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(IAAC) Object: NGC3242 (Ghost of Jupiter) INST: 16" f/4.59 NEWT
Observer: Todd Gross
Your skill: Intermediate
Date and UT of observation: 12/22/97 08:10GMT
Location & latitude: 22 miles west of Boston, Ma. 42.3N
Site classification: Suburban
Limiting magnitude (visual): 4.8 (estimated) 4.6 (est) in vicinity of object
Seeing (1 to 10 - worst-best): 4
Moon up (phase?): Yes, 40%
Weather: Clear
Instrument: 16" Newtonian-dob w. 96/99% coatings f/4.59 f.l. 1865
Magnifications: 44x,98x,170x(binoviewer),359x
Filters used: none, UHC briefly
Object: NGC3242 (GHOST OF JUPITER)
Constellation: Hydra
Object data: Planetary Nebula
Size(s): About 45 arc secs.
Position: RA 10:25 DEC -18:37
Magnitudes: 9
Personal "rating" (at this aperture, and sky condition): B
--
The "Ghost of Jupiter" certainly comes to life in this aperture, and
with it's high relative sfc. brightness, even under moonlit, suburban
skies.
--
The first thing I noticed at low power was the very striking green
color, typical of planetaries. However the color was as strong as I
remember in any other planetary nebula. The binoviewer robs a bit of
the edge to the blue-green color, as did the high powered 5.2 Pentax
XL. However it was at it's peak, single eyepiece at about 100x.
--
No central star was able to be discerned. The UHC filter did not help
a lot. The round ball, about the size of Jupiter, at low power
becomes more interesting as you turn up the magnification. I was able
to see that this round fuzzball had mottling on the interior that at
times made it appear as if there was a brighter C shape within the
nebula. Also, the outermost part of the shell was dimmer on either
side, which I assume is the reason for it's double-shell description.
--
I was very pleased with this compared to smaller aperture, which did
not turn up the interior structure nor the striking color.
- Todd
___________________________
Boston Meteorologist Todd Gross
toddg@weatherman.com
http://www.weatherman.com