These are our observations in Leo

• A well known morsel from Leo

  A very brief opportunity on the evening of March 19th allowed me just enough time to sketch the thin one of the Leo triplet, NGC 3628.

  The skies have probably been the poorest and for the longest in my 22 years of observing! If I had picked either of the Messier members I would have run out of clear sky trying to capture their complexity and magnificence, so I guess I got lucky with my choice!

  

  This galaxy filled my field of view and although I have sketched it a number of times before I think this is probably my best rendition! I hope I can get back to my usual much more elusive and distant prey very soon.

  Dale Holt - (21 March 2021).

• Back to Leo

  I wasn't totally expecting a session last night but I was happy to oblige thank you :) My sky was a good one! I picked out Sue French's Deep Sky wonders from the shelf for inspiration and settled on NGC 3501 as a starting point as it was the faintest thing listed in 'Leo's 11th hour' I also checked my NGC files to ensure that I hadn't observed it before!

  First: NGC 3501 in Leo, nice relatively small , clean sided edge on magnitude 12.9, only points of note were a central region obviously brighter with small nucleus, this region didn't 'bulge' as is common but actually gave the galaxy a slim waisted appearance. Two faint stars stand guard at the northern tip.

  

  Second: Lying just North of the first observation, also listed in Sue's book but I hadn't noted that fact until this write up! This magnitude 10.9 barred spiral, NGC 3507, was the finest object of the night! The main spiral appeared as a over-extended backwards letter 'S'. A foreground star lies over the galaxy and is brighter than the nucleus to its right. Outer arms form a diffuse halo that took a long video camera integration time of 21 secs to be sure of.

  

  Third: A nice contrasting pair arranged north and south of a reasonably bright star. NGC 3454 is an edge on, clean sided no brightening or other features. NGC 3455 is to the south, another grain or seed shaped galaxy bright central nuclear region which extends slightly NW-SE. An interesting pair.

  

  Fourth: A small cluster, principle members are NGCs 3473 and 3474 with a number of small faint unknown galaxies in the field. I should imagine through most scopes the main galaxies would appear stellar. The difficulty of resolution being exacerbated by the fact that NGC 3476 appears closely associated with a bright star, its galactic halo extending around the star itself. NGC 3473 to the south is plain slightly elongated E-W.

  

  Started 10.30 BST, closed down 01.30, most enjoyable.

  Dale Holt - (25 April 2020).

• Galaxy Observations

  Three sketches from Friday night, inspired by the Webb society web page NGC 3344 in Leo Minor and NGC 2289 in Hydra, both very interesting and beautiful galaxies so thanks for the inspiration.

  

  

  I also made another observation in Hydra whilst I was visiting, an interesting tadpole like duo NGC's 2292 and 2293.

  

  Dale Holt - (22 March 2020).

• A Galaxy and a Flame

  Last night's weather conditions could not have been better. I had a wonderful clear sky all night. This is something that we don't often see under British Skies.

  This was good enough that I was able to finally save some ancient light from two targets. The first one is in the constellation Auriga, and the other one, in the late Winter-Spring constellation Leo.

  NGC 2903 is a field barred spiral galaxy about 30 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. It was discovered by William Herschel who catalogued it on November 16, 1784. NGC 2905 is a bright star cloud within this galaxy. NGC 2903 has a very high speed of creating new stars in the central region. Wikipedia

  • Distance to Earth: 30.66 million light years
  • Magnitude: 9.7
  • Apparent magnitude (V): 9.7
  • Apparent size (V): 12'.6 × 6'.0
  • Redshift: 556 ± 1 km/s
  • Constellation: Leo

  

  My picture was taken with 5-minute exposures x36 to give a total exposure time 3hrs.

