These are our observations in Aries

• Interesting galactic goings on in Aries

  I got a while in the observatory last night, friends have been saying that the sky was poor but it was transparent enough for the video camera to show me some interesting galactic goings on in Aries 😊.

  Arp 31 (IC 167) a nice integral sign spiral with a thicker more complex northern arm with some brighter patches therein.

  

  Arp 290 (IC 195 and IC 196). Nice hockey stick southern tip to IC 196, IC 195 is the lower galaxy, I believe what looks like a fainter edge on running across the northern tip of IC 196 is in fact a distorted section of IC 196 itself, described as 'wind effect'.

  

  Last, but not least, very interesting NGC 877 again in Aries, lots of interesting and complex structure in the arms, NGC 876 is the fainter edge on below with a partial dust lane spotted. I hope you can make out a 3rd faint circular smudge to the upper right of 877, I have not identified this galaxy and it was very faint on my crt monitor.

  

  It is very difficult to draw very faint edge-of-vision objects but still make them visible to viewers in my sketch without making them too bright.

  Dale Holt - (30 November 2019).

• Another Galaxy of the Month

  I grabbed an opportunity last night despite the very milky sky to take a look at Owen's galaxy (NGC 7436), or rather galaxy group, of the month for November 2020. Despite the sky all members were seen (Ed. plus MCG +4-54-7 and MAC 2257+2606C) using the 505mm mirror and cooled Watec 120N+ video camera.

  

  I then ticked a stunning Arp pair off my list in Aries: Arp 78, NGC's 772 and 770. Just stunning, sky was a little better in this region of the but still poor with haze.

  

  Dale Holt - (19 November 2019).

• NGC 678, NGC 680 and IC 1730 in Aries

  

  I sketched these galaxies on the 17th November. I used the 505mm Newt with the old Watec 120N+ camera, I have ditched the digital CCD Ultra star at least for now! I am also running without GoTo software so it is a matter of star hoping by input of RA and Dec coordinates into the AWR handset, labourious, but at least I'm getting some observing and sketching done!

  Dale Holt - (20 November 2018).

• December Doubles

  A clear spell coincided with the rise of the full moon on December 14th. I set the scope up in the shadow of the house and at 6pm before the moon was too high I sent the Meade 127 to Pi Arietis (STF 311). At x76 it made for delightful sight set in an interesting star field. Component B was not split but C was easily visible.

  

  To the NW there was an obviously red star; later found to be T Ari. To the east was an obvious diamond shape of 4 stars and just on the edge of the FOV were three stars belonging to the cluster DoDz 1. At x76 Component A appeared white and C had a hint of orange.

  The WD Catalogue indicates component D, magnitude 10.5, separation 220", position angle 134° and is referred to as ARN 31. At x158 AB were nicely split, A now looked pale yellow and B had a hint of orange.

  Mike Wood - 15 December 2016