A few more galaxies in UMa (some sketched)

NGC2841 3/8/2008 20:45 UTC; Pickering 4, NELM 5, SQM 20.5

Bright, well-condensed nucleus with a large, direct vision disk. Disk truncated toward ENE (in direction of prominent straw-colored field star); in averted-vision extends slightly past W asterism to NW.

260x shows dark lane better, but abysmal seeing much more apparent at this magnification.

NGC2950 3/8/2008 20:45 UTC; Pickering 4, NELM 5, SQM 20.5

Quite small and fairly circular with bright semi-stellar core and hints of an averted vision bar at 175x; bar more prominent at 260x. Sort of a miniature flying saucer look.

This is one that's better visually than in images -- where the bar usually washes out.

NGC2976 3/8/2008 20:45 UTC; Pickering 4, NELM 5, SQM 20.5

Large moderately-bright smudge with no condensation. Very irregular edge, but no structure or mottling. Elongated NW-SE, perhaps 3:1.

M81 3/8/2008 20:45 UTC; Pickering 4, NELM 5, SQM 20.5

Very bright and large with a well-condensed core surrounded by an extensive disk elongated perhaps 3:1. Nice double to SSW.

Cheers,
-- Jeff.

Lookin' good Jeff, you're really getting that sketching bug.

Seanie.

Very nice Jey, you have put alot of effort into those images.

Thanks Seanie and Dave.

IE seems to be doing something strange and compressing the gray levels in the JPG of the M81 sketch (the outside edge doesn't look anything like Photoshop shows it). Here's a GIF image which doesn't seem to have the same problem:



Cheers,
-- Jeff.