Josh U
member
Reged: 07/10/07
Posts: 40
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Hey Everyone!
I'm preparing for a trip out to the Almost Heaven Star Party at Spruce Knob, WV. Boy, the skies are dark there.
I'm working on getting a list of challenging DSOs to see.
I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions. I'll be observing with a 10" dob.
If you've got any favorites, or real puzzles, throw 'em this way!
Thanks!
Josh
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"How you do anything is how you do everything."
Zhumell 10" dob
80mm Refractor
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Achernar
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 3448
Loc: Alabama, USA
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The galaxy NGC-6822, otherwise known as Barnard's Galaxy is a very large but very faint member of the Local Group, and it's a good object for very dark skies. The very faint globulars Palomar 11 in Aquila, Palomar 12 in Capricornus and Palomar 13 in Pegasus should be just in range of a 10-inch, and if those don't show up, there's Palomar 8 and 9 in Sagittarius. So far I've only definitely seen Palomar 9 and suspected Palomar 12 with my own 10-inch. For a really cool sight for your binoculars, look no farther than Barnard's "E" or the Triple Cave Nebula just to the west of Gamma Aquilae or Tarazed. It looks like spilled India ink on the Milky Way.
Taras
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10-inch F/4.5 Discovery Dob
6-inch F/8 Homebuilt Dob
4 1/4-inch F/4 Homebuilt reflector
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AlanK
super member
Reged: 01/26/07
Posts: 115
Loc: Auckland, New Zealand
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Hi there
There are quite a few more challenging planetries in Aquila beyond its dozen NGC ones such as Sh2-71 and Abells 53, 55, 67, 70 which could be glimpsed in my 12 under not so dark skies. Another really good challenge for a 10 inch under very dark skies would be the little 15th mag galaxy IC 1296 just 4' NW of M57.
If you are up very late then also try for the large faint planetary Jones 1 in Pegusus which should show as a large faint glow at low power. Other things to try for would be the Pegasus I galaxy cluster which is dominated by a couple of easy 12 mag galaxies NGC 7619 & 7626 but how many fainter members can be seen? The NGC 507 galaxy cluster in Pisces is also worth a look with several objects in the 12th - 14th mag range. What about Stephans Quintet near NGC 7331? How many members can be picked out?
You are pretty much spoiled for choice! However, it will also partly depend on having a good set of very detailed charts or digital setting circles and a narrowband filter for the nebulae.
Good luck.
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6479
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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The Draco Dwarf (UGC 10822, near the head of Draco, use *low* power and move the scope around a lot)
NGC 4236 (tilted low surface brightness spiral near Kappa Draconis)
NGC 6027 galaxy group (Hickson 79 in Serpens, four to six galaxies visible depending on the aperture).
Generally, I just pick a page off the atlas and go after about everything I can think of. It is fun to see just how faint I have gone. Clear skies to you.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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Josh U
member
Reged: 07/10/07
Posts: 40
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Thanks, Fellas!
These are some great ideas. I'm certainly gonna try 'em. Just for the heck of it, I'm going to have fun finding non-ngc objects (The Palomar globulars sound like a great place to start!)
And yes, that 15th mag galaxy off M57 sounds like fun. Maybe if I drink enough red bull, I'll have an 8mm exit pupil! (Just kidding.)
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"How you do anything is how you do everything."
Zhumell 10" dob
80mm Refractor
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Phillip Creed
Idiot Seeking Village
Reged: 07/25/06
Posts: 958
Loc: NE Ohio
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Josh,
If you wait long enough into the night, a really good challenge is galaxy IC-1613 in Cetus. It's one of the Caldwell Objects and it's total integrated brightness is around 9th-magnitude, but it has *abysmally*-low surface brightness. I've seen it from a Bortle Class 2 sky in West Virginia and, while visible, it's difficult regardless of instrument.
Clear Skies,
Phil
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"Why suffer from insanity when you can revel in it?"
Wilderness Center Astronomy Club member since 1995
ICQ Comet Observer Code: CRE01
*****
3 Eyepieces
2 Telescopes
1 Binocular Pair
*****
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Dave Mitsky
Postmaster
Reged: 04/08/02
Posts: 5538
Loc: Pennsylvania, USA
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It's not in season yet but Hind's Variable Nebula (NGC 1555, Sh 2-238) was one of the most difficult DSOs that I've ever observed. I was finally able to log it with the 30-inch Tectron at New Mexico Skies.
