Light Cup bagged Barnard's Galaxy

My 4" TV-102 Light Cup has been trying to bag NGC 6822, a dwarf galaxy famously known as "Barnard's Galaxy". This galaxy literally dwarfed my already runty Light Cup last year. Night after night, failures after failures from my backyard. I even employed Bill Ferris' beautiful sketch, but to no avail. Just stars and gray background everywhere. Low power was no go. Upping to medium power of 73x and
more was no good :-(. You won't believe how many nights I tried last year! So Barnard's Galaxy become another one of the Light Cup's nemesis!
http://hometown.aol.com/billferris/n6822.html

Well, this morning (06/04/03 8:15UT) after my Pluto session and under the dark sky of mag 6.5 (never came close to this from my backyard) at an altitude of 6000 ft., I limped to the target and what do you know: it's right there where it should be at 22x. Looks like a brightening against the background sky. 30x gave the best most contrasty view with the central portion *slightly and I mean slightly* brighter than the rest of the galaxy, oval looking, slightly grainy looking with a few stars seen in the galaxy with averted vision! No core whatsoever and it's large - which is why it was impossible from my backyard. 73x was no good; so indeed this galaxy lives up to its reputation of needing low power. Again, dark sky contrast was the decisive factor. All in all, another nemesis nullified by the now tall in the saddle Roadside Light Cup ;-).

What amazes me is that it was discovered by Barnard with his 6" refractor (his first profession telescope?). Being that the galaxy lies in the rich star field of Sgr., I just can't see how he could have ever discovered this so elusive galaxy. It was sure darn hard just to bag it knowing where to look!
http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/ngc/n6822.html
(don't let this nice and bright photo fool you ;-)

Ron B[ee]

Remember that in 1884 the night skies were much darker. Lanturns don't create a lot light polution. That's why Messier could find all those objects, some VERY faint, with a scope no where near as good as what most of us have, and yet he seemed to have an easier time of it. Dark, unpolluted skies is a BIG help.

When you get those rare nights when the seeing is an 11 on a 1-10 scale, make the most of it. If you have to go to work the next day, just plan on yawning a lot, it wont kill you. Make the most of the exceptionally nights. Stay up all night and just go to work tired. It will be well worth it and you can catch up on your sleep the next night. Call in sick or something if you must, but NEVER walk away from perfect seeing.

Daryl