(IAAC) Obj: NGC 6166 - Inst: 102mm f6,6 refractor

[anonymous at u15354731.onlinehome-server.com]

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Observation Poster: Jose Ramon <scorpiusob1 at hotmail.com>

Observer: Jose Ramon
Your skills: Intermediate (some years)
Date/time of observation: August 11, 2010 (23:13 UT)
Location of site: Puerto de Tarna, Asturias (Spain) (Lat 43°05&#8242;06&#8243;N, Elev 1499 meters)
Site classification: Rural
Sky darkness: 3 <Bortle Scale (9 worst)>
Seeing: 4 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: 102mm f6,6 refractor
Magnification: *23, *79
Filter(s): None
Object(s): NGC 6166
Category: External galaxy.
Class: Giant cD system (brightest galaxy of Abell 2199 cluster)
Constellation: Her
Data: mag 12,78 (blue magnitude)  size 1,9' * 1,4'
Position: RA 16h:27m  DEC 39°:40'
Description:
Found with the help of Skychart software (it does not appear on Wil Tirion's Sky
Atlas 2000.0). At very low powers (*23) seen as a small, faint "ghost" in the
brink of needing averted vision to spot it. 

Increasing power up to *79, it appears as a small oval elongated N-S with
diffuse edges, bright center, and certain gradient, resembling me a small and
much fainter version of M49 (yes, I know there's one Virgo cluster (the S zone)
report pending; I'll try to post it soon).

Not so impressive as Virgo's galaxies -and much less than Andromeda seen that
night; I'll also post her report soon-, but we're talking of a giant elliptical
galaxy that outshines Virgo's brightest ones at roughly 500 million light years;
she may be well one of the farthest objects seen with a very small telescope.
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