[Lvas] FW: Mitchell overlook

[roger ivester]

LVAS, all

 

Some interesting notes and images from NC observer Steve Davis. Steve presents another good object for observation, NGC 4631 and the companion galaxy NGC-4627 AKA the whale and pup. 

 

I have a number of sketches of both galaxies. It requires a good night for me to see the faint 13th magnitude N-4627. Steve's image shows both nicely. The pup is mostly round, very faint, small with little concentration as seen through my 10-inch in my moderately light polluted backyard. I have noted that averted vision is required on many of my notes.

 

Steve was using a 130 Astro-physics Starfire refractor, with a massive AP mount.   

 

roger

 


 


Subject: Mitchell overlook
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:30:40 -0400
From: Steve.Davis at fascontrols.com
To: drivester at hotmail.com


Roger,
Here are a couple of quick images from my outing this weekend. These are quick shots of low quality but should give an idea of what can be seen in the 130 operating at f6. I wanted to work in the greater Virgo area –an area that stretches from M51 to M66. I did get a fair view of NGC 4631 (attached) but the pup could not be had visually. There seemed to be some upper level moisture Sat night as the sky seemed a little  “soft”. Maybe just my eyes going bad <g>
 The sky looked so good Sunday I decided to venture back up last night  to try again. That was a good call as conditions were probably the best I had ever seen at that location,  the sky was absolutely transparent to the horizon (+4600’ elev doesn’t hurt). The attached link will provide a virtual tour of the site.   
M84/84 were easily seen @25x along with a host of the NGC galaxies in the area.  A person could spend months exploring this area-so many objects, so little time. Around 12:30 I also revisited Omega Centauri and the  Centaurus A- a poor unguided shot of these is also attached as “proof”.  Centaurus was not visible in the 50mm finder – I just put the crosshairs on the approx location and went “fishing” in the 32 widefield.  I quickly detected a faint patch of light  but the glow from the Old Fort area was making it difficult.  Still not a bad  deal considering the target- we need to look at this one from Ocracoke Island me thinks. Omega Centauri was easily located in the finder and presented  well in the eyepiece. I was a little shocked at how good it actually was. That says a lot for the object to  look reasonably good under that situation. 
Last night I packed up and got back around 1:30- I’ll pay for it today but it was worth it.


<<omega_cent.jpg>> <<whale_PUP.jpg>> <<cent_A.jpg>> 
http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway_tour/overlooks/00350b.asp
Steve Davis
FAS CONTROLS INC
1100 Airport Rd.
Shelby, NC 28150
704-482-9582 x304
704-481-1741 fax

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