January 2014 Indiana Astronomical Society Novice/Urban Observing List

Phil Dimpelfeld from the Indiana Astronomical Society creates a Novice/Urban Observing List each month for newbies like myself with not-so-dark skies and not-so-powerful equipment. Last month I was able to observe 6 objects on the December list, including one of the challenge objects, M77. I also observed Polaris but was unable to resolve a separation between the double stars.

Thanks to my new T5i and motorized Orion EQ-1 mount I should have a fun time with the January list. I'm particularly excited about M42 as that was going to be one of my first targets with the new gear anyway! My mount is all set up, now I'm just waiting on the weather (like usual). I'm also hoping to bust out my new Barlow lens to get a close up view of the Trapezium.

Mel 25, “the Hyades” (Caldwell 41), open cluster in Taurus, 04h 27m, +15° 52’, mag = 0.5, size = 330’

1 Camelopardalis, double star in Camelopardalis, 04h 32.0m, +53° 55', mag = 5.7, 6.8, sep = 10.3"

The “Cheshire Cat”, asterism in Auriga, 05h 27m, +35° 00', mag = 5 to 7, size = 2°. Once you have found The Cat, finding the three Messier open clusters in Auriga (M36, M37, & M38) is a lot easier!

M38, open cluster in Auriga, 05h 28.7m, +35° 50', mag = 6.4, size = 21.0'

M36, open cluster in Auriga, 05h 36.1m, +34° 05', mag = 6.0, size = 12.0'

Theta 1 Orionis (the “Trapezium”) multiple star system in the Orion nebula, 05h 35.3m, -05° 23', mag = 6.7, 7.9, 5.1, 6.7, sep = 8.8", 13", 21.5". Larger apertures and good seeing will reveal more than 4 stars!

M42, the “Orion Nebula”, 05h 35.4m, -05° 27', mag = 3.7, size = 90' x 60'.

M37, open cluster in Auriga, 05h 52.4m, +32° 33', mag = 5.6, size = 23.0'

Mare Fecunditatis, first quarter Moon

Mare Nubium, last quarter Moon

Challenge Object #1:
Beta Orionis (“Rigel”), double star in Orion, 05h 14.5m, -08° 12', mag = 0.1, 6.8, sep = 9.5". Give your scope plenty of time to acclimate to the outside temperature before looking for this one!

Challenge Object #2:
M79, globular cluster in Lepus, 5h 46.8m, -24° 33’ mag = 8.5, size = 8.7’

Complete! IAS Novice/Urban Observing List for December 2013

Although we only had about 5 total nights of clear skies in all of December, I managed to get 6 objects off the list all in the same night! On December 27 I filled 3 rounds of my 4GB memory card - emptying it on the computer and heading back outside between each round. My new Camera (T5i) is 18MP instead of 8MP and only fits about 150 RAW images per batch. I just ordered a 64GB card that should last me about as long as the battery (hopefully).

I also got a ton of new equipment for Christmas and my birthday, and I hope to take my astrophotography to the next level in 2014! I still need to get around to writing a full equipment recap for all my new stuff.

• Alpha Piscium, double star in Pisces
• Stock 2, open cluster in Cassiopeia ✔
• Gamma Andromedae, double star in Andromeda
• Iota Trianguli, double star in Triangulum
• NGC 869 / NGC 884, the famed ”Double Cluster”, two open clusters in Perseus ✔
• Alpha Ursa Minoris, ”Polaris”, double star in Ursa Minor (Observed but couldn't resolve into two stars)
• M34, open cluster in Perseus ✔
• Beta Persei, ”Algol”, variable star in Perseus
• M45, the ”Pleiades” or ”Seven Sisters”, open cluster in Taurus ✔
• ”Kemble's Cascade”, nearly linear asterism in Camelopardalis ✔
• Challenge Object #1: M77, galaxy in Cetus ✔
• Challenge Object #2: Comet ISON, eastern sky before dawn (Broke up around the sun)

Updated M34 with T5i on Fixed Tripod

Here is another go at M34, the open cluster in Perseus, this time with my new T5i camera. Compared to the previous attempt with the Rebel XT, there is a noticeable difference in the number of visible stars and the clarity.

Canon T5i - December 27, 2013: Stack of 37 subs, 12 bias at 300mm, f/5.6, ISO 3200, 1.3 sec

Canon Rebel XT - November 12, 2013: Stack of 41 subs, 25 darks, 20 bias; 300mm, f/5.6, 1.3 sec, ISO 1600

My new image is flipped (upside down) because it was taken in the setting sky (West) rather than the rising sky (East) earlier in the Fall. With around the same number of light frames, the T5i at ISO 3200 clearly picks up more stars! Can't wait to try it out with my EQ mount rather than a fixed tripod.

NGC 869 / NGC 884, the famed ”Double Cluster”, two open clusters in Perseus

Made another attempt at the Double Cluster with my new camera (Canon T5i). Here's how it compares to my previous attempt! The difference in resolution is noticeable, as some of the closer-together stars are now split instead of blobbed together.

Canon T5i - December 27, 2013: Stack of 22 subs, 12 bias at 300mm, f/5.6, ISO 3200, 1.3 sec

Canon Rebel XT - April 14, 2013: 68 subs, 10 dark, 10 bias; subs at ISO 1600, f/5.6, 300mm, 1.3 sec

I continue to be impressed with this new camera! At only 22 subs, I still brought out more stars than I did with 68 frames before! I can't wait to try this target with my motor-driven EQ mount that is set up and ready to go - just waiting for clear skies!

Possible M77, Fuzzy Blob Confirmed on Astrometry.net

I managed to locate and possibly photograph M77 (galaxy) in Cetus... I'm not sure if this faint blob counts as a galaxy. At magnitude 8.8 it is at the edge of what is possible with my camera set up on a fixed tripod. Since at least I know the location is accurate I'm going to go ahead and count it. This will be another on my list when I get my scope and motorized EQ mount outside.

Stack of 17 subs, 36 darks, 12 bias at 300mm, f/5.6, ISO 3200, 1.3 sec

Maybe 17 frames wasn't enough to really bring it out, or maybe it's just too small to show up in my field of view. I uploaded the image to nova.astrometry.net, which is a great way to check what objects are in your image if you're not sure you caught something. It looks like the fuzzy blob is indeed M77, so I'll count it as a hit!

NGC 1068 (M77) confirmed on Astrometry.net