Mornans, autumn 2023

7 November - blog 2 of 2

The first day of any astrotrip is always a busy one. A day later, the dust has settled. All gear is sorted and in place and there is little more to do than to relax, enjoy the surroundings, tweak an observing plan and to wait for nightfall.

As there was ample time for alternate activities in daytime, we made an effort to make the trip worthwhile on a culinary level, too. When doing so, one has to make do with what a holiday home provides. That also means one can be forced to cut one's sushi rolls with a butter knife.

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Having observed mostly open cluster in the preceding night due to less than optimal atmospheric conditions, I anticipated more of them at higher elevations, in Cassiopeia and in Perseus, in the night ahead. The night's weather forecast was favorable and so was the outlook for the days and nights ahead.

I kicked off the session in Cepheus with a few double stars. Three were above average: STF11, STF13 & STF18. The first pair revealed a distinct difference in color, the second required some effort to split and the third pair provided similar, yet contrasting hues.

STF11
16mm Nagler T5: AB split.
A is bright white-yellow, B is light grey-blueish, a subtle blueish hue.

9mm Nagler T6: Using this magnification B again is light-blueish. Not a bright star but quite a nice double nonetheless.

STF13
16mm Nagler T5: Using this magnification AB is not split, but both stars are clearly visible, forming a "figure-of-eight".
A and B are equally bright and both are bright white.

9mm Nagler T6: Using this magnification A and B are "kissing".

5mm Nagler T6: Using this magnification AB is split. Quite a nice double.

STF18
AB split. Quite a nice double.
A is white-yellow, B is yellow, clearly a deeper hue than that of A.
1/4 FoV to the NNE are a mag. 12 (NNW) and a mag. 12.5 (SSE) aligned NNW to SSE,  ±170°/3" (not a double star in WDS).

STF34 was the Struve double that followed. As I logged that observation the exact same thing that forced a break in observing the night before, happened again: clouds rolled in. It took an hour for the last ones to depart.

One double in Cepheus that I had been looking forwards to observe, is Kruger 60 (WDS22280+5742), ever since it was posted over a year ago on the Amastro group. It took some time and effort to sort out the many components. Straight away, it was evident that the position angle for components A and B in WDS is off by >25°. Component A did show color, though, but not as striking as component C did. Other than these two, only component 'I' displayed a subtle hue; others are too faint for my scope to come across as anything better than grey, despite their promising spectra. In the end, components J, K, L, R, S and U remained elusive, which is to be expected in my aperture. That being said, I did observe component Q at a listed magnitude of 15.7. Goes to show that it's always worth to inspect a position (read: a postion angle and a separation), as it happens quite often that a component deemed to faint for observation due to its listed magnitude, is in fact visible.

16mm Nagler T5: ABCDEFGHIO split. The PA of AB is not 207° (WDS2023.8), is approximately 180°. D, G and O are visible only with AV, G is at the limit of visibility without AV. J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S and U are not visible.
A is orange, a distinct but not very deep color. B is a grey pinprick south of A. C is beautifully orange-red, clearly a much deeper color than that of A. D, E, F, G, H, J and O are faint and colorless. I is wide and is white-yellow, not a deep color.

5mm Nagler T6: Using this magnification it is clear that the PA of AB is approximately 175°, B is approximately mag. 12.5, clearly fainter than mag. 11.4 in WDS2023.8.
Using this magnification M is visible, faint and colorless. N, P, Q and U are visible with AV. J, K, L, R, S and U are not visible.

9mm Nagler T6: Using this magnification color can only be discerned in components A, C and I.
A is bright orange, a distinct color. C is deep orange, a much deeper color than that of A. I is white-yellow.

Double star observations in Cepheus

6th Observation in Cepheus was an object that was once believed to be nebulous. Sven Cederblad set the record straight for the asterism that is IC1378. Even if there's no nebulosity, the little group of stars was still worth a peek. The image below is from the upcoming CSOG 3.0 Cederblad edition.

A somewhat detached, slightly east-west elongated group of mag. 11.5 and fainter stars. The brightest star is on the ENE side. The asterism has an irregular U-shape with the open side towards the NNE with a mag. 12.5 star in the middle.
To the SSW is a slightly crooked trapezium of 4 stars aligned NW to SE with a fifth star in the middle of the shape.

As the skies continued to improved I logged 4 more doubles, this time in Cassiopeia. STT490 was the prettiest.

