posts: 1041
Loc: Illinois
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What is your most difficult observation you've made? It would help to mention your scope's aperture and sky conditions. This year I'd have to say that glimpsing the galaxy between M13 and NGC 6207 was my most difficult. I believe it's IC 1296 if I remember correctly. Also the crab pulsar is right up there. Both times were with my 18 inch under dark Illinois skies.
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Astronomy educator
Sidewalk astronomer
18 inch f4.42 dob on eq platform w ST120 f/5 finder
8 inch f/6 dob
8 inch f/8 eq planetkiller
William Optics red 10th Anniversary 80mm FD
24lb eyepiece box
Cernan Space Center astronomer
Member of Northwest Suburban Astronomers
Edited by Darren Drake (10/10/05 09:17 AM)
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Brian Carter
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/24/04
Posts: 3115
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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NGC40 took me about two seasons (probably about 5 or 6 nights of observations. It looks so much like the reflection of dew on the lens. Not really faint, but still a little tough.
The globular clusters in M31 have proven a nice challenge.
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10" F/5.5 Astrosky
SkyCommander DSCs
A loving dog, Buddha, who tolerates my hobbies
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Brian Carter
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/24/04
Posts: 3115
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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central star in M57 was a tough one too, only gotten it a couple of times.
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10" F/5.5 Astrosky
SkyCommander DSCs
A loving dog, Buddha, who tolerates my hobbies
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ZackAderan
member
Reged: 10/02/05
Posts: 69
Loc: Bay Area, California
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NGC 40, 7292 were tough with my 8in. Dob.
-Zack
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Thanks,
Zack
www.freewebs.com/mehball
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novbabies
Postmaster
Reged: 06/05/05
Posts: 15678
Loc: Northern Georgia!
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I think IC 1296 is a little galaxy in Lyra near the Ring Nebula?
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Good Seeing!
Mark
Orion 12" XTi f/4.9
VERY old Edmund 6" f/8 reflector
Assorted binoculars
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novbabies
Postmaster
Reged: 06/05/05
Posts: 15678
Loc: Northern Georgia!
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Whoops! Should have said:
with 4.25" refl, 14 years old, 1969 - Ring Nebula (at least most fulfilling find!)
Good seeing! You have an absolutely AWESOME scope there ! ! !
Mark
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Good Seeing!
Mark
Orion 12" XTi f/4.9
VERY old Edmund 6" f/8 reflector
Assorted binoculars
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edwincjones
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 4415
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Horsehead nebula in 25x150 binoculars at GreatPlainsStarParty in 2002. Sky was excellant. It took about 1 1/2 hour to view, check charts to confirm accuracy for me and neighbor at the star party.
(I would not have tried, but for a binocular review in Cloudy Nights big binocular section that reported this possible)
Thank you CN for the inspiration,
ed jones
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n w arkansas
Binocular, Solar, General Amateur Astronomy
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Palomar 11, Leo I, Abell 34 and Hickson 92.
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Darren Drake
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/02
Posts: 1041
Loc: Illinois
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Yes novbabies I just came back to correct my error. It was IC 4617. Thanks
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Astronomy educator
Sidewalk astronomer
18 inch f4.42 dob on eq platform w ST120 f/5 finder
8 inch f/6 dob
8 inch f/8 eq planetkiller
William Optics red 10th Anniversary 80mm FD
24lb eyepiece box
Cernan Space Center astronomer
Member of Northwest Suburban Astronomers
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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To date Barnards Galaxy was my toughest challenge. I use a 10" SCT and had tried many times to see this faint extended object. I had to wait until I had a night of uncommon transparency to spy its subtle glow.
Roger
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BillFerris
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/17/04
Posts: 2582
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Quote:
What is your most difficult observation you've made? It would help to mention your scope's aperture and sky conditions. This year I'd have to say that glimpsing the galaxy between M13 and NGC 6207 was my most difficult. I believe it's [IC 4617] if I remember correctly. Also the crab pulsar is right up there. Both times were with my 18 inch under dark Illinois skies.
Hi Darren,
Those are nice observations with any aperture under Midwest US skies. During the 10+ years I observed with my 10-inch Starfinder, the most challenging observations were probably made at the 2003 All-Arizona Messier Marathon. I didn't marathon that year. Instead, I worked on some galaxy clusters, including NGC 5077 & Co. and the NGC 4281 grouping. The principle members weren't challenging but, when I returned home and checked the observations against Megastar, it turned out a couple of the threshold objects I'd seen were MAC galaxies. These have been catalogued by Larry Mitchell in his Mitchell Annonymous Catalog (MAC). Many do have listings in the more obscure professional catalogs but some, including MAC 1219+0515, appear to have no other designations.
