109 replies to this topic

[herseycart]

Happy July!!!

 

Seems like it has been forever since we had a nice clear sky here in Southeastern VA. Between the evening storms, haze from the smoke from the wildfires up north, haze just from the Virginia humidity, and now the full Moon, conditions for EAA have been less than favorable.  Hopefully there will be some clear nights soon...

 

Here is my list of objects for this months challenge:

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In the constellation Cepheus

 

Barred spiral galaxy NGC 6951 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_6951

 

Open Cluster NGC 7510 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_7510

 

Reflection Nebula NGC 7023 - The Iris Nebula - https://en.wikipedia...iki/Iris_Nebula

 

In constellation Vulpecula

 

Planetary Nebula NGC 6813 - https://theskylive.c.../ngc6813-object

 

Brocchi's Cluster, Collinder 399 or Cr 399, an asterism also known as the Coathanger - https://en.wikipedia...occhi's_Cluster
This one should be fairly easy with some nice blue and yellow stars.

 

Barred spiral galaxy NGC 7080 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_7080

 

In constellation of Cygnus

 

Emission Nebula - The Pelican Nebula or IC 5067 and IC 5070 - https://en.wikipedia.../Pelican_Nebula

I have tried this one a couple of times... might as well have another go at it.  Would love to see what others are able to see...

 

Reflection Nebula NGC 6914 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_6914

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Hope you enjoy the mix of objects...  the open clusters should be fairly easy, the nebula and galaxies will likely be a bit challenging.

Really looking forward to giving NGC 6951 and NGC 7080 a try in the C8 (if we ever have a clear sky again)... also looking forward to seeing what others are able to see.

 

Clear skies and happy hunting!

 

Hersey

[alphatripleplus]

Nice selection, Hersey.

[Cey42]

A good variety of objects along with several I have not seen. The Coathanger is a fun one with colorful stars.

 

Here is the SkySafari observing list.

 CN July2023.skylist   1.36KB   47 downloads

[Jonathan Shields]

Thanks for the challenge. All these objects are nicely sited for me...I just need the clouds to get lost now!

[GazingOli]

Hi Hersey,

 

great selection - some are really new to me and all in my reach! See what the weather will do in July in Germany.

 

Thanks

 

CS.Oli

[gun4hire]

I will get the show on the road. I got set up last night and wondered if the July challenge was up yet...and yes it was!! The moon was glowing , but my FWHM was in the 2-3 range so I grabbed a few. I had a slight issue with My CEM70 pointing correctly with sharpcap plate solve/sync, but fixed it and away I went before the moon and high clouds ran me in. I need new darks since a few different hot pix appeared. All cropped a bit, 200 gain ZWO533pro 15 second frames....Good Objects...made me work the histogram a bit to capture them!!

 

IRIS--84frames--1260sec.

 

 

NGC6951--84frames--1260 seconds

 

 

NGC6813--61frames  915sec.. a lot of zooooom but it is there 

 

 

NGC7510--34fr for 510sec

 

 

Edited by gun4hire, 02 July 2023 - 11:20 AM.

[Tfer]

Managed a few.

 

I was surprised at how well the Iris Nebula came out. 
 

NGC 7023/294MC into reduced (0.7) C11/gain 450/10” subs/TI 20’

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[Tfer]

NGC 6951/As above, but TI 15’

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[Tfer]

Coathanger/585MC into F4L/gain 300/6” subs/TI 3’18” UHC/LPR Filter installed.

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[PeterAB]

I observed open cluster NGC 7510 through an unexpected break in the clouds last night.     Seeing fair to good.   Transparency near magnitude 3.5 naked eye.    Moon was bright.   Light wildfire smoke.   Only enough of a break to see this one object.    NGC 7510 is on the Astro League open cluster program that I'm working on.    Nice to get another cluster checked off the list.

 

Meade 2080 8 inch SCT, EQ fork mount,  0.63 reducer, asi294, ir-uv cut filter.   Sharpcap live stacked.   Darks and flat applied.  Gain 130.   Cropped.

 

NGC 7510.   180 seconds.  (12x15s).    North up, east left.   40'x30'.  I could have been seen glowing hydrogen in some of my live view stretches.   It could have been a sky or flat artifact as well, but, these are not normally the hydrogen red color for me.    I'll be interested in seeing other views.

[Bob_Stan]

NGC 6813

C11 F/10

10x60secs bin 2x2

 

Glad just being able to see anything.  The skies have been horrible this year!

 

[bigbangbaby]

SW Esprit 120 ED + Starizona .65 reducer/ff.

Sky conditions: Cloudless, high humidity, poor transparency

Camera: QHY268C @ 0 deg C, gain=60

Filter: None

Mount: AM5 unguided

 

NGC7510, 33x10 sec

[PeterAB]

I observed three challenge objects last night before the clouds rolled in.    Seeing was good.   Transparency just under magnitude 4 naked eye.   Light wildfire smoke.   Pleasantly cool  at 15C.

 

Astro Tech 102EDL (F714, f7),  0.8x reducer/flattener, asi294mc.   SharpCap live stacked.  Dark and flat applied.   PHD2 guided and dithered (experimental for me).  This may have reduced streaky pattern noise.   Images flipped north up, east left. 

