(IAAC) Obj: Markarian 205, NGC 4319 and NGC 4291 - Inst: 14.5" f4.5 TeleKit

[anonymous at sedna.atmob.org]

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Observation Poster: Len Philpot <len at philpot.org>

Observer: Len Philpot
Your skills: Intermediate (some years)
Date/time of observation: 08/14/2004  03:05UT
Location of site: Catahoula Lake, LA (Lat 31:28:49, Elev ~60')
Site classification: Rural
Sky darkness: ~6.0 <Limiting magnitude>
Seeing: II <I-V Seeing Scale (I best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: 14.5" f4.5 TeleKit
Magnification: TeleVue Nagler 9mm, 185x
Filter(s): None
Object(s): Markarian 205, NGC 4319 and  NGC 4291
Category: External galaxy.
Class: Galaxies and QSO (?)
Constellation: Dra
Data: mag ~15  size stellar
Position: RA 12:21:44  DEC +75:18:38
Description:
Although the sky conditions are decent, a truck has pulled down on the parking 
lot next to the canal gate and is illuminating the concrete wall of the gate 
with its headlights. Consequently, there is a fair amount of reflected light in 
the air.

NGC 4291 nearby is easy - Makes a rectangle with three brighter foreground 
stars; 4291 appears as more than one brightness ("lumpy") - Not sure why. Much 
larger, but with a lower surface brightness is NGC 4319, which I mistakenly
thought was Markarian 205 at first. Once I consulted the photograph from Steve 
Gottlieb's website (http://www.angelfire.com/id/jsredshift/april.htm), it 
became obvious what I was seeing.

Looking again, I now actually see Mrk205 as a stellar point near to NGC 4319, 
nothing more.  NGC 4319's envelope grows greatly with averted vision and 
becomes somewhat oblong. Nothing but a stellar point for Mrk205, though.

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