16mm Nagler T5: AB is split, is clearly elongated on the PA but no individual stars can be discerned. ACD split.
A is bright golden-orange, a distinct color, C is wide and is deep orange, clearly a much deeper hue than that of A.
To the NW of D, ±320°/40" is a star that is just fainter, approximately mag. 11.5. To the SE of D, ±135°/70" is a mag. 12 star.

9mm Nagler T6: Using this magnification AB is clearly split. Quite a nice double.
B is a white-grey pinprick NNW of A.

Double star observations in Cassiopeia

With the clouds gone the skies were a lot better than the night before. I dared to foray closer to the southern horizon again to see what the transparency was up to. Alas, the faint galaxies I was hoping to grab remained out of reach. While, in Aquarius, I was able to pick up Arp 295's galaxies MCG-01-60-021 (PGC72139) & MCG-01-60-022 (PGC72139), nearby PGC72137 that I was hoping to log an observation for only briefly jumped into sight, just like NGC7402 had managed to do the night before. Small and faint PGC3083323 did play nice, but it was clear that it was better to aim higher.

Both galaxies are visible.
The SW galaxy MCG-01-60-021 (PGC72139) is a very faint, NE-SW elongated streak, difficult to observe without AV. With AV slightly larger, more elongated and gradually brighter in the middle, no core visible and no nucleus visible. To the SE is a mag. 14 star.
The NE galaxy MCG-01-60-022 (PGC72155) is an oval, east-west elongated glow, without AV almost round, with AV slightly more elongated and gradually brighter in the middle. To the ENE is a pale orange mag. 10.5 star (TYC5255-00308-1).
The small galaxy PGC72137 to the NW of MCG-01-60-021 very briefly jumped into view but could not be held (also attempted use the lower magnification of 22mm.).
To the NNE of MGC-01-60-022 is the galaxy PGC3083323 that is visible only with AV, farther to the NW is IC1505.

Two galaxy pairs in the southeastern region of Pegasus were on my wanted list: KPG 599 (IC1518 & IC1519) and Vorontsov-Vel'yaminov 860 (MCG+03-01-024 & MCG+03-01-023), a.k.a. KPG 1. In both pairs, both at an elevation of about 60°, both galaxies were visible. Images below are from the upcoming CSOG 3.0 KPG edition.

Both galaxies are visible, but only with AV, very faint.
The small, faint, round patches aligned NW to SE, both subtly and gradually brighter in the middle. No nucleus visible.
To the NW in line with the galaxies is a mag. 14 star.

Both galaxies are visible.
The southern galaxy MCG+03-01-023 (KPG 1A) is slightly larger and slightly more elongated than the northern galaxy MCG+03-01-024 (KPG 1B) is, elongated ENE to WSW, even in brightness. No nucleus visible.
The northern galaxy MCG+03-01-024 (KPG 1B) is clearly more bulging and is just a bit smaller than the southern galaxy MCG+03-01-023 (KPG 1A) is, slightly elongated east to west, gradually brighter in the middle. No nucleus visible.
To the NW is a "hockeystick-shape" of mag. 11 stars with the short side on the south side aligned NW to SE that point south of the galaxies. To the NE is a crooked Y-shape of mag. 11 stars with the top of the "Y" on the NW side.

From the mythological horse to the princess for some more. Another observation for the group Vorontsov-Vel'yaminov 166 to see whether I could pick out more of its members than I did back in 2013 using a 12" scope.

Images below are from the Arp edition; the 3 galaxies that form Arp 113 are part of the larger Vorontsov-Vel'yaminov group. All but one of the group's member also form Holmberg 6. The letters used in the observation notes reference the Vorontsov-Vel'yaminov designations, not the Holmberg ones.

With a bit of time and patience, I managed to pick out one more member: NGC67. Its neighbor NGC67A remained hidden.