  IC 405 is an emission and reflection nebula in the constellation Auriga, surrounding the bluish star AE Aurigae. It shines at magnitude +6.0. Its celestial coordinates are RA 05h 16.2m dec +34° 28'. Wikipedia

  • Magnitude: 6
  • Apparent magnitude (V): 6
  • Distance: 1500 ly
  • Coordinates: RA 5h 16m 5s | Dec +34° 27' 49"
  • Constellation: Auriga

  

  This picture was again 5 minutes in length. I took 24 exposures for this two-hour composite, using a 7nm Ha filter.

  Paul A Brierley - (3 February 2019).

• A Superb Session!

  Clearing skies from the north meant that by 8.45pm it was totally clear and with the 92% moon rising just after 10pm there was a potential 2 hour window. The skies looked clear and dew free. So the OMC 200 was wheeled out for the session.

  I was looking forward to Iota Leo (STF 1536) because of the difficult challenge to separate the two components, (mag 4 and mag 6.7, sep 2.1). At my last attempt in April 2016 I was unable to split the pair. Also I was keen to check out any hints of colour.

  I synced the scope on Regulus (always a fine sight with its fainter companion) and then headed to Iota, even though it was not dark (8.40pm).

  At x167, Iota was clearly a pale yellow and as it danced in the centre of the fov, it had that feel that it must be a double. There was a repeating hint of elongation to the shimmering, sparkling star. Going to x220, the yellow colour was still obvious and in the moments of steadiness there was the tiny speck of component B sitting on the first diffraction ring. At x320 I confirmed my sighting of B. Using x400 I could see B most of the time.

  Having met the challenge all that was left was to confirm component C, no problem to spot this mag 11 star. I then just enjoyed the view and before I knew it 40 minutes had passed since I first sighted Iota. A delightful way to spend the time under the stars.

  

  More for a laugh rather than with any seriousness I wondered if the Galaxy of the Month (NGC2964) might be visible in the OMC 200, noting that Owen had chosen a pair of brighter galaxies. So I sent the scope to Castor (glorious double) to sync on it and to get the equatorial flip out of the way and then headed over to NGC2964.

  Noting that Owen had chosen a Herschel Galaxy, I thought NGC 2964 should just be doable. As soon as I looked through the e/p (x167), there it was. A definite oval shape and quite large. Then NGC2968 popped into view. I increased the magnification to x200. Both were easily held in view with a steady gaze. In fact as I settled into the view I kept getting hints of brightness within NGC2964 with the brightest part being towards the western end of the oval. NGC2968 was smaller and lacked any hint of a core.

  The reason locating this pair of galaxies so easily was quite simple. The sky was quite transparent for GB skies. There was none of the dreaded clag or dew. Around 9.30pm (BST) I was able to see direct mag 5.6 stars at the Zenith in the 4 minutes of true astro dark.

  With the moon still out of the way I then pondered Owen’s reference In terms of visibility Harrington in his book Cosmic Challenge suggests all three galaxies may be the range of a 20cm (8”) telescope. Two mag 13+ stars were visible near to NGC2964 so I decided to try for NGC2970.

  The obvious mag 11.7 star to the North of NGC2968 was a useful reference point and to my surprise I could see the mag 13.7 to the east of NGC2968 and then also the mag 14+ star came into view. With these 3 stars identified I stared intently, gently moving the scope to maximise my AV. Yep, there was NGC2970 – not exactly screaming at me but every now and then a small, faint fuzz kept appearing in exactly the right place.

  

  Absolutely no way could I have seen it on a typical claggy, mag 5.4 night. Wow, what a privilege to locate it in the OMC. I now wished I had the Dob out and ready.

  With the moon beginning to lighten the SE sky should I go for doubles? I then remembered that there are comets in our sky...

  Mike Wood - 14 April 2017

• Iota Leonis at Haw Wood

  Thought I should mention my observation of this iota Leonis at the Haw Wood star party a couple of weeks ago.

  As usual I’d taken my 24” Dobsonian but also my little 5” Russian Mak-Cass (F10, 34% obstruction) as a back-up. On one night it was very claggy so decided to observe some doubles with the 5” Mak (should add a Vixen Sphinx mount was used so overkill for this scope and very steady.)