Regards,
Bill in Flagstaff
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Grand Canyon Adventure
Lowering the Threshold
18" Obsession
4.5" Meade 4500
10x50 Swift Audubon
Cosmic Voyage
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David A Rodger
sage
Reged: 08/12/03
Posts: 393
Loc: North Vancouver, BC, Canada
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I'm still struggling to see M101 and M33 from my light-polluted observing patio. Even my 12-inch f/4.9 Newtonian, with LPR filters and 31mm Nagler, doesn't pick up either. Yet it easily reveals many other galaxies that have been reported difficult.
Any suggestions for the next dark-of-the-moon; at least for M33? M101 is now probably too low these October evenings.
DAR
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Orion Intelliscope 12
Orion 100mm ED refractor
Tele Vue NP-127 refractor
Celestron CPC 1100 SCT
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Darren Drake
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/02
Posts: 1041
Loc: Illinois
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Dar,
M33 may be hopeless in your skies BUT with an OIII filter you should be able to pick out it's best HII region NGC604. I've done it in my light polluted back yard but did not see the galaxy. That should come as some consolation if you don't get the galaxy itself.
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Astronomy educator
Sidewalk astronomer
18 inch f4.42 dob on eq platform w ST120 f/5 finder
8 inch f/6 dob
8 inch f/8 eq planetkiller
William Optics red 10th Anniversary 80mm FD
24lb eyepiece box
Cernan Space Center astronomer
Member of Northwest Suburban Astronomers
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Brian Carter
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/24/04
Posts: 3115
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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Hi Dar. Try binoculars.
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10" F/5.5 Astrosky
SkyCommander DSCs
A loving dog, Buddha, who tolerates my hobbies
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ForgottenMObject
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/11/04
Posts: 3585
Loc: Maryland, US
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I think I am going to be embarassed, but under my light-polluted skies, how about M78. Tricky little reflection nebula in a 10" Dob.
I am still hunting for M1 - one of these days...
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Matthew
IDA member
XT8i, 10x50 binoculars, lots of eyepieces
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Brian Carter
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/24/04
Posts: 3115
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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OOPS! When I said NGC40, what I really meant was NGC7023, the Iris nebula.
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10" F/5.5 Astrosky
SkyCommander DSCs
A loving dog, Buddha, who tolerates my hobbies
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ZackAderan
member
Reged: 10/02/05
Posts: 69
Loc: Bay Area, California
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I tried again for NGC 40 tonight and it still eludes me. The direction I'm looking in has a LM of 3.3. What should I do?
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Thanks,
Zack
www.freewebs.com/mehball
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Jeremy Perez
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/12/04
Posts: 1668
Loc: Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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I'm using a 6" f/8 newtonian.
I'd say my toughest observation was Barnard 33, followed last week by Hickson 92.
Bill, do you recall trying to discern the faint filaments of a huuuge supernova remnant surrounding Taurus with your 18" Obsession? I don't remember the designation of this object, but it seemed like it was a pretty tough/iffy observation. I was only casually observing with you, so I don't recall your final assessment.
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Orion SVP 6LT (6" f/8 Newt) || Orion XT8 (8" f/6 Newt) || 15x70 Oberwerk Binoculars
The Belt Of Venus || Astro-Sketch Gallery || Astro-Sketching Resources || Astro-Photo Gallery
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BillFerris
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/17/04
Posts: 2582
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Quote:
[snip] Bill, do you recall trying to discern the faint filaments of a huuuge supernova remnant surrounding Taurus with your 18" Obsession? I don't remember the designation of this object, but it seemed like it was a pretty tough/iffy observation. I was only casually observing with you, so I don't recall your final assessment.
Jeremy, that was Simeis 147, on the "Holy Grail" list of visual observing challenges. Looking through Parker, et al's "An Emission-line Survey of the Milky Way," this ultra-faint supernova remnant is barely visible. So, I'm not ready to include that observation as a definite positive. The brightest portions of Simeis 147 are on my short list for this coming winter. We'll see what happens.
