A pair of Messier open clusters and the NGC83 galaxy group

More catching up from this autumn:

I confess to not being a huge fan of open clusters, but I would like to someday complete all the Messier sketches, so I do a couple every now and then.

M29 Cooling Tower 21/09/2012 20:45 UT; Pickering 8, NELM 5.5, SQM 20.6
125mm Refractor @ 80X

Simple asterism. Fits in MC1610 at 160X, but loses its shape due to too may dimmer stars showing up. Cooling tower shape apparent in FC-125, but still far from exciting.

M39 21/09/2012 21:01 UT; Pickering 8, NELM 5.5, SQM 20.6
125mm Refractor @ 40X

Loose (and quite large) open cluster in a rich field. General shape defined by 8 of its brighter members. Dimmer members not really in any greater density than the field stars.

As if in reward, my next target was a real knock-out:

NGC83 Group NGC83 21/09/2012 22:00 UT; Pickering 8, NELM 5.5, SQM 20.6
400mm Mak-Cass @ 160X

Fantastic galaxy grouping, revealing more and more as I studied it. At 160X NGC80 is direct vision with a semi-stellar core, while NGC83 is averted-vision with no appreciable condensation. NGC79 and 93 are both suspected.

NGC79 and 93 confirmed at 250X; 79 with no appreciable condensation, while 93 shows a very weak condensation. There's also either a dim star or a galaxy core at the location of NGC86, and something fading in and out of averted vision (perhaps 25%) at the location of NGC91.

NGC86 confirmed at 340X (where its core becomes semi-stellar and its halo near-enough 100% in averted), and NGC91 has move up to 75% averted (with easy re-acquisition). NGC 85 replaces it as the now-you-see-it-now-you-don't, appearing in averted vision perhaps 33% of the time, with some difficulty re-acquiring.

Happy New Year, everyone!
Jeff.

Ah yes. It has been quite a while since I observed M29 and M39. They are both in Cygnus -I must check them out in August. Great sketches, Jeff and a wonderful galaxy too.

Aubrey.

nice catch there with ngc83,
yea, agree with you there on open clusters, some are just richer star field areas.

Thanks, guys!

(Dave, you should definitely give the NGC83 group a go with your 20" next year. I think you'll like it.)

Cheers,
Jeff.

Hi jeyjey, many thanks for the excellent information in your post. You have given me a number of wonderful targets to chase over the coming year.

Hi Jayjay,

Very nice drawings indeed well done.