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(IAAC) Obj: Abell 262 (AGC 262, NGC 703, NGC 704, NGC 705, NGC 708, NGC 709, NGC 710, NGC 714, NGC 717) - Inst: 16" f/4.45, Newtonian reflector, truss dob, with tracking

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Observation Poster: Don Clouse <dlcdeepsky@insightbb.com>

Observer: Don Clouse
Your skills: Intermediate (some years)
Date/time of observation: October 23, 2003, 03:00 UT
Location of site: Twin Lakes Star Party, Pennyrile State Forest, KY, USA (Lat 37 N, Elev 373 feet)
Site classification: Rural
Sky darkness: 7 <1-10 Scale (10 best)>
Seeing: 7 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: 16" f/4.45, Newtonian reflector, truss dob, with tracking
Magnification: 172x 
Filter(s): none
Object(s): Abell 262 (AGC 262, NGC 703, NGC 704, NGC 705, NGC 708, NGC 709, NGC 710, NGC 714, NGC 717)
Category: Cluster of galaxies.
Class: 0 1 III
Constellation: And
Data: mag mag 10: 13.3  size 100.8'
Position: RA 01h:53m  DEC +36d:08m
Description:
All observations are at 172x (10.5mm Pentax XL) with a calculated true field of
view of 23'.  Above and Gx data are from MegaStar5.  The descriptions span about
one hour from 03:00 to 04:00 UT.  The sky at TLSP that evening was quite dark
and crisp.  The Twin Lakes Star Party moved to a new site this year, Pennyrile
State Forest - a nice, dark site with lots of detail visible in the Milky Way.
I'm still getting my 7-month-old, 16" (Meade optics) NightSky Scope "broken in".
It has Sky Commander DSC's and a ServoCAT system.  These enable auto-tracking
and the use of a handpad to slowly guide the scope around these galaxy fields,
plus the aperture to do the job :)

AGC 262:  Estimated that the four central gx's (703, 704, 705, & 708) span 4' to
5' (actually, it's more like 3').  The central group is bounded by 709 and 710
each about 10' (actually 6') to the north and south respectively of the central 
"Y" shaped group.  A faint star (mag 14.9 GSC 2319:1582) lies halfway between
the two gx's making up the south leg of the "Y" (705 & 704).

NGC 709 - 03:10 UT, 14.2v, SO, 0.7'x0.3' - less than 1' in size elongated E/W.
Very faint, just seen with direct vision.  A brighter core is occasionally seen.

NGC 703 - 03:15 UT, 13.2v, SO, 1.2'x0.9' - 1' in size, slightly oval N/S.  A
faint, near stellar core is occasionally visible, and is surrounded by a faint,
even glow.  A very dim star is 1' to the south.

NGC 708 - 03:20 UT, 13.7p, E, 1.6'x1.2' - Oval shaped and aligned NE/SW and
slightly larger than 703.  A stellar core is visible in the north part of the
galaxy (turns out the "core" is actually mag 11.6 star GSC 2319:161).  The faint
surrounding glow fades gradually.

NGC 705 - 03:25 UT, 14.6p, SO/a, 1.5'x0.4' - A faint, near stellar core pops
into view now and then.  Small, less than 1', elongated NW/SE.  Fades rapidly
from the core.

NGC 704 - 03:30 UT, 14.1, SO, 0.6'x0.5' - less than 1' in length, elongated
N/S.  A brighter core area is visible and is surrounded by a faint, even haze.

NGC 710 - 03:35 UT, 14.3b, Scd, 1.1'x1.0' - A very faint, relatively "large"
1.5' gx that is just barely brighter than the background sky.  No detail is 
seen, simply a wide, faint, even glow.

NGC 714 - 03:45 UT, 13.1v, SO/a, 1.6'x0.4' - Using averted vision, it appears 
highly elongated E/W.  A bright core area, fades rapidly to each side.

NGC 717 - 03:50 UT, 13.8v, SO/a, 1.5'x0.3' - Extremely faint, but visible with
direct vision.  Highly elongated but much dimmer and somewhat smaller than its
neighbor, 714, located 8' to the east (actually 5') of 714.
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