Regards,
Bill in Flagstaff
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Grand Canyon Adventure
Lowering the Threshold
18" Obsession
4.5" Meade 4500
10x50 Swift Audubon
Cosmic Voyage
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aporigine
sage
Reged: 07/03/05
Posts: 425
Loc: Tuolumne foothills CA
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Hi Zack
Imo your best bet is to wait for a night when the Bay is socked in fog. Then take hwy 9 over the Saratoga Pass and park at the roadside pulloff ... I think 2 miles or so W of summit. Skies can be excellent in winter. Good enough to see any M, inc. M74. Jmo and good luck!
I used this method to see 20 degrees of Hyakutake's tail back when.
So far my toughest observation is NGCs 184 and 147 in the same field of my 130mm refractor...
cheers aporigine
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Beauty is in the eyepiece of the beholder.
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aporigine
sage
Reged: 07/03/05
Posts: 425
Loc: Tuolumne foothills CA
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Hi Zack
Imo your best bet is to wait for a night when the Bay is socked in fog. Then take hwy 9 over the Saratoga Pass and park at the roadside pulloff ... I think 2 miles or so W of summit. Skies can be excellent in winter. Good enough to see any M, inc. M74, 76, 78... Jmo and good luck!
I used this method to see 20 degrees of Hyakutake's tail back when.
So far my toughest observation is NGCs 185 and 147 in the same field of my 130mm refractor...
cheers aporigine
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Beauty is in the eyepiece of the beholder.
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novbabies
Postmaster
Reged: 06/05/05
Posts: 15678
Loc: Northern Georgia!
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Hi David!
Sounds like you and I have similar optics - mine's an Orion XTi 12". I saw M33 for the first time without any filter from my light polluted skies here in SE Pennsylvania early in September. It was just a diffuse roundish glow. Waiting for darker wintry skies and higher elevation! There's hope for you!
Good seeing!
Mark
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Good Seeing!
Mark
Orion 12" XTi f/4.9
VERY old Edmund 6" f/8 reflector
Assorted binoculars
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8265
Loc: Bay Area, California
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Quote:
Yes novbabies I just came back to correct my error. It was IC 4617. Thanks
I still haven't seen IC 4617 or IC 1296, or the central star in M57, either. They'll all be triumphs when the seeing and transparency cooperate and I get them. Good going for those of you who have. I got Barnard 33 last weekend - barely.
To Jeremy with the 6". Barnard 33 and Hickson 92 are pretty impressive targets to bag with your scope. I saw the latter through a 5" Mak at Shingletown Star Party and agreed it was there, but it was just a gray lightening on a black background. It was a lot better in bigger scopes.
Ditto Brian to see the central star in M57 (presumably with your 10"? I didn't have a problem finding NGC 7023 in my 6" SN for photographic purposes, although I appreciated seeing the nebulosity expand with the first exposure ;-)
Zack, get thee to dark skies.
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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David A Rodger
sage
Reged: 08/12/03
Posts: 393
Loc: North Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Hi, Mark and others who took pity on my inability to see M33 and M101. I like the binoculars suggestion. I have a superb Canon IS 15X50, so that's a possibility. I'll also take the first opportunity to "get out of town" to the Fraser Valley Astronomers Society Dark Sky site near Abbotsford. Let's see it's now October 9; should be an opening in February some time.
Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving to all at Cloudy Nights.
David
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Orion Intelliscope 12
Orion 100mm ED refractor
Tele Vue NP-127 refractor
Celestron CPC 1100 SCT
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half meter
Postmaster
Reged: 05/05/04
Posts: 12517
Loc: Great Lakes
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Seeing Pease 1, a planetary nebula in the M15 globular
cluster, was my hardest challenge to date. I used the
Collins I3 eyepiece in a 8" SCT at over 400x. Pease 1 is
only 1 arc-second across (visually). I think it was about 3
arc-seconds across as I saw it enhanced in the infrared.
Here is a link to finder charts for Pease 1.
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Gary
Collins I3 (Thin Film) Image Intensifying Eyepiece
Coronado Maxscope DS 90 <0.5A w/BF30
152 mm f/8 TMB/A&M Carbon Fiber APO; f/5 with 4" Borg ED Field Flattener/Reducer
20" Obsession/OMI Mirror/Servocat/Argo Navis
 First Light for the 30" Obsession at BEOTS!
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Starman1
Vendor - Scope City
Reged: 06/24/03
Posts: 10954
Loc: Los Angeles
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IC 4617. Check.
