Deep Sky Observing

DEEP SKY OBSERVINGby Mark Wagner

December 2007 third quarter to new moon observing list. The list begins in the north and moves southward. Objects are within roughly a one hour section of right ascension that is at a comfortable elevation to the east at astronomical dark. This list is just a sampling of the full list which is at http://www.resource-intl.com/Deep.Sky.Dec.07.html.

Object Const. Type Size Mag R.A. Dec.

NGC 884 Per. OC 29.0’ 6.1 02 22 20 57 08 00

Can you split the Double Cluster into two halves naked eye?

NGC 869 Per. OC 29.0’ 5.3 02 19 04 57 08 06

Can you split the Double Cluster into two halves naked eye?

M34 Per. OC 35.0’ 5.2 02 42 08 42 45 00

NGC 1039. Nice binocular object.

NGC 1023 Per. GX 8.7’x2.3’ 10.4 02 40 24 39 03 46

18” f/4.5. Very bright core with long tenuous arms to the E&W.

NGC 772 Ari. GX 7.2’x4.2’ 11.2 01 59 19 19 00 30

18” f/4.3. bright, very large, elongated. Impression of spiral arm.

NGC 1055 Psc. GX 7.6’x2.6’ 11.4B 02 41 44 00 26 31

18” f/4.3. bright, large elongated galaxy, nearly edge on.

M77 Cet. GX 7.1’x6.0’ 9.6B 02 42 40 -00 00 48

NGC 1068. Arp 37. 150mm f/12. tight spiral with many arms.

NGC 779 Psc. GX 4.0’x1.1’ 12 01 59 42 -05 57 52

17.5” f/4.5. Bright, very elongated, brighter core, stellar nucleus.

NGC 720 Psc. GX 4.6’x2.3’ 11.2 01 53 00 -13 44 21

17.5” f/4.5. Bright, 2.0’x1’. Well defined core, faint outer halo.

NGC 1022 Psc. GX 2.4’x1.9’ 12.1B 02 38 32 -06 40 42

8” f/6. faint, small, diffuse, broad concentration, slightly elongated.

N0991 Psc. GX 2.7’x2.4’ 12.4P 02 35 32 -07 09 15

17.5” f/4.5. Large, diffuse, weak concentration.

NGC 1084 Eri. GX 3.2’x1.7’ 11.3B 02 45 59 -07 34 42

17.5” f/4.5. Lots of detail. Bright, mottled, dark lanes, irregular.

NGC 1052 Psc. GX 3.0’x2.4’ 10.4 02 41 04 -08 15 22

13.1” f/4.5. Very bright, small, round, intense core. Large group.

N1045 Psc. GX 2.3’x1.2’ 12.9 02 40 29 -11 16 38

17.5” f/4.5. Bright, small, prominent core, stellar nucleus.

NGC 908 Psc. GX 6.0’x2.6’ 10.8B 02 23 05 -21 13 59

17.5” f/4.5. Fairly bright, large, irregular, possible nucleus.

Arp 77 For. GX 12.7’x9.4’ 10.2 02 46 18 -30 16 21

17.5” f/4.5 NGC 1097 very bright large & elongated, bright core.