Off the Star Charts

Last night I had my new scope out and stumbled across a few things. Does this sound right?

I was looking at M105 and NGC3384. A third galaxy was right next to them in the same view that wasn't on the chart (Cambridge Atlas 3rd edition). There were supposed to be 7 in the immediate area. I checked then all and this was #8.

I had a similar thing in M35. Out on the edge I stumbled across a nebula that looked sort of like the little dumbell. I didn't have a filter on. It was faint and wispy. I moved off and on a number of times and it was definitely there. It's not on my chart.

Who else has seen these?

Ed

BTW My new 12.5 inch scope kicks butt!!!

Hi Ed,
M95,M96,M105 and NGC3384 are right next to each other. Then Leo Triplet NGC3628, #1 M65, #2 M66 and NGC 3607 are very close by which makes 8 galaxies in that area. Also NGC3521 and NGC3344 are nearby as well as others.
Sounds like the 12.5" is working really well. Must be to see all these nice objects. Glad this has worked out so well for you.

Ed,

I'm glad you're liking your new scope! I've been socked in with clouds here since the New Year and haven't had an observing session yet, so I'm glad to get an opportunity to do some "virtual" observing and maybe help out.

M105 and NGC3384 are accompanied by the fainter (mag 12.4, size 2'.8 x 1'.3) galaxy NGC3389. According to my observing log from last March, I was *barely* able to discern this galaxy at 55x in my 152mm refractor from my ~mag 5.5 skies at my backyard observing site. I noted the extremely faint, irregular patch of mist which I later determined to be NGC3389. You can see it if you look for a photo of M105. At higher magnifications it evaporated from my view.

Regarding M35, my suspicion is that you got a glimpse of NGC2158 (mag 12.1, 5'.0), a smaller, fainter, irregurly-shaped open cluster at the "edge" of M35. My log entry for this object notes that at 55x in my 152mm refractor it appeared as a hazy patch that hinted at stars. At 133x a few stars popped in and out of my visual threshold. In a scope your size a higher magnification should reveal it as an open cluster.

Regards,
Louis Marchesi
New London Township, PA

Ahhh, Galaxy NGC 3373 is right next to NGC 3384 Mag 12.5 and so is NGC 3379 Mag 10.9. I wonder if one of those is what you saw. They are extremely close to it. Galaxies NGC 3412, IC 643 and IC 648 are also very close by within 2°. Here is a chart showing these.

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