Posts Made By: Dave Mitsky

Greetings,

Here are my deep-sky object lists for May.

Dave Mitsky

One hundred and sixty-five deep-sky objects for May: NGC 5248 (Bootes); M3, M51, M63, M94, M106, NGC 4111, NGC 4138, NGC 4143, NGC 4151, NGC 4214, NGC 4217, NGC 4244, NGC 4346, NGC 4369, NGC 4449, NGC 4485, NGC 4490, NGC 4618, NGC 4631, NGC 4656, NGC 4868, NGC 5005, NGC 5033, NGC 5297, NGC 5353, NGC 5354, Up 1 (Canes Venatici); Mel 111, M53, M64, M85, M88, M91, M98, M99, M100, NGC 4064, NGC 4150, NGC 4203, NGC 4212, NGC 4251, NGC 4274, NGC 4278, NGC 4293, NGC 4298, NGC 4302, NGC 4314, NGC 4350, NGC 4414, NGC 4419, NGC 4448, NGC 4450, NGC 4459, NGC 4473, NGC 4474, NGC 4494, NGC 4559, NGC 4565, NGC 4651, NGC 4689, NGC 4710, NGC 4725, NGC 4874, NGC 5053 (Coma Berenices); NGC 4027, NGC 4038-9, NGC 4361 (Corvus); M68, M83, NGC 4105, NGC 4106, NGC 5061, NGC 5101, NGC 5135 (Hydra); M40, NGC 4036, NGC 4041, NGC 4051, NGC 4062, NGC 4085, NGC 4088, NGC 4096, NGC 4100, NGC 4144, NGC 4157, NGC 4605, NGC 5308, NGC 5322 (Ursa Major); M49, M58, M59, M60, M61, M84, M86, M87, M89, M90, M104, NGC 4030, NGC 4073, NGC 4168, NGC 4179, NGC 4206, NGC 4215, NGC 4216, NGC 4224, NGC 4235, NGC 4260, NGC 4261, NGC 4267, NGC 4281, NGC 4339, NGC 4343, NGC 4365, NGC 4371, NGC 4378, NGC 4380, NGC 4387, NGC 4388, NGC 4402, NGC 4429, NGC 4435, NGC 4438, NGC 4517, NGC 4526, NGC 4535, NGC 4536, NGC 4546, NGC 4550, NGC 4551, NGC 4567, NGC 4568, NGC 4570, NGC 4593, NGC 4596, NGC 4636, NGC 4638, NGC 4639, NGC 4643, NGC 4654, NGC 4666, NGC 4697, NGC 4698, NGC 4699, NGC 4753, NGC 4754, NGC 4760, NGC 4762, NGC 4866, NGC 4900, NGC 4958, NGC 5044, NGC 5054, NGC 5068, NGC 5077, NGC 5084, NGC 5087, NGC 5147, NGC 5170, NGC 5247, NGC 5363, NGC 5364 (Virgo)

Top ten deep-sky objects for May: M3, M51, M63, M64, M83, M87, M104, M106, NGC 4449, NGC 4565

Top ten deep-sky binocular objects for May: M3, M51, M63, M64, M84, M86, M87, M104, M106, Mel 111

Challenge deep-sky object for May: 3C 273 (Virgo)

The objects listed above are located between 12:00 and 14:00 hours of right ascension.

Last night a friend of mine and I were at one of the best "local" dark sites. The CSC looked extremely good for the entire region but the transparency during the early part of the night was rather disappointing. (It improved markedly around 1:00 a.m.)

In addition to dozens of DSOs, including several obscure planetary nebulae, I viewed two ISS passes and a number of other satellite events, several bright meteors, and a number of new asteroids, (one being 14.1 magnitude) and three comets that I hadn't seen before. One of them was comet C/2006 W3 (Christensen) in Pegasus. Compared to the other two, this comet was surprisingly bright in my friend's 20" Starmaster Sky Tracker Dob and sported a short tail.

For more on C/2006 W3 (Christensen), see the following sites:

http://www.aerith.net/comet/catalog/2006W3/2006W3.html

http://transientsky.wordpress.com/tag/comet-christensen/

http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/

Dave Mitsky

Weekly Sunday night public observing sessions for the summer of 2009 begin June 7 at the Astronomical Society of Harrisburg's Naylor Observatory. Due to the ASH Cherry Springs Star Party, there won't be an observing session on June 21.

http://www.astrohbg.org/ASH-e/Public_Observing.html

Directions to the observatory are posted at http://www.astrohbg.org/ASH-i/Directions.html

Dave Mitsky

The Astronomical Society of Harrisburg's 2009 Cherry Springs Star Party will take place from June 18 to June 21. Browse http://www.astrohbg.org/CSSP/Information.html for additional information.

