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(IAAC) Object: NGC6207 Instrument: 16" Dob - REVISED
Observer: Todd Gross
Your skill: Intermediate +
Date and UT of observation: 1/26/97 1000UT, and 2/7/97 0900UT
Location & latitude: 22 miles west of Boston, Ma. 42.3N
Site classification: Suburban
Limiting magnitude (visual): 4.3 (est.) First session.. 5.1(est.) 2nd session
Lim. Magnitude, object vicinity: 4.3 (est) First session.. 4.8 (est)2ndsession
Seeing (1 to 5 - best to worst): 3 both sessions
Moon up (phase?): Yes, 85% illuminated!, first occasion, NO on 2nd occasion
Instrument: f/4.59 16" Dob, f.l. 1839mm, xnlt optics,
96% QSP Pegasus Primary, 99% Dialectric 3.1" Secondary
Magnification: 204x,175x, 97X
Filters used: none
Object: NGC 6207, mag. approx. 11.7
Category: Spiral Galaxy, edge on
Constellation: Hercules
Object data:
RA/DE:
Description:
FIRST SESSION: Although the moon was on the other side of the sky, it was
nearly full. The importance of this observation, is that even with a limiting
magnitude of around 4, larger scopes, can take in a lot on non-extended
objects.
This is the galaxy less than 1 degree from M13. I have viewed this galaxy
before, but never defined it well in a 10" scope (SCT)
In this scope, it was hard to see at all in low power with moonlit skies and
light pollution. However, after noticing a nebulous object at 97x, 175X
was enough to finally make out some detail. The galaxy appeared as a
fairly straight line, with a suddenly brighter central region. Could not be
sure exactly how "edge-on" this was, direct, or oblique, but it was thin.
Central bright area did pop out a little bit from the center. Galaxy was
much smaller than I expected, the NGC list I was working off said,
"large", but it appeared only a few arc minutes
long. In The Sky software, it is called an elongated galaxy 1x2 arc.
minutes. I am sure I was missing part of the view due to the moon, but
seeing a mag. 12 galaxy at all with a LM of 4 or so was gratifying, and I
wanted to post it here.
SECOND SESSION:
Now with darker skies, the galaxy is an easy find, and although generally
the same as above, very well defined at high power. At lower power (97x),
it could almost be mistaken for a star due to it's star-like center, and weaker
protrusions. At 175x, and 204x, it was a very pretty, and clearly an edge-on
galaxy, but noticeably quite small. I could now tell it was Almost directly
edge on. It has a starlike core, more than just the "sudden brightening"
listed above in moonwashed skies. A small sliver of light amidst a
pretty starfield.
- Todd
_________________________________
BOSTON TV METEOROLOGIST TODD GROSS
Weather/Astronomy Home Page: http://www.weatherman.com
Administrator, Meade Advanced Product User Group: mapug@shore.net
Administrator, New England Weather Observer Mail List, wxobs-sne@shore.net
IRC Channel Operator: #Weather, #Sciastro (Undernet)
Originator of the NE.WEATHER newsgroup
_________________________________
Email: toddg@weatherman.com Work Phone# (617)725-0777