· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Astrophotography and Sketching >> Sketching Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 rodelaet Post Laureate Reged: 04/28/06 Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium) NGC 4631 in CVn, with a 4 inch refractor.       #3098610 - 05/11/09 04:28 PM Attachment (58 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   NGC 4631 is a challenging edge-on galaxy for small telescopes under light polluted skies. But the nicknames Herring Nebula and Whale Galaxy do trigger our imagination, as does the label Arp 281. Its visual magnitude of 9.2 together with its surface brightness of 13.3 explain the object’s pale appearance. The galaxy can be found halfway on the path from Gamma Comae Berenices to Alpha Canum Venaticorum. Look for a ghostly streak of light, like a smoke trail of a passing meteor. The galaxy’s core looks a tad brighter and elongated in an E-W direction as well. The boundaries of this amazing edge-on galaxy are difficult to determine. A mag. 12 star can be seen near the northern edge of the galaxy’s halo. NGC 4631’s distance is estimated at 23 million l-y. Site : Bekkevoort, Belgium ( 51° N ) Date : April 19, 2009 Time : around 22.00 UT Scope : Skywatcher 102/500mm achromatic refractor Eyepiece : Baader Hyperion Zoom at 8mm Magnification : 63x FOV: 65’ Filter : none Seeing : 3/5 Transp. : 4/5 Sky brightness : 19.87 magnitudes per square arc second near zenith (SQM reading). Nelm: 5.4 Sketch Orientation: N up, W right. Digital sketch made with Corel Paint Shop Pro X2, based on a raw pencil sketch. Post Extras:       kraterkid Post Laureate Reged: 03/07/05 Loc: Jacumba, California Re: NGC 4631 in CVn, with a 4 inch refractor. [Re: rodelaet]       #3099050 - 05/11/09 07:49 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Rony, simply beautiful! These sketches, while pushing the limit of a 4" aperature, really help folks to see what is possible with a modest instrument. I love the 12th mag star to the north of the core, very subtle. Post Extras:       daniel_h Carpal Tunnel Reged: 03/08/08 Loc: VIC, Australia Re: NGC 4631 in CVn, with a 4 inch refractor. [Re: kraterkid]       #3099074 - 05/11/09 07:59 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   very subtle sketch - i had to clean my glossy screen to see it clearly Post Extras:       JayinUT I'm not Sleepy Reged: 09/19/08 Loc: Utah Re: NGC 4631 in CVn, with a 4 inch refractor. [Re: daniel_h]       #3099147 - 05/11/09 08:31 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Rony, Wonderful! The quality of the capture and the details are tremendous. I can tilt the lid of my MacBook Pro and see different details. Well done as always and I do look forward to your next sketch . . . mine also if the weather ever would cooperate. Post Extras:       frank5817 Postmaster Reged: 06/13/06 Loc: Illinois Re: NGC 4631 in CVn, with a 4 inch refractor. [Re: JayinUT]       #3099230 - 05/11/09 09:09 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Rony, Excellent sketch. On a good night from my location I don't see it any better and I certainly could not draw it as well as you have here. Frank Post Extras:       rodelaet Post Laureate Reged: 04/28/06 Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium) Re: NGC 4631 in CVn, with a 4 inch refractor. [Re: frank5817]       #3102922 - 05/13/09 04:38 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Rich, Daniel, Jay and Frank, Thanks for the kind comments. Post Extras:       CarlosEH Postmaster Reged: 01/19/05 Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County... Re: NGC 4631 in CVn, with a 4 inch refractor. [Re: rodelaet]       #3104788 - 05/14/09 02:12 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Rony, An excellent observation of NGC 4631, the Herring or Whale Galaxy. This is a challenging object to detect and you have done an admirable job rendering it. Thank you for sharing it with us all. A Whale of an observation! Carlos Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 1 registered and 4 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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