Telescope Reviews: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN

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Astrophotography and Sketching >> Sketching

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Jeff Young
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/04/05

Loc: Ireland

A handful of Arps and an Abell PN
#3387277 - 10/13/09 02:19 PM

There's not much in the way of eye-candy, but my most recent observing report does include sketches of several Arp peculiar galaxies and an Abell planetary.

Observing Report Thread

Cheers,
-- Jeff.

Post Extras:

frank5817
Postmaster

Reged: 06/13/06

Loc: Illinois

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: Jeff Young]
#3388092 - 10/13/09 09:22 PM

Hi Jeff,

The first one in your list (NGC 6946/Arp 29) I have looked for in Cygnus but without success from my poor site.
The others I have never tried for I'm sure. These sketches are superb like all your very realistic eyepiece sketches of the deep,deep sky. You make sketching these faint targets look like they would be easy to do. But it gets more difficult in many ways as the targets get fainter.
Excellent work.

Frank

Post Extras:

JayinUT
I'm not Sleepy

Reged: 09/19/08

Loc: Utah

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: frank5817]
#3388219 - 10/13/09 10:28 PM

Jeff,

Very close to my own observation of NGC 6946 and more realistic then my copy of the STSci image I copied.

Your techniques are wonderful and provide a great view of each object. I really like your two posts on Arp 113 where you show what you missed or mislabeled. I think I may do something similar to work on ensuring I get my star locations down in the right location relative to each other. Excellent as always, and I enjoy your comments as well.

Post Extras:

Jeff Young
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/04/05

Loc: Ireland

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: JayinUT]
#3388578 - 10/14/09 04:37 AM

Thanks, guys!

I think NGC6946/Arp29 would be absolutely stunning under darker skies or with a big dob. While I see an "S" shaped spiral (and even that is somewhat difficult), I'm only getting the brighter two arms: the DSS images show a full face-on circular disk with at least 5 arms.

Cheers,
-- Jeff.

Post Extras:

CarlosEH
Postmaster

Reged: 01/19/05

Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County...

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: Jeff Young]
#3391445 - 10/15/09 03:58 PM

Jeff,

An impressive collection of observations of interesting galaxies. Arp 29 does appear that it would look great in a large Dobsonian. Thank you for sharing them with us all.

Carlos

Post Extras:

Shannon s
sage

Reged: 06/21/09

Loc: Bartow FL.

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: CarlosEH]
#3391479 - 10/15/09 04:20 PM

Great sketches Jeff. You have an impressive arsenal of instruments.

Post Extras:

JayKSC
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/01/05

Loc: Florida

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: Jeff Young]
#3391646 - 10/15/09 05:52 PM

What a great collection of sketches of difficult targets! Thank you for sharing them and your detailed report. I especially like your drawing of Abell 81, in part as these elusive planetaries have always fascinated me (though I've not seen many myself, yet!).

- Jay
South Florida

Post Extras:

cildarith
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 08/26/04

Loc: San Diego, CA

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: JayKSC]
#3392184 - 10/15/09 11:36 PM

Jeff, your sketches and observation reports are always a treat. Thanks for sharing your sketches of these challenging objects.

Post Extras:

Jeff Young
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/04/05

Loc: Ireland

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: cildarith]
#3392622 - 10/16/09 09:53 AM

Thanks for the comments, everyone!

Here's another Abell for Jay from a couple of years ago:

Quote:

Abell79 PK102-02.1 11/11/2007 22:46 UT; Pickering 5, NELM 5.5, SQM 20.7
406mm SCT @ 170x, OIII

First attempt was at 22:46, when transparency was poor (NELM 5; SQM 20.4). PN was *extremely* difficult at 175x with OIII -- holdable about 50% of the time but only for seconds at a time in averted and sometimes difficult to reacquire -- and completely invisible without filtration and at other magnifications.

I went back at about 23:45 when transparency had improved (NELM 5.5, SQM 20.7), and the PN was a bit easier -- holdable perhaps 75% of the time, and easier to reacquire. No shape, orientation or structure could be discerned.

Cheers,
-- Jeff.

Post Extras:

JayKSC
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/01/05

Loc: Florida

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: Jeff Young]
#3392635 - 10/16/09 10:03 AM

Thanks for sharing this second Abell, Jeff! Another fine job sketching this difficult target - I have to almost use averted vision to see it in the sketch.

If it were so challenging an object in a 16-inch scope, I can't imagine seeing it with my biggest scope - a "puny" 6-inch refractor.

Jay
South Florida

Post Extras:

JakeSaloranta
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 09/18/08

Loc: Sisu Sauna Sibelius

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: JayKSC]
#3394087 - 10/17/09 05:02 AM

Quote:

If it were so challenging an object in a 16-inch scope, I can't imagine seeing it with my biggest scope - a "puny" 6-inch refractor.

Abell 79 is visible at least in an 8" telescope with O-III filter. 6" telescope is not that far off and under dark skies I'm sure one could pull it off.

/Jake

Post Extras:

markseibold
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/19/08

Loc: Portland Oregon

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: Jeff Young]
#3394120 - 10/17/09 06:06 AM

Jeff

Great sketch work and documentation.

Although you indicate use of a 16" mirror, you have tempted me to try to locate these deep sky objects for the first time with my 20 year old 10.1" Dobsonian as I am now temporarily under ultra dark skies again in the Cascade Mountain foothills 40 miles east of Portland.

Thanks for posting,

Mark

Post Extras:

Jeff Young
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/04/05

Loc: Ireland

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: markseibold]
#3394602 - 10/17/09 01:16 PM

Thanks for the comments, guys.

For what it's worth, my Irish skies aren't great: I've a decent amount of light pollution and the high humidity induces more scatter. In fact, my 10" Mewlon under pristine Colorado skies is nearly a match for the 16" in Ireland. So Jay and Mark, definitely give it a go, especially if you have dark skies.

I'm also of intermediate experience. While I can see far more than when I first started, I still can't see nearly as deep as Eric or Jake.

Cheers,
-- Jeff.

Post Extras:

JakeSaloranta
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 09/18/08

Loc: Sisu Sauna Sibelius

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: Jeff Young]
#3395707 - 10/18/09 07:09 AM

Jeff,

I'm curious, how do you measure your limiting magnitude? I see you use SQM. Your SQM readings indicate that the limiting magnitude should be well above 5.5 (versus the SQM 20.7). Did you measure from the same spot with the SQM and using naked eye or do you just estimate the limiting magnitude?

My personal best from my suburban site, with my SQM-L meter has been 20.37 with limiting magnitude of ~6.0. With a SQM reading of 20.7 the naked eye limiting magnitude should be closer to 6.5.

Good sketches in any case. I like them a lot and especially the fact they're "hand made" - without Photoshop etc.
/Jake

Post Extras:

Jeff Young
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/04/05

Loc: Ireland

Re: A handful of Arps and an Abell PN new

[Re: JakeSaloranta]
#3396382 - 10/18/09 03:03 PM

Jake --

I'm not very rigorous about NELM: I always use Ursa Minor, so it's really a limiting magnitude at 54° rather than at the zenith. I also have the older SQM unit which isn't directional, so the SQM reading is pretty much whole-sky.

Humidity also seems to play a large role: I've had NELM 6 nights where the SQM read as low as 20.5, and NELM 5.5 nights where it read as high as 20.8. But usually 20.8 and up gives me NELM 6, 20.6 and below NELM 5.5, and 20.7 is pretty evenly split between the two.

Cheers,
-- Jeff.

Post Extras:

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