A - NGC70, B - NGC68 and C - NGC71 (that form Arp 113) jump into view straight away. A nice group.
A - NGC70 is the largest galaxy, a round glow, gradually brighter in the middle with a very bright nucleus that is clearly visible without AV, resembles a mag. 13.5 star. To the SSW is a mag. 14 star (4UCAC601-000854).
SSE thereof is C - NGC71, smaller than A - NGC70 is, quite suddenly brighter in a small, round core, no nucleus visible. To the NE is mag. 13.5 star that is equal in brightness to the nucleus of A - NGC70.
B - NGC68 is a round glow, brighter than C - NGC71 is, quite suddenly brighter in a relatively large, round core, with AV the nucleus is faintly visible.
D - NGC72 is visible to the SE of C, an east-west elongated glow, even in brightness without AV, with AV brighter in a relatively large core that is elongated in the same direction, no nucleus visible.
H - NGC72A is visible, ESE of D - NGC72, a smaller, fainter, round glow, gradually brighter in the middle, with AV the nucleus is faintly visible. To the east is a mag. 14.5 star, that star is just a bit brighter than the nucleus of H - NGC72A is.
E - NGC69 is visible to the west of D - NGC72, a small, faint, round glow, only visible with AV, even in brightness, no detail visible.
Initially, I did not see G - NGC67, but I did after a while, only visible with AV: a small, faint, slightly east-west elongated glow, even in brightness, no detail visible.
F - NGC67A is not visible.

Best of the galaxies and galaxy groups in Andromeda was NGC523 a.k.a. Arp 158. This one is distinctly irregular and that detail was a joy to observe.

An irregular, east-west elongated streak, without AV only the western part is clearly visible with the star 4UCAC621-004127 (approximately mag. 14.5) superimposed.
With AV the eastern part of the galaxy is irregular and clearly wider north to south, thereby the irregular shape of the galaxy is discernible. Irregular structure is discernible and directly ESE of the middle of the wider part a nucleus or a knot is sometimes visible but I can not hold it continuously.
Quite a remarkable object, despite it not being a bright galaxy.

Final objects in Andromeda were in the grand galaxy of the constellation, Messier 31: two relatively bright star clouds that reside within it. First of these was a new one for me: Van den Bergh 184 was faint but with some help from averted vision it wasn't too difficult of an observation, even when it refused to reveal any detail. NGC206 was much brighter. Interestingly enough, I noted it brightest south of the middle where imagery shows it be brighter to the north... did I misspeak when I logged my observation? Oh well, a reason to revisit. Also because there are sure to be more relatively bright specks in M31 to pick out. But that's for another night.

Van den Bergh 184
17mm Nagler T4: Without AV at the limit of visibility, with AV a faint, irregular glow, approximately identical in size to the galaxy I observed before this one (MCG+06-05-020). Clearly visible but not resolvable. Is to the north of a mag. 13 star (4UCAC650-002417), to the WSW (almost due west) of that mag. 13 star is a mag. 10.5 star (TYC2788-00427-1).

12mm Nagler T4: Using this magnification , without AV, the star cloud is just visible but not more is visible than was with 17mm.

NGC206
A north-south elongated, oval glow, with AV brighter in the middle and clearly irregular (but nothing resolves), brightest south of the middle. On the southern edge is a mag. 15 star.
To the NW is a small, crooked triangle of mag. 13.5 and fainter stars. To the NE is a mag. 12.5 star. The surrounding field is clearly brighter due to the glow of the galaxy Messier 31.

Observations in Aquarius, Pegasus & Andromeda

Next region to explore was to be closer to the zenith. More open clusters. For a bit of variation I decided to focus on Perseus instead of on Cassiopeia again.

The first of them in the 12-14" OC guide for the constellation was one of the better ones of the night: Stock 4. This cluster is above average in size, but it's scattered, the stars that form it aren't too bright and it's not too well detached from the surrounding star field. Still, I found it a nice group, especially with use of a lower magnification.

26mm Nagler T5: 2/3 FoV in size east to west, not detached but recognizable as a cluster. Consists of mag. 10.5 and fainter stars, the background is diffuse. The eastern part of the cluster is slightly elongated ESE to WNW, west thereof is an interruption on a line from SSE to NNE. The western part of the cluster is elongated SSW to NNE with a curved shape of stars on the NNE side, with the open side towards the north. A nice cluster.

31mm Nagler T5: A nice magnification for this cluster, east to west the cluster is approximately 1/2 FoV in size, 1/5 FoV north to south.

Another pleasing non-NGC cluster in Perseus is King 5. It consists of faint stars but it's not too small and it's pretty concentrated, with notable lanes of stars running through the cluster from roughly east to west.

