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(IAAC) Obj: M77 - Inst: 20" f/5 dob newt
Observer: Lew Gramer
Your skills: Intermediate
Date and UT of Observation: 1997-07-31/08-01, 04:45 UT
Location: Savoy, MA, USA (42N, elev 700m)
Site classification: rural
Limiting magnitude: 7.2 (zenith)
Seeing: 7 of 10 - pretty good, intermittent haze
Moon up: no
Instrument: 20" f/5 Tectron truss-tube dob Newtonian reflector
Magnification: 70x, 210x, 420x
Filters used: None
Object: M77
Category: Spiral galaxy [(R)SA(rs)bP]
Constellation: Cet
Data: mag 8.9 size 7'x6'
RA/DE: 02h43m -00o01m
Description:
From M74, my predawn Fall Galaxy tour moved on to M77! A fast
swing down to delta Cet, then 1o ESE to this BRIGHT, but less
detailed blur. Like M74 however, M77 still shows a striking
degree of "spirality", with two well-defined arms hugged in
tight to the core, but a relatively smooth surface brightness
otherwise. (That is, no mottling.) A bright core was apparent,
with the spiral arms nicely defined as they wound all the way
in nearly to the tiny, barely non-stellar nucleus at center.
Again, I hope to see more of M77 as leaves yellow this year!