Central star in M57. Check.
Central star in NGC 6905. Check.
IC 1296. Still not found. Will try again.
6 galaxies in Stephan's Quintet. Check (I cheated--used Steve Kennedy's 28").
Cocoon Nebula. Still no. I've tried this 40 times, and can see the dark nebula, but never seem to see the bright bubble of the cocoon itself. I'll keep trying.
The Horsehead. Check.
But my all-time toughest was Palomar 14 in Hercules. It took 10 times of trying, and observing at/near the meridian to capture this. With my 12.5", it appears like a small puff of breath on the eyepiece--nothing more. Seeing M14 filled with stars was easier.
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Don Pensack
12.5" Truss Dob, 5" Maksutov
Sustaining Lifetime IDA member, TeleVue junkie
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BillFerris
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/17/04
Posts: 2582
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Quote:
Seeing Pease 1, a planetary nebula in the M15 globular
cluster, was my hardest challenge to date. I used the
Collins I3 eyepiece in a 10" SCT at over 400x. Pease 1 is
only 1 arc-second across (visually). I think it was about 3
arc-seconds across as I saw it enhanced in the infrared.
Pease 1 was one of my highlights from last weekend's Lowell Star Party. Suspected it in the 18-inch Obsession the first night and confirmed it the second when the seeing was a little better. Very high magnification and an OIII were invaluable in detecting this tiny planetary.
I have yet to go after GJJC1 (PK 9-7.1, PNG 98-7.5) in M22 and, with Sagittarius well past the meridian before nightfall this time of year, it's something that will have to wait until 2006 for an attempt.
Regards,
Bill in Flagstaff
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Grand Canyon Adventure
Lowering the Threshold
18" Obsession
4.5" Meade 4500
10x50 Swift Audubon
Cosmic Voyage
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Darren Drake
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/02
Posts: 1041
Loc: Illinois
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Gary,
I would have to include that on my list as well. I found it in my light polluted skies one night recently and again in dark skies. It's not always a given though and needs steady skies. I think you're cheating a little using the I3 piece however.
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Astronomy educator
Sidewalk astronomer
18 inch f4.42 dob on eq platform w ST120 f/5 finder
8 inch f/6 dob
8 inch f/8 eq planetkiller
William Optics red 10th Anniversary 80mm FD
24lb eyepiece box
Cernan Space Center astronomer
Member of Northwest Suburban Astronomers
Edited by Darren Drake (10/10/05 09:20 AM)
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half meter
Postmaster
Reged: 05/05/04
Posts: 12517
Loc: Great Lakes
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Quote:
I think you're cheating a little using the I3 piece however.
On the other hand, I used only a 8" SCT, so it still was a challenge...
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Gary
Collins I3 (Thin Film) Image Intensifying Eyepiece
Coronado Maxscope DS 90 <0.5A w/BF30
152 mm f/8 TMB/A&M Carbon Fiber APO; f/5 with 4" Borg ED Field Flattener/Reducer
20" Obsession/OMI Mirror/Servocat/Argo Navis
First Light for the 30" Obsession at BEOTS!
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vic
sage
Reged: 10/09/04
Posts: 212
Loc: Shropshire, England
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According to S.J. O'Meara, IC 1613 (Caldwell 51), an irregular barred dwarf galaxy in Cetus, is the toughest object in the Caldwell catalogue. It has a surface brightness of 15.5!!!!  .I am going to attempt this monster later this year with my 12". Although, I found M74 fairly easy in a 10" from my rural site.
There are some other real toughies in this catalogue, like Brian I found NGC 7023 difficult(Caldwell 4), but not as hard as the Cave Nebula (Caldwell 9),which I failed on last time I tried.
Barnard's Galaxy (Caldweell 57) was very difficult which has a superficially(no pun intended) easier surface brightness of 14.8, so I am not sure that I will succeed on
Caldwell 51.
I am trying to view all the Caldwell objects north of about -26 south and it is just a few of these nasty ones that are eluding me, if I keep at them I am fairly sure I shall succeed as there will be differences in transparency from one night to the next.
Wishing you all luck on the diificult targets!! 
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Victor Chetta,
Orion Optics(UK) 12"f/4 SPX Newtonian OTA,
Skywatcher EQ-6 Pro (Go-to).
Vixen GPDX ,lovely mount, but now gathering dust.
PST,
Opticron 11X70 binoculars.
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