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.