Dave Mitsky

Greetings,

Here are my deep-sky object lists for this month.

Dave Mitsky

Fifty deep-sky objects for June: NGC 5466, NGC 5676, NGC 5689 (Bootes); M102 (NGC 5866), NGC 5678, NGC 5879, NGC 5905, NGC 5907, NGC 5908, NGC 5949, NGC 5963, NGC 5965, NGC 5982, NGC 5985, NGC 6015 (Draco); NGC 5694 (Hydra); NGC 5728, NGC 5791, NGC 5796, NGC 5812, NGC 5861, NGC 5878, NGC 5897 (Libra); M5, NGC 5921, NGC 5957, NGC 5962, NGC 5970, NGC 5984 (Serpens Caput); M101, NGC 5473, NGC 5474, NGC 5485, NGC 5585, NGC 5631 (Ursa Major); NGC 5566, NGC 5634, NGC 5701, NGC 5713, NGC 5746, NGC 5750, NGC 5775, NGC 5806, NGC 5813, NGC 5831, NGC 5838, NGC 5846, NGC 5850, NGC 5854, NGC 5864 (Virgo)

Top ten deep-sky objects for June: M5, M101, M102, NGC 5566, NGC 5585, NGC 5689, NGC 5746, NGC 5813, NGC 5838, NGC 5907

Top five deep-sky binocular objects for June: M5, M101, M102, NGC 5466, NGC 5907

Challenge deep-sky object for June: Abell 2065

Greetings,

Here are my deep-sky object lists for this month.

Dave Mitsky

Fifty deep-sky objects for June: NGC 5466, NGC 5676, NGC 5689 (Bootes); M102 (NGC 5866), NGC 5678, NGC 5879, NGC 5905, NGC 5907, NGC 5908, NGC 5949, NGC 5963, NGC 5965, NGC 5982, NGC 5985, NGC 6015 (Draco); NGC 5694 (Hydra); NGC 5728, NGC 5791, NGC 5796, NGC 5812, NGC 5861, NGC 5878, NGC 5897 (Libra); M5, NGC 5921, NGC 5957, NGC 5962, NGC 5970, NGC 5984 (Serpens Caput); M101, NGC 5473, NGC 5474, NGC 5485, NGC 5585, NGC 5631 (Ursa Major); NGC 5566, NGC 5634, NGC 5701, NGC 5713, NGC 5746, NGC 5750, NGC 5775, NGC 5806, NGC 5813, NGC 5831, NGC 5838, NGC 5846, NGC 5850, NGC 5854, NGC 5864 (Virgo)

Top ten deep-sky objects for June: M5, M101, M102, NGC 5566, NGC 5585, NGC 5689, NGC 5746, NGC 5813, NGC 5838, NGC 5907

Top five deep-sky binocular objects for June: M5, M101, M102, NGC 5466, NGC 5907

Challenge deep-sky object for June: Abell 2065

I observed the occultation of Antares from the Astronomical Society of Harrisburg's Naylor Observatory on Saturday night using a 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain at 162x and its 5" f/5 finder scope. I took a number of photos of Antares and the Moon after Antares reappeared. Even though the conditions weren't ideal, I was also able to catch a glimpse or two of Antares B.

Here's a prime focus image taken through the 17" with a Canon EOS Digital Rebel DSLR camera.

Dave Mitsky

Anyone who's interested in attending the 2009 Cherry Springs Star Party should register ASAP. The deadline is approaching and there will be no non-registered admissions at the gate this year.

http://www.astrohbg.org/CSSP/Registration.html

Dave Mitsky

Cherry Springs State Park in Potter County, Pennsylvania, is one of the best places to observe from east of the Mississippi and is the site of the Cherry Springs Star Party in June and the Black Forest Star Party in September. It is the subject of the featured article on the Wikipedia home page today.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

The deadline for registering for the Cherry Springs Star Party is almost here.

http://www.astrohbg.org/CSSP/Registration.html

Dave Mitsky

There's an interesting article on what can be learned from a partial lunar eclipse at http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/home/47919427.html

Dave Mitsky