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(IAAC) Obj: NGC 2403 - Inst: TV-102 (102mm f/8.6 APO refractor)
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Observation Poster: Ron B[ee] <ronby@cox.net>
Observer: Ron B[ee]
Your skills: Intermediate (some years)
Date/time of observation: 02/03/02 10:30pm PST
Location of site: 117h 9m W (Lat 32h 43m N, Elev 2000 ft)
Site classification: Exurban
Sky darkness: 5.4 <Limiting magnitude>
Seeing: 7 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: TV-102 (102mm f/8.6 APO refractor)
Magnification: 22x, 30x, 73x, 110x, 146x, 220x, 293x
Filter(s): none
Object(s): NGC 2403
Category: External galaxy.
Class:
Constellation: Cam
Data: mag 8.5 size 18' x 10'
Position: RA : DEC :
Description:
The TV-102 Light Cup smoked the pipe next, an mag 8.4 galaxy. This
amoeba (most elongated spiral galaxy looks like amoeba to me) is very
large, bright and easily found at 22x; elongation is obvious. At 30x,
it reminds me of M78 with 2 eyes embedded in the galactic ghostly
face staring at me! The 2 eyes are mag 9.9 GSC 4120:1000 and mag
10.3 stars. However, this ghost seems to have one weak eye (the
mag 10.3 star) that kept winking at me. Then, all of the sudden
the Giraffe hit me. The galaxy seems to be filling up a smoking
pipe represented by the following stars: pipe handle - SAO 14250,
SAO 14255, SAO 14256 and the pipe hole - galaxy, SAO 14245, SAO
14241! At 73x, the Galaxy Grabber 12mm Radian revealed the stellar
core almost forming a straight line with the 2 eyes. Now this large
galaxy fills about 1/5 of the FOV. Best view. Got dimmer at 110x
and 146x but stellar core is clearer. The galaxy matter almost
disappeared at 220x and 293x. This is one of the best galaxy for
a 4" instrument. I wonder why Messier also missed this one. Since
he missed it, I quickly grab the opportunity to christen NGC 2403 as
the Weak-Eye Ghost ;-).
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