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Posts Made By: Rick Wiseman

March 23, 2007 02:11 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Messier Marathon - the Agony of the Realm

Posted By Rick Wiseman
Paul,

In the back of O'Meara's "Deep Sky Companion - The Messier Objects" is a good plan to find the Virgo galaxies.

I follow this plan - roughly:

I find rho Vir first. It is in a kind of arrow-like asterism. If you follow the arrow north, you will find M58. Move left and down a bit to find M59 and M60, and up and right to find M87, then further to M84 and M86.

Back to M58 and up and around to M88, M90, M91, M89. it makes a sort of coat hanger galaxy-ism.

There is a large T-shaped group of stars "past" M84 and M86. M98 and M100 are off the ends of the T, and M99 is in the middle.

Now, the top left star of the T is the bottom of a long, diamond shaped group of four stars. Move left of the top brightest star to M85.

M29 and M61 are a little further away to the west and south of rho. M104 is way south, above Corvus.

How many is that? Seventeen. Not bad for a few minutes.

I have a smallish scope, perhaps the little NGCs are not so obvious and in the way. I can see them.

I hope you can follow this tour of the Realm of galaxies. Best of luck in your Marathon.

Rick Wiseman

March 23, 2007 02:24 AM Forum: Meade

Out in the DRIVEWAY!

Posted By Rick Wiseman
Hi, Joe. I am glad to hear you are making the best of your situation, getting out and observing. Sometimes, when I want to observe the moon and Jupiter and Saturn, I set up in the driveway like you and laugh at the cars and streetlights. Other times, I have to sneak around the yard and get in the shadow of a bush or the corner of the house to look at the dim fuzzies. I have seen 108 of the Messier objects, and lots of NGCs that way. I don't know what I would do in a dark location. Be scared, probably.

Best wishes,
Rick

April 17, 2007 03:32 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

M106 and its negihbours

Posted By Rick Wiseman
Inge,

Oddly enough, I have observed 108 of the 109 Messier objects (not counting M102), and M106 is the one I am missing. I am sure I will pick it up in the next few weeks. Your comment that it has similar brightness to M51 is encouraging, I am able to see M51 and its partner easily.

Tonight I worked around the realm of galaxies in Virgo/Coma and viewed all the Messiers, also the five in Leo. Plus a few NGCs.

My eyes became tired, so I found globular M53 in Coma and finally aimed at beautiful Saturn. I hope you have clear skies and can enjoy your few weeks of remaining dark nights, Inge.

Regards,
Rick Wiseman

May 15, 2007 10:08 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

FINALLY Dagnabbit!#@$%&

Posