[Lvas] Thanks and other

Sat May 2 14:02:30 PDT 2009

Jim Gianoulakis,

I  would like you thank you for your kind words and encouragement regarding the "Monthly Observer's Challenge".

I am very hopeful that we will have a few more to participate in next months issue. At current we have images of this months object (M-65/66 and N-3628) from Brett Clapper, Dr. Jim Dire, of NC and Jim Gianoulakis of Nevada. If I have left anyone out please correct, and let me know. 

I have over 20 observations of this group, but I want to have a supplemental report using my 4-inch refractor. I am also hopeful of a new observation using my 10-inch. Definitely a new sketch with each scope. A sketch of each galaxy individually and one with all three in the same field.   

WSH used a 4-inch f/15 Clark refractor for his observations in Deep-Sky Wonders for his last 30 years of articles.    

Rob and the LVAS; thank you for the permission to use the forum as the platform. 

I have asked Dr. Jim Lamm of UNCC to forward each month to the Charlotte Amateurs (250) members) and Paul Webb of the Midlands Astronomy Club in Columbia SC (75 members). The Catawba Valley Astronomers of Hickory NC (100), CCAS of Boiling Springs, NC (20), and others including James Mullaney. These are approximate numbers of members.

Several of the Charlotte group has ties to New Mexico and Arizona. 

The Charlotte Club had their annual "Southern Star" event near Little Switzerland NC, high in the North Carolina mountains this weekend. It is a three day event, and one of their speakers was Carolyn Shoemaker. This is a big event and it is sometimes difficult to attend due to it's widespread popularity and the limited number of participates. 

Has anyone remotely seen the "propeller" in M-13? 

It took me over an hour to sketch Lord Rosse's 1850 sketch using his 72-inch metal mirror telescope from Ireland. I feel that it is almost "verbatim" to his original sketch...I was pleased with the outcome.  

best regards, roger  

    I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.      Abraham Lincoln

From: rayworth1969 at hotmail.com
To: lvas at lvlug.org
Date: Sat, 2 May 2009 10:02:58 -0500
Subject: Re: [Lvas] April Observing Challenge - Markharian's Chain

Jim,

Glad to have you part of it, and am glad you find it useful. Really appreciate the comments!

Fred

Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 11:25:52 -0700
From: Jim.Gianoulakis at swgas.com
To: lvas at lvlug.org
Subject: Re: [Lvas] April Observing Challenge - Markharian's Chain

Fred, Roger

Thanks for the effort placed into this document. It far exceeds my expectations from an effort and particularly a content perspective. This is meaningful and more importantly a useful document for all of us. What started as, in my mind, a novel concept has blossomed into a recurring endeavor that I will truly look forward to participating in. Thanks again on the extraordinary efforts you two guys have put forth on our behalf.

Jim

Jim Gianoulakis
Manager Application Services Mobile
702-876-7093
702-253-7213 fax
jim.gianoulakis at swgas.com

>>> Fred Rayworth <rayworth1969 at hotmail.com> 4/30/2009 6:36 PM >>>

MONTHLY OBSERVER'S CHALLENGE
Compiled by:
Roger Ivester, Boiling Springs, North Carolina (See Roger.jpg)
&
 Fred Rayworth, Las Vegas, Nevada (See Fred.jpg)
April - The Virgo Cluster (Markharian's Chain)Introduction
     The purpose of this observer's challenge it to encourage others to take up visual observing.  It is open to everyone that is interested, and if you are able to contribute notes, drawings, or photographs, we will be happy to include them in our monthly summary.  Observing is not only a pleasure, but an art.  With the main focus of amateur astronomy on astrophotography, many times people tend to forget how it was in the old days before cameras, clock drives, and GOTO.  Astronomy depended on what was seen through the eyepiece.  Not only did it satisfy an innate curiosity, but it allowed the first astronomers to discover the beauty that is free for the taking.

     Before photography, all observations depended on what the astronomer saw in the eyepiece and how they recorded their observations.  This was done through notes and drawings and that is the tradition we are stressing here today.  By combining our visual observations with our drawings, and sometimes, astrophotos (from those with the equipment and talent to do so), we get a unique understanding of what it is like to look through an eyepiece and to see what is really there.  The hope is that you will read through these notes and become inspired to take more time at the eyepiece studying each object and looking for those subtle details that you might never have noticed before.  Each new discovery increases one's appreciation of the skies above us.  Please join us and learn how to get the most from peering into an eyepiece.

Markharian's Chain

     For the visual observer, there is nothing more thrilling than to see the exceptional view.  By that I don't necessarily mean the seeing conditions, but rather the object observed.  There are many many, or to paraphrase Carl Sagan "billions and billions" of objects to choose from.  Well, maybe not "billions" literally, but depending on the size of your scope, there should be more than enough stellar and non-stellar objects out there to keep one busy for a lifetime.  That being said, there are the showpieces, or as I call them, the "tourist objects," such as many of the Messiers.  Then there are the obscure faint fuzziest that are more observing goals than something that will blow you away.  Finally, there are the downright unusual objects that most amateurs had no idea existed.   Markharian's Chain is one example.  Just for object count alone, this group of galaxies is a show-stopper.  Instead of seeing just a couple of smudges, with a 12" or larger scope, you will gaze upon nine galaxies at once if the conditions are right.  It may even be possible to see all 9 with a 10" scope.  That's a lot of bang for the buck.  The participants in this month's observing challenge were Roger Ivester from North Carolina, along with Fred Rayworth and Jim Gianoulakis from Las Vegas.

Observations/Drawings/Photos

Roger Ivester:
     He first found out about the Virgo cluster from Tom Lorenzin, author of 1000+ The Amateur Astronomer's Field Guide to Deep-Sky Observing.  Tom asked him if he'd ever viewed all nine galaxies within a 1° field of view centered on M-86.  Roger had not, but was most anxious to give it a try.  Using his 10" f/4.5 Meade DS-10A reflector with a 20mm University Optics 60° Erfle eyepiece (57x), he was able to view with an approximate 1° true field of view.  He never saw three of the fainter galaxies with that arrangement.

     He did a drawing of the six visible galaxies, then went to (160x) using the 20mm UO Erfle and a 2.8x UO Klee Barlow, and spotted the fainter ones.  He then sketched the three faint galaxies in their appropriate positions and tried his best to draw them to scale based on a picture from Sky and Telescope magazine.  See Rogers Chain and Rogers Chain Identification images.  His notes are as follows:

M-84: Bright, with a brighter more concentrated middle, and a mostly round shape.
M-86: Bright.  Brighter middle, round, very similar to M-84 but not as well concentrated.
NGC-4387: A very faint mostly round blur.  Difficult at best requiring averted vision.
NGC-4388: Low surface brightness, elongated slash with an E-W orientation.
NGC-4402: Very faint slash, low surface brightness.
NGC-4413: Very faint and dim, small, very diffuse with little concentration, mostly round.
NGC-4425: Very faint, elongated, axis NS, small and dim.
NGC-4435: Fairly bright, mostly round, stellar nucleus, smaller than NGC-4438.
NGC-4438: Bright, elongated, with a brighter middle.

Fred Rayworth:

     Over the years, he has seen eight of the galaxies individually, but never knew they were part of a specific group until Roger Ivester told him about it.  On March 28, Virgo was high enough in the sky to take a crack at it, and with a little zap of his green laser finder, Fred had this group in the field of view.  Using a 16" f/4.5 Meade LightBridge and an Orion Q-70 26mm 70° field eyepiece, he had no trouble seeing all nine galaxies at once.  Because of this observing project, he saw that ninth galaxy for the first time, only because he knew it was supposed to be there.

     That ninth galaxy, NGC-4387, is magnitude 13, and considering the night, it was by far the faintest galaxy he saw all night.  If he hadn't known it was there, he would've missed that little smudge.  In fact, several other people looked at the group and only counted 8 until he pointed out where it was.

     Despite a fishbowl effect at the edges, he had no problem seeing even the galaxies at the edges through that Q-70 eyepiece.  He moved the scope around to study each individual galaxy in the center of the field, but to satisfy the observing challenge, he DID see all 9 at once in the field.

     All of the galaxies, even M-84 and M-86 were featureless.  No mottling or any detail at all, but they were all definite faint fuzzies and had distinct shapes.  The most visually striking of the group was NGC-4388, an edge-on spiral.  It was a nice, though faint large streak, and out sized and outclassed the similar NGC-4402.  See Freds Chain Drawing.

     On April 25th, he tried again and saw all 9 galaxies right away with the Q-70 26mm eyepiece.  A witness didn't see them all at first, but after he pointed out where to look, the guy did.  Another individual with a 12.5" f/5 also saw them, but he had to use a 31mm Nagler to get them all in the field, and just barely.  Though a bit dimmer, Fred saw all 9 galaxies through that 12.5".  Back on his 16" LightBridge, he tried the Q-70 32mm and the galaxies fit into the field better, but the background just wasn't dark enough.  They looked better with the 26mm.

Jim Gianoulakis:

Jim didn't have any observational notes, but he took an excellent photo of the group.  See Jims Chain Photo.

References

     References for this month's objects are from Luginbuhl & Skiff's book, Observing Handbook and Catalogue of Deep-Sky Objects and are presented by Roger Ivester.  This is our sole reference source for Markharian's Chain because it is the only catalogue that includes all 9 galaxies.  The following descriptions are more scientific and detailed than the average observer is likely to include in their notes.  They are presented here to give you a more detailed and scientific description to compare to what Roger and Fred saw.  If you do not have this most comprehensive observing book, get it today.  It will teach you how to observe and what to look for in over 2,000 deep-sky objects.

Note: The objective or mirror diameters are metric, so here is a quick key to each size mentioned: 6cm = 2.6", 15cm = 6", 25cm = 10", 30cm = 12"

M-84 dimen.  5'.0 x 4'.4 magnitude = 9.3
Messier 84 is visible in 6 cm, appearing similar to nearby Messier 86 (cf.eg4406), but a little brighter.  15 cm shows a bright oval haze with an intense, broadly concentrated core.  In 25 cm it is elongated ESE-WNW, reaching to about 2'.5 x 2', but fading so smoothly to the sky that the boundary is indefinite.  The innermost regions, however, rise sharply in brightness toward a sub-stellar nucleus.  With 30 cm the 4' x 3' halo has a strong, very even concentration, and the nucleus is clearly non-stellar.  A mag. 14 star is involved 1`.25 WSW of center.

M-86 dimen.  7'.4 x 5'.5 magnitude = 9.2
Messier 86 is visible with 6 cm in the same low-power field with Messier 84 (eg 4374, q.v.) and appears as a slightly elongated spot with a bright center.  In 15 cm the 2' x 1'.5 halo grows much brighter toward the center, but is otherwise featureless.  The galaxy appears similar to M84 in 25 cm, fading very smoothly to the sky background.  However, the 3'.5 x 3' halo, elongated ESE-WMW, is distinctly larger than that of M84, and seems more diffuse.  The light is broadly brighter except at the very center, where a sharp nucleus is visible.  With 30 cm it is more elongated and strongly concentrated than M84, though their brightnesses are similar.  The 5' x 3' halo contains a condensed 10" core that occasionally shows a stellar nucleus.

NGC-4387 dimen.  1'.9 x 1'.1 magnitude = 12.9
This galaxy is quite faint in 15 cm.  25 cm shows it as a circular 30' patch with smooth, moderate concentration to a sharp center.  A mag 13 star is visible 1'.5 NNW.  30 cm shows it much larger.  1'.8 x 0'.75, elongated SE-NW.  The halo has a moderate, broad concentration to a small, faint nucleus.

NGC-4388 dimen.  5'.1 x 1'.4 magnitude = 11.2
An easy object for 15 cm.  Spindle is elongated E-W and shows a slight central brightening.  With 25 cm the small core lies W of center, stellar rings and a stellar nucleus are visible at high power.  The E side of the core is squared off abruptly by a dark patch.  A mag 14.5 star lies 1'.3 NE.  The northern flank of the halo fades abruptly in 30 cm.  The light is evenly concentrated to a less elongated core and a very faint stellar nucleus.

NGC-4402 dimen.  4'.1 x 1'.3 magnitude = 11.3
Much more difficult than nearby Messier objects, this galaxy is visible in 15 cm at 100x.  It is elongated but less distinctly so here than in larger apertures.  With 25 cm the halo is elongated in pa 90°, and completely un-concentrated, though a little mottling is discernable at 100x.

NGC-4413 dimen.  2'.5 x 1'.7 magnitude = 13.0
In 15 cm it is faintly visible at low power as an un-concentrated, low surface brightness patch elongated roughly NE-SW.  25 cm shows a halo of moderately low surface brightness that is broadly brighter and faintly mottled across the center.

NGC-4425 dimen.  3'.4 x 1'.2 magnitude = 11.8
In 15 cm this galaxy appears as a slight brightening without structure about 1' diameter.  25 cm shows a sharply defined oval elongated in position angle 30°.  The core is moderately brighter, much more elongated than the halo, and contains a very faint stellar nucleus.

NGC-4435 dimen.  3'.0 x 1'.9 magnitude = 10.8

NGC-4438 dimen.  9'.3 x 3'.9 magnitude = 10.0
These interacting galaxies lie 4'.3 apart in pa 165°.  In 15 cm, 4435 is about 1' diameter with a bright stellar nucleus.  With averted vision, 15 cm will show 4438 in pa 20° with a small bright core.

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