Telescope Reviews: A Scary Halloween Observing List

It’s time to get out the Milky Way and Mars candy bars, the Moon Pies and the Starburst chews. It’s Halloween! While the kiddies will be out trick or
treating on October 31, point out the scary man in the moon
to them, or aim your telescope at Jupiter and its lovely quartet of moons.

Here are my favorite spooky named objects. Some are tricks and all are treats! The galaxies and nebulae will require a dark sky, but the lunar features and double stars are city observing targets. Have fun observing and let me know your favorites and I’ll observe them and add them next year!

Mirach’s Ghost NGC 404 in Andromeda, magnitude 11,
size 4.3' x 3.9' This galaxy is hard to see. Move Mirach (Beta Andromedae) out of the way for a ghostly view.

The Phantom Streak NGC 6741 in Aquila, magnitude
10.8, size 6'. A fast evolving planetary nebula.

The Ghost of the Moon Nebula NGC 6781 in Aquila,
magnitude 11.8, size 1.8'. A nice round ghostly planetary nebula.

The Spider Galaxy in NGC 5829 in Bootes, magnitude
13.8, 1.7' x 1.5'. Pretty face-on spiral galaxy on BOOtes. Scary!

The Skull Nebula NGC 246 in Cetus, magnitude 8,
size 3.8'. William Herschel discovered this large planetary nebula. It’s easy to find, and a real treat!

The Witch Head Nebula. IC 2118 in Eridanis, magnitude 13, size 160' by 80'. (About the same size as the Andromeda Galaxy which is 189' by 61'). This very large and very faint reflection nebula is associated with the star Rigel but is almost 3 degrees west of the star. The blue color of the nebula is caused not only by blue color of Rigel, but also because the dust grains reflect blue light more efficiently than red. Earth’s daytime sky appears blue for the same reason.

The Ghost Ring IC 5148 in Grus, magnitude 13, size 2'. A pretty little planetary nebula in the neck of Grus the crane. If you can see Fomalhaut in Piscis Austrinus, look a little more south to find Grus.

The Little Ghost Nebula NGC 6369 in Ophiuchus, magnitude
12.9, size 30'. A pretty planetary nebula, also discovered by William Herschel. Look for the mag 15.9 central star in this planetary nebula.

The Red Spider Nebula NGC 6537 in Sagittarius, magnitude
12.5, size 9'. A bipolar planetary nebula with a hot white dwarf star.

Phobos and Deimos (Fear and Terror) – the moons of Mars. It’s possible to see these small moons, but easier to see when Mars is closer than it is now. Try closer to opposition. There’s nothing to fear!

Hell, Rukl’s Atlas of the Moon, chart 64. 33 km crater near Deslandres
and Tycho. Any lunar map will help you find your way to all of these lunar features.

Lacus Doloris (Lake of Suffering), Rukl chart 23, 110 km mare. This Mare is just over the Montes Haemus from Mare Serinitatis. If you’ve spotted the bright white (tiny) crater Linne, you’re close.

Lacus Mortis (Lake of Death), Rukl chart 14, 150 km diameter flooded
crater. Near the great crater Posidonius, and north of easy-to-spot mare Crisium.

Lacus Timoris (Lake of Fear), Rulk chart 63, 130 km long mare. In the southwestern section of the moon. Use a map for this small oval surrounded by higher terrain.

Palus Putrendis (Marsh of Rot), Rukl chart 22, 180 km small plain on the
prime meridian, near Hadley Rille and Apollo 15 site. How can you not like the name Palus Putrendis? Easy to find between the crater Archimedes and Montes Appeninus. This is Hadley Rille/Apollo 15 landing site territory. Well worth a look!

Boo Epsilon (36) (Bootes), double star, mag 2.5
and 4.9, yellow/orange and blue/green double

Boo Mu (51) Bootes, triple star, mag 4.3 and 7 and
7.6 triple, yellow primary, yellow/orange pair

Boo Xi (37) Bootes, quadruple star, mag 4.7
and 7.0, with a 9.6 and 12.6 companion, yellow and reddish/orange

Happy Halloween from PK 164+31.1 (Jones 1)

Link to Hitchhikers Guide to the Moon website

--------------------
Jane Houston Jones
NASA What's Up Podcast for November (The Crab Nebula)
New NASA web feature: Hunting Leonids
Latest Blog: A Runaway Star and the Flaming Star Nebula