# 16 Grand Tour heads to Cepheus

 29th September 2021

 At this time of year the constellation of Cepheus lies overhead in the evening so it seemed a good opportunity to take a tour.

NGC 7510

NGC 7510   Striking wedge shaped open cluster that stands out from the field stars. About 4'  in size  and magnitude 8  it lies right on the border with Cassiopeia. It lies about 11,400 ly away in the Perseus spiral arm and is around 10 million years old.

 NGC 6939   Very rich magnitude 8 open cluster about7' across. Apparently it is over 1 billion years old and is about 4000ly distant.

NGC 7023

NGC 7023   The"Iris Nebula" is a reflection nebula surrounding the 7th magnitude star SAO 19158.  My image shows only the brighter  inner parts of the 18' diameter nebula. Blue colour is evident as well as a lot of structure. It is about 6 light years across and 1300 ly away.

NGC 6946

NGC 6946  I  was not aware that Cepheus contained any bright galaxies so this beautiful face on spiral was a surprise. Multiple spiral arms emanate from a relatively small nucleus. Lots of structure can be seen including blue star forming regions and dark dust lanes. Its diameter is around 40,000 ly and lies 25 million ly away, just beyond our Local Group. This galaxy is notable for hosting ten supernovae over the last 100 years, more than seen in any other Galaxy

NGC 436

NGC 436   Small, rich magnitude 8.8 open cluster in Cassiopeia. Brightest stars make a similar wedge pattern to NGC 7510 observed earlier.

 And with this little jaunt over to Cassiopeia the observing session ended as the clouds rolled in. NGC 436 brings my Grand Tour total up to 137.

# 15 Spring Galaxies.

16th March 2021.

  As the evening sky darkens the Winter constellations are already sinking into the west. I took a visual look at two open clusters in Monoceros.

NGC 2264  The Christmas Tree Cluster.  Does indeed resemble lights on a Christmas Tree, although an upside down one when viewed north up. Fills field of view at x 33, fairly scattered.

NGC 2301  Chain of stars going north - south with a branch going east intersecting at a bright double star with an orange primary and green tinted secondary. Many fainter magnitude 10 to 12 stars complete quite a pleasing looking cluster.

16th April 2021.

 A clear night and an opportunity to tour the spring galaxies with the Infinity camera, but first a visual look at a Messier Open Cluster in Hydra.

M48   Fills field of view at x33. Bright and faint stars form a round cluster condensed at the centre. View partially obscured by the washing line

M95

 M95     Barred spiral galaxy in Leo with a bright nucleus.  The two spiral arms appear to form a closed ring around the centre.  

M96  Lies close in the sky to  M96 and also has a bright nucleus

 Just below the head of Leo lies the relatively small and sparse constellation of Sextans. It does however contain a couple of fine galaxies on my list.       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

NGC 3115

          NGC 3115  Edge on " Spindle Galaxy" . Very striking bright galaxy with a large almost intensely bright central bulge, Magnitude 9 and 14" x 60".

NGC 3166  Bright and condensed forms a pair with NGC 3169. Fainter more elongated galaxy to NW?

Ursa Major  contains many interesting galaxies that I have never really explored so tonight  was a good opportunity to hunt down a few.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

NGC 3184

NGC 2841   Large magnitude 9 spiral at an oblique angle with a bright centre

NGC 3184  Large  face on  magnitude 9 spiral. Two  extensive and open spiral arms extend from a relatively small nucleus.  A couple of "branches" extend from these arms. A lot of structure is visible including blue star forming regions. One to add to my "must have a closer look" list.

NGC 3665   Small magnitude 9.8 elliptical with a bright core

NGC 3675

NGC 3675  Striking magnitude 10 spiral lying at an oblique angle.  Well defined spiral arms surround a bright core. Another interesting and attractive galaxy in Ursa Major!

NGC 3941  Magnitude 10 spiral. Large, bright core with bright extensions North - South.  Fainter oval disc at a slight angle to this.

   Back down to Leo and Leo Minor to conclude the evenings observing.

NGC 3504

NGC 3810  Large Spiral galaxy in Leo. Small, bright nucleus surrounded by a disc from which extend at least three spiral arms.

NGC 3344  Face on spiral in Leo Minor. Small, well defined nucleus from which extend several diffuse spiral arms. Two magnitude 10 stars lie on the west edge.

NGC 3504 Compact spiral in Leo Minor. Bright nucleus with elongated disc / spiral arms extending from it. Rather curious brighter structures lie at the ends of this disc. NGC 3512 lies in the same field to ENE and a faint galaxy lies between.

Orion's Nebula

11th March 2021

M42

   March? So what happened to January and February I hear you say. Well cloudy skies that's what happened. Yes there were some partly clear moonless nights but never at at a convenient time and yes there were one or two nights I just didn't feel like it.  However with Orion rapidly sinking towards the early spring evening horizon a clear night in early March saw me setting the telescope up for the first time this year.

M42 The first object viewed this year was the last one I looked at last year namely the Great Nebula itself.  Of all the deep sky objects on my tour this is the most spectacular and even with a short exposure time the Infinity camera brings out a lot of the structure and colour that fills the field of view.   M43 is the smaller nebula to the north of M42.

NGC 2024

NGC 2024  Large emission nebula similar in size to M42 lies just east of  Alnitak the eastern star of Orion's belt. Ultraviolet light from the star causes the nebula to emit light. A cluster of young stars apparently lies behind the dark gas and dust obscuring the central regions.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

NGC 1999

NGC 1999  From huge emission nebula just observed this  small 1.5 arc minute reflection nebula is quite a contrast. It surrounds and is lit by the variable star V380 Orionis. The dark patch in the center is now believed to be a hole in the cloud rather than dark material. This is my first observation of this object.  

NGC 1788 Another reflection nebula surrounding some tenth magnitude stars and is rather faint on my image.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

NGC 1973

                                                                                                                                                                                      NGC 1973 Large reflection nebula to north of M42. Rather nice blue colour. The darker lanes bisecting the nebula form the well known "Running Man" feature.    

This brings my Grand Tour total to 117 objects.