Observations of NGC4342
These are the observations available for NGC4342. If you have any of your own that you'd like to submit we'd love to put them on the website.
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NGC 4365 in Virgo
Observations using 20 inch Dob in magnitude 5 semi-rural skies on the evening of the 29th March 2024. Seeing conditions were good with high transparency. These galaxies were approximately at 40 degrees altitude.
NGC 4365: Very bright object with large halo and obvious stellar core. Situated in between two bright field stars which enhanced the view using a 10mm Ortho eyepiece giving a magnification of 200x.
I then star hopped using the triangle of stars to the right of NGC 4365 on the map below to find a view with a trio of galaxies.
NGC 4342 was the brightest of the three galaxies in this eyepiece view frame. The galaxy could be seen with direct vision and was round in shape.
NGC 4343 was only visible with averted vision. The galaxy had a much lower surface brightness than 4342 and was oval in shape. A brighter core was noted.
NGC 4341 was only glimpsed occasionally with averted vision. It was extended in shape.
I was unable to see IC 3259 or IC 3267 or the nearby NGC 4309.
Observation chart of the area around NGC 4365 in Virgo. The field star and NGC 4343 / 4343 in a line made for a special view.
Mark Stuart - (29 March 2024).