  Leo was on the meridian when I thought I’d have a look at iota. From memory I knew it was a tight binary and thought it would be about 2” separation now as I knew it was widening but for some reason I thought both components were fairly equal, I had forgotten there was quite a magnitude difference.

  At x100 nothing so I put the power up to x180 and still nothing (I was of course looking for two fairly equal discs almost touching.) I decided I must somehow be on the wrong star. I was moving my eye away from the eyepiece when I just caught a glimpse of a faint spec and suddenly began to suspect my error. I put the power up to x254 which the little scope took well (it has excellent 1/9th wave optics) and sure enough a faint speck just beyond the edge of the first diffraction ring.

  I crudely estimated the PA to be about 90 degrees. Checking later I gather it’s currently 94 degs PA and 2.15” separation with components of m4, m6.7. So I was quite chuffed at this little scope pulling that one out of the bag. (N.B. I’ve since looked at it with my OMC 200 and it was very easy in that scope.)

  Andrew Robertson - 10 April 2017

• Observation of NGC 2964 in Leo

  Please find attached an observation I made of this month's galaxy last year. I made the observation from my home site under poor skies (as ever). The instrument used was a 12" Newtonian reflector.

  NGC 2964 - Large and quite dim. Brighter in the middle where there is a roundish brighter central area.

  NGC 2968 - Smaller than NGC 2964 and dimmer. Elongated but with no sign of central brightening.

  NGC 2970 - A very small, very faint, round nebulous spot. This galaxy is magnitude 13.6, but was rescued from the gloopy skies by having a high surface brightness of 11.7. It is a Markarian galaxy, bearing the catalogue number Mk 405.

  

  When writing up this observation, I was puzzled by the elongation I had drawn for NGC 2968. Photographs show an elongation, but some way off the orientation I had drawn. Closer examination of the photographs seem to show that the photographic elongation is caused by the outer parts of the galaxy, which may have been too faint for me to detect. The central section of the galaxy does appear to have an elongation more in line with what I saw. This is an odd galaxy, and deep images show that it is interacting with the smaller NGC 2970.

  Patrick Maloney - 2 April 2017

• NGC 2964 in Leo from Norfolk

  I’d been at the SPA meeting at Cambridge all day. Got home, had tea then 2 hours sleep and was out observing by midnight. Choice of scope was the 12” Mewlon with a diagonal fitted for quickness and ease of use.

  My intention was for Galaxy of Month first as I knew Leo would be past the meridian then 41P with C/2017 E4 about 4am.

  Skies were good overhead, NELM of 5.5 but very damp and therefore claggy low down. The galaxy group was in the SW at an altitude of 41 degrees, so in-between these extremes of sky conditions.

  I used a 27mm Panoptic and a 22mm Panoptic giving x132 and x162 respectively. The 27mm gave a nicer field of view but NGC 2970 was better seen in the 22mm – AV1.

  

  Andrew Robertson - 3 April 2017

• More of February's Galaxy of the Month

  This is my sketch of the NGC 3801 galaxy group, or part of it made using the 20" and Watec video camera on 16 January 2016. I didn't know it as that group name when I observed it.

  

  Dale Holt - 17 February 2017

• NGC 3801 group in Leo from Suffolk

  I had looked February's Galaxy of the Month up a few days ago and was looking forward to viewing it.

  The early hours of 4th February had superbly transparent skies (NELM 5.6) and so NGC 3801 was my first target of the session with the 20" Dob.

  I immediately saw NGC 3801 followed by its partner NGC 3802. It took a little bit of effort to locate NGC 3790.

  

  I began my sketch of the view with the 13 ethos. Twenty minutes into the sketch, thinking I was done, I caught a hint of of fuzz, North of the obvious bright star. This of course was NGC 3806 which I had totally forgotten about. It is definitely the hardest of the four galaxies to see.