 

NGC 7023 Iris Nebula.  570 seconds (38x570s).   Gain 130.  1.9x1.3 degree view.   NGC 7023 is the open star cluster that is embedded in the bright Iris Nebula (LBN 487).  Dusty dark areas visible.    The bright orange star in the northeast is T Cephei.    It is a variable red giant that is near peak brightness in this observation at m6.   It dims to under m11.   388 day period.

 

NGC 6951. 825 seconds  (55x15s).  Cropped to 62'x46'.  

 

Pelican Nebula IC 5070.  270 seconds (9x30s)  Gain 480.  L-Extreme filter.   1.9x1.3 degree view.   I would have liked more time here.   Clouds rolled in and I called it a night.    I kept this image small to help with the high noise.

 

Peter

Edited by PeterAB, 08 July 2023 - 12:01 AM.

[Jonathan Shields]

Part of the Pelican nebula around the star 56 Cygni.  Bit noisy and really a widefield target but got something anyway. 28 frames@12 seconds 350 gain.

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[Jonathan Shields]

NGC 7510 the dormouse cluster.  68 2 second exposures @ 350 gain.  NIce target for "no proper darkness"

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[Jonathan Shields]

NGC 6914 got the reflection part and some HII nebulosity...not too bad for alt az and a 6 inch dob 31 12 second frames @ gain 350.  No wind so was able to push the exposure time which helped get some detail at least although I had to set a high FWHM limit in Sharpcap.

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Edited by Jonathan Shields, 08 July 2023 - 05:58 AM.

[aneeg]

On a good night I can find Deneb here at 60˚N!
 

Arne

[Jonathan Shields]

Central 4 stars of Brocchi's cluster/the coathanger.  Nice colours but again I have too much focal length for the whole thing. 35 2 second frames @ gain 350.

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Edited by Jonathan Shields, 08 July 2023 - 05:58 AM.

[Jonathan Shields]

NGC7080 pretty challenging 12th mag but got it again. 31 12 second frames @ gain 350. Nice challenge this one a nice variety of objects.

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[bigbangbaby]

SW Esprit 120 ED + Starizona .65 reducer/ff.

Sky conditions: Low humidity, cloudless

Camera: QHY268C @ 0 deg C, gain=60

Filter: None

Mount: AM5, unguided

 

Pelican Nebula, IC5070, 23 min

 

[bigbangbaby]

SW Esprit 120 ED + Starizona .65 reducer/ff.

Sky conditions: Low humidity, cloudless

Camera: QHY268C @ 0 deg C, gain=60

Filter: None

Mount: AM5, unguided

 

NGC7023, 10 min, cropped

[MarMax]

It took a good day to figure out the AM5. You have to filter through a ton of information to realize that none of it is helpful so you just slog through the installation and startup. In the end it works great and should be a fine little mount which checks the box for the dark site travel rig.

 

Here's the Stowaway on the mount and the setup. One power cord and a USB cable freely hanging with the rest attached to the mount head. Not the cleanest but functional.

 

EDITED to add the SQM-L was 17.87 at 10 pm.

 

 

NGC 7510 with a hint of Sh2-157, [15" / 9'], Link to Large

 

 

Crop of NGC 7510

 

 

I did some 60 second unguided exposures and things look good with round stars. I'll save the other objects for the trip up to Darwin, CA for the New Moon. With the Stowaway test run complete the next test tonight will be to see how the AM5 does with the 8" Newt.

Edited by MarMax, 08 July 2023 - 12:13 PM.

[bigbangbaby]

You'll love the AM5. I've run my 8" f/6 on it with no issues. Nice part is you don't have to worry about balance. It's quite a capable little mount. 

[MarMax]

You'll love the AM5. I've run my 8" f/6 on it with no issues. Nice part is you don't have to worry about balance. It's quite a capable little mount. 

Not to detract from the topic but that's great to know. The R200SS as outfitted is right at 28 pounds and I've been curious about how the AM5 will perform since its no counterweight max rating is 28 pounds. I have a 10# counterweight which I may use and keep it up high on the shaft.

Edited by MarMax, 08 July 2023 - 01:03 PM.

[steveincolo]

 

It took a good day to figure out the AM5. You have to filter through a ton of information to realize that none of it is helpful so you just slog through the installation and startup. In the end it works great and should be a fine little mount which checks the box for the dark site travel rig.

 

Here's the Stowaway on the mount and the setup. One power cord and a USB cable freely hanging with the rest attached to the mount head. Not the cleanest but functional.

 

EDITED to add the SQM-L was 17.87 at 10 pm.

 

Crop of NGC 7510

 

NGC7510crop_92mmf4_3_533_g200_br10_lpsd3_36F_540S_NoEdit_07072023s.jpg

 

I did some 60 second unguided exposures and things look good with round stars. I'll save the other objects for the trip up to Darwin, CA for the New Moon. With the Stowaway test run complete the next test tonight will be to see how the AM5 does with the 8" Newt.

 

  Very promising!  In the crop, a double star at the upper right is nicely resolved.