Faint but detached and well recognizable as a cluster, consists of mostly mag. 12.5 and fainter stars. As a whole elongated east to west and more concentrated in the easter part where notable, irregular lanes of stars are visible: centrally a lane of stars is visible running SE to NW, SW thereof is a shorter lane of stars, orientated identically but shorter. To the NNE of the central lane of stars is a lane of stars that is, compared to the central lane, slightly tilted, running from ESE to WNW with a yellow mag. 11.5 star on the eastern edge (faint but the color is distinct). The central lane of stars consists of stars that are slightly brighter than those of the northern and southern lane. Faint but a nice cluster.

Three pleasing NGC's, observed in sequence, were NGC1513, NGC1528 & NGC1545. The first two of these has a nice S-shape on display. The second is a bit more scattered but consists of brighter stars. The third lacks a concentration but has a beautiful colored star just south of the middle that, along with a South and a Struve double star that reside within the cluster's boundaries, makes it all the more worthwhile.

The second to last cluster of the night, faint Berkeley 68, has a nebulous neighbor. Some star charts have it depicted as a Magakian object; as a designation, that is incorrect. It is however an entry in the Merged Catalog of Reflection Nebulae, compiled by Tigran Magakian. For us observers, it's a nice target as it's not too faint and this night it made for an interesting bonus observation.

Berkeley 68
Overall a crooked Lambda-shape of stars with the base on the NNE side and the longer side towards the NW; the north side forms a triangle of mag. 10 and fainter stars pointing SSW. Centrally in the triangle-shape several mag. 13 and fainter stars are visible. To the SSW of the tip several mag. 13.5 and fainter stars are visible. No detached and not recognizable as a cluster.
1/3 FoV to the SE is the reflection nebula GN 04.41.8.

GN 04.41.8
Sharing the FoV with the open cluster Berkeley 68, 1/3 FoV to the NW: a faint glow surrounding a mag. 11 star (TYC2901-00180-1) with a mag. 12.5 to its WSW (almost due west). Slightly elongated east to west and clearly brighter to the east of the mag. 11 star. The glow stretches farther towards the north of the mag. 11 star than it does to the south. To the SE, detached from the glow, is a mag. 12 star.

Open cluster observations in Perseus

Having observed 32 open clusters in Perseus and feeling quite fatigued, I called it quits and zipped the observatory closed. I left my cameras clicking until morning light. Scrolling through the images, I found a few nice meteors worth sharing.

One of the meteors captured - middle image in the gallery above - left a faint but persistent smoke trail. Below is a compilation of cropped images at 25fps and 15fps.

Best image was the one below, with the Alps bathing in moonlight and a suspected Leonid passing by.

8 November

Throughout the day, the forecast looked promising. Skies were nice and blue with only brief interruptions of clouds and there was every reason to believe the clear spells would last well into the night.

It was not to be. As the skies darkened, the enemy approached from the west. Having observed only 5 double stars in Draco, high clouds called an end to the session even before it was well underway.

Quite the bummer, but at least the sky allowed the observation of a beautiful transit on Jupiter through David's scope. With the planet near opposition, Io's shadow closely trailed the Jovian moon and along with the moon crossing the planets limb, that was nothing short of spectacular. The image below is a screen grab from Sky & Telescope's Jupiter's Moons app.

- Blog continues below the observations table -

Observations 7 & 8 November

32 open clusters
1 nebula
11 galaxies
20 double stars
1 asterism
2 other
Total: 67 observations
First time observations: 230 objects

Details of the objects observed in this session are in the table below.

click here for my observing log

to top of table

9 - 12 November

The remaining days of the trip the weather was ever nicer and when showers passed, the sights in the mountains were often breathtaking. Nights were a different story and the cloud cover was persistent whenever it was dark.

Astrobuddy David on the inbound leg of a beer run, with Alpine backdrop.

The second to last day we hiked a trail to the south. Mostly downhill for the first half and plenty steep the second, but nothing that ruined the stroll.

That night we packed and all that was left to do on the day of departure was to tear down the telescope and stow a soaking wet observatory tent into the trunk of my car. The road down the mountain was bumpy and scratchy again, but once on paved road the 9 hour drive that remained allowed for plenty of time to mesmerize about the next astronomy adventure.

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Observations astrotrip Mornans, autumn 2023

73 open clusters
2 nebulae
24 galaxies & galaxy groups
50 double stars
1 asterism
2 other
Total: 152 observations
First time observations: 62 objects