  Notes

  • NGC 3801: easy, immediately obvious and with a distinct core.
  • NGC 3802: slightly fainter than NGC 3801, smaller and elongated, hint of a core at 470 times magnification.
  • NGC 3790: elongated and smaller still.
  • NGC 3806: easy to miss as it's large and faint, circular patch of fuzz.

  This group provided a very rewarding 45 minutes of observing.

  Mike Wood - 4 February 2017

• NGC 3801 group in Leo from Norfolk

  Was totally unprepared for the clear skies this morning, so didn’t get out of the house until 1.30am. Would have taken too long to get the 24" going as fully battened down because of the strong winds forecast so the 12" Mewlon it was.

  Got observing by 1.50am but initially looking at Jupiter and a couple of Messiers with the 4” refractor whilst the Mewlon was acclimatising. Decided to see what I could detect of February's Galaxy of the Month in the Mewlon.

  Spent over half an hour on it. Didn’t look at the charts beforehand and it was a full month ago that I observed the group with the 24" so couldn’t remember what was where, just had two numbers in my head; 3801 and 3806.

  Sent the scope to NGC 3801 with 40mm Pentax in giving just x89. Immediately saw NGC 3801 but it was faint and nothing else seen. Put the 27mm Pan in giving x135 and started suspecting a faint galaxy directly above it (NGC 3802). Switched to 22mm Pan (x162) and confirmed this AV2.

  I then kept to the 22mm Pan and 20mm Pentax (x179) alternating between the two eyepieces and couldn’t decide which was best so I think this was the optimum power for the conditions which I should say weren’t bad at this point; 21.1 SQM and NELM 5.5.

  I was using a diagonal and they were on the meridian so North was up and West to the left in the eyepiece. After some scrutiny I picked up a galaxy to the left (NGC 3790), I think this was a tad easier in the 20mm Pentax (AV3).

  Couldn’t detect anything else. So I then sent the scope to NGC 3806 whilst looking in the eyepiece. NGC 3801 moved to the lower left and slightly below centre I was picking up NGC 3806 AV3. I think it was just too close to the edge to pick up when NGC 3801 was in the centre.

  

  So this sketch was made BEFORE looking at the chart. I then looked at the chart and had a look for NGC 3803 but no chance, also a bit of clagg was coming in and I now wasn’t seeing NGC 3802 either. I probably spent about 45 minutes scrutinising the field.

  Switched to doubles as the skies got claggier and packed in just before 5am, not a bad unexpected session.

  Andrew Robertson - 3 February 2017

• Observations of the NGC 3842 Group in Leo

  This is my sketch of the NGC 3842 group near by to NGC 3804. I was very pleased to get so many of the group but then the conditions were about as good as they get in GB. The early hours of 4th February 2017 had superbly transparent skies (NELM 5.6).

  

  Notes

  • NGC 3842 - oval with a small core, easy to see.
  • UGC 6697 - lovely edge on.
  • NGC 3837 - also showing a hint of a core.

  All remaining NGC galaxies were faint but seen direct.

  • PGC 169975 - hint of fuzz.
  • PGC 36544 - AV located it.
  • PGC 36478 - AV located it.

  Mike Wood - (4 February 2017)

• M95 and M96 in Leo

  In 2012, I captured an image of supernova SN2012AW in M95 with a Canon DSLR. Although I had captured 10 x 5 minute subs, there was very little to see of the galaxy apart from the core region and the bar. I attach that image for interest.

  

  I've always been intrigued by M95 because I could not make out its true shape and extent.

  I returned to M95 on 26 March this year and just managed to fit it and M96 in the same field of view of the Quattro and a QSI 583 camera. I managed only to collect luminance data that night but was able to return on 4 April and collect some colour data despite being hampered by a moon, just one day off full.

  

  The attached image, therefore, comprises LRGB data with 90 minutes of luminance and 30 minutes each of RGB all in 5-minute subs and binned 1 x1. The image was captured with a 10-inch Skywatcher Quattro telescope and a QSI 583 camera mounted on an EQ6 mount. Processing was done in Pixinsight and Photoshop.

  David Reynolds (26 March 2015).