Finally got a clear night to try out my new wheelbarrow handle setup! I’m still a little nervous using them, it’s going to take me some time to get used to doing it. They work though! It should make things much easier in the future.
It wasn’t supposed to be clear tonight but things turned out for the better. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Since there were no moisture the transparency was killer. The seeing was good too. I wish I could of stayed out longer but I’m up with only a few hours of sleep. I had a long day so my bed is calling. I had a good refreshing hour long session. Within the hour I logged 11 new galaxies.
NGC 3790: Tiny but surprisenly bright. Surface brightness is about a magnitude or so brighter. Elongated.
NGC 3801: Bright elongated oval. Surface is high with no detail. Has an elliptical appeal. Sits in a small cluster of galaxies in Leo. I can see NGC3790 and NGC3802. I cannot see NGC3806. NGC3801 is the brightest of the cluster.
NGC 3802: Tiny, faint but I can hold it with averted vision. Elongated. Sits right underneat NGC3801. This galaxy is the faintest of the 3 galaxies I can see in this Leo cluster.
NGC 3884: Small, faint with some elongation in the surface. The galaxy is difficult to see with the very bright 7th magnitude star right next to it.
NGC 3883: Bright with a high surface brightness. Bright core. I can see some surface irregularity. The 9th magnitude star SAO81980 looks pink to me.
NGC 3937: Bright and medium sized. Has a very bright over powering core. It’s hard to see much of the surface because of the core. Requires averted vision to see it entirely. I can pick up some slight elongation but that’s it.
NGC 3940: Small, bright, and round. Bright core. High surface.
NGC 3943: Small, perfectly round, faint. Sits right next to a 7th magnitude star.
NGC 3947: Very small, faint. Surface brightness is about par. Some elongation. Slightly brighter in the center.
NGC 3954: Very small, bright, appears round. Bright core.
MCG 4-28-93: Tiny, very faint, hard to hold steady with averted vision. Near stellar.
Hopefully tomorrow will turn out to be good. I could use another night out.
-CJ