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/H/Hinds_Variable_Nebula.html
http://www.astronomy-mall.com/Adventures.In.Deep.Space/nov.htm
How about IC 4617 near M13?
http://www.rasc.ca/news/printer_The_Sky_This_Month_Junlye_2008.shtml
There a list of challenge objects at http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/Messier/xtra/similar/rasc-dsc.html and some other options at http://www.astronomy-mall.com/Adventures.In.Deep.Space/offpath.htm
Dave Mitsky
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AlanK
super member
Reged: 01/26/07
Posts: 115
Loc: Auckland, New Zealand
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Not too much of the Red Bull or your 10 inch dob will start behaving like an 8 inch 
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12.5 inch f5.4 reflector
18 inch f4.5 Obsession #1637
Auckland NZ
5,738 deep sky objects incl 4,175 ngcs.
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RRaubach
AstroCowboy
Reged: 01/26/05
Posts: 2172
Loc: Douglas (Converse County),WY
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I have observed Pal 7, Pal 8, Pal 9, Pal 11, and Pal 12 in my TMB 203 f/7. On the other hand, I have tried several times for Pal 13 with my 12.5" Discovery, to no avail. Of the previous 5 globulars listed, Pal 12 is by far the most challenging. I only saw it as a hazy spot that "came and went" with AV. I did pick out 3 stars within the cluster with AV about 75% of the time, although there is a question as to whether or not they're cluster members or foreground objects.
Barnard's Galaxy is quite a bit easier than Pal 12, if your skies are clear and dark. I was able to see Barnard's Galaxy in my departed TMB 175. It takes a bit of playing around with magnification to gain the optimal contrast, however.
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Rodger
Meade SN-10 (UHTC) on Tak EM-200 mount/Antares rotating rings. Moonlite focuser.
Parallax 14.5" Newtonian on HD 200 mount (arriving soon!) w/ conical Royce mirror.
TMB 203 f/7 APO refractor on Tak NJP-160 mount.
Discovery 12.5" PDHQ
Schneider 18x80 "Flakfernrohr" binoculars/tripod mounted. Canon 15x50 IS binoculars
Unihedron Sky Quality Meter
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stevek
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/16/06
Posts: 1170
Loc: west michigan
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#1 = Globs in M31 ... 3 logged so far....
#2 = Abell 1656, Gal Cluster in Coma Bern. ~70 gal in 2 deg circle >15 mag ...very busy area
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DSO 8" f6 DOB w/ 8x50 RACI & 2"Crayford
1958 Sears Discoverer 76mm Refractor
GSO SV 30mm 2",21mm Hyp,13mm Strat,BO/TMB ver2-6mm & 4mm
1.25"Filters: DGM-NPB, 25%ND
1.25" plossls: 25mm,20mm,15mm,9mm
Orion 2X Shorty Barlow
Garrett Gemini LW 11x56mm binocs
BTG-10 4.0mW green laser pointer
"What is that burning in the sky? Tell me y'all..." Jeff Beck/Jan Hammer
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tatarjj
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 04/20/04
Posts: 887
Loc: Auburn, AL
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Quote:
It's not in season yet but Hind's Variable Nebula (NGC 1555, Sh 2-238) was one of the most difficult DSOs that I've ever observed. I was finally able to log it with the 30-inch Tectron at New Mexico Skies.
Hmm... it must have brightened again or something, because it wasn't that hard to see in my 18" a few years ago under bortle 3 skies.
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John T.
Auburn, AL
25" f/4.2 Dob
18" Obsession #701
4" Stellar Vue Achromat
8X56 Binos
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tatarjj
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 04/20/04
Posts: 887
Loc: Auburn, AL
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Josh, do you have any nebula filters? That makes a huge difference on what should go on your list. The targets already suggested are nice, but I'd like to add some of the Abell planetary nebulae to your list, but really only if you have an OIII.
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John T.
Auburn, AL
25" f/4.2 Dob
18" Obsession #701
4" Stellar Vue Achromat
8X56 Binos
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Josh U
member
Reged: 07/10/07
Posts: 40
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John,
I've got an Ultrablock, but not OIII. Think that'll work OK?
Fellas, thanks for the great ideas! Super!
Hey SteveK, you said you saw some M31 globulars in your 8"? I've never tried, but if you did it with an 8, I think I'll try with a 10!
Rock on,
Josh
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"How you do anything is how you do everything."
Zhumell 10" dob
80mm Refractor
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Never
super member
Reged: 11/22/05
Posts: 109
Loc: Finland
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From dark skies, low surface objects will be a worthy challenge.
NGC 6822 is visible even with binoculars. Brighter Palomars with large binoculars as well as small refractors. It is more about the conditions than it is about the size of the telescope. Jones 1 is no longer a challenge in my books - it is visible as long as you have a nebula filter (O-III worked for me).
Good ones here are NGC 4236 and UGC 10822 that Dave suggested, as well as IC 1613. IC 1296 might work too.
And for example, G1 in M31 is rated at 13.7 magnitude, being visible at least with a 4" telescope. G73 and G76 should be visible with a 10" scope as well, probably more.
/Jake
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Jaakko Saloranta - Some basic sketches.../
8" Orion DSE
4" Sky-Watcher
3" Konus RFT
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stevek
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/16/06
Posts: 1170
Loc: west michigan
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Josh
Those globs were a real challenge for me in the 8" , but it was a goal of mine. Good seeing is VERY rare here in MI... but I'd set my plans. CSC FINALLY gave me a clear sky and I drove 2 hours alone to a dark site I'd picked out. I had charts & notes all printed and went for 3 of the brightest. It took a fair while to get and confirm, but I got G1, G76 & G78!!! That was fall in 2006. Fall 2007 NEVER even came close to skies good enough to try  .... You should have better chances in the 10" for sure 
As for your Ultrablok, its a decent narrowband and should perform much like the OIII....I've had opportunities to compare it to my DGM-NPB and an OIII. Performances were similar and on most nebs the differences were rather subtle to me (I asked David K for some help and went with the NPB - I like it alot, it adds a red band that isnt present in the ultrabolk which helps on some targets)
Good luck & clear skies
Steve
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DSO 8" f6 DOB w/ 8x50 RACI & 2"Crayford
1958 Sears Discoverer 76mm Refractor
GSO SV 30mm 2",21mm Hyp,13mm Strat,BO/TMB ver2-6mm & 4mm
1.25"Filters: DGM-NPB, 25%ND
1.25" plossls: 25mm,20mm,15mm,9mm
Orion 2X Shorty Barlow
Garrett Gemini LW 11x56mm binocs
BTG-10 4.0mW green laser pointer
"What is that burning in the sky? Tell me y'all..." Jeff Beck/Jan Hammer
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stevek
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/16/06
Posts: 1170
Loc: west michigan
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FWIW a couple of good links to info & data on M31 globs are here
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1559
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/2534266/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1
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DSO 8" f6 DOB w/ 8x50 RACI & 2"Crayford
1958 Sears Discoverer 76mm Refractor
GSO SV 30mm 2",21mm Hyp,13mm Strat,BO/TMB ver2-6mm & 4mm
1.25"Filters: DGM-NPB, 25%ND
1.25" plossls: 25mm,20mm,15mm,9mm
Orion 2X Shorty Barlow
Garrett Gemini LW 11x56mm binocs
BTG-10 4.0mW green laser pointer
"What is that burning in the sky? Tell me y'all..." Jeff Beck/Jan Hammer
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Josh U
member
Reged: 07/10/07
Posts: 40
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Whew, this list is getting long! Awesome!
I've got a copy of Sky Atlas 2000, but I'm thinking I should print out some detailed finder charts, 'specially for those stinkers like IC 4617 and 1296. Anyone have any links to some charts? I've been googling around, but haven't come up with any ones for those IC objects.
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"How you do anything is how you do everything."
Zhumell 10" dob
80mm Refractor
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Achernar
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 3448
Loc: Alabama, USA
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He should definitely try Abell 21 this winter, also known as the Medusa Nebula in Gemini, which looks pretty darn cool from a dark site through a 10-inch telescope and an O-III filter.
Taras
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10-inch F/4.5 Discovery Dob
6-inch F/8 Homebuilt Dob
4 1/4-inch F/4 Homebuilt reflector
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Never
super member
Reged: 11/22/05
Posts: 109
Loc: Finland
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You can do your own charts pretty easily using http://www.messier45.com/
/Jake
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Jaakko Saloranta - Some basic sketches.../
8" Orion DSE
4" Sky-Watcher
3" Konus RFT
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scopethis
super member
Reged: 05/30/08
Posts: 188
Loc: Kingman, Ks
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Try for NGC 7640, galaxy in Andromeda. It's right in the middle of 4 stars that form a trapezoid frame around it. Good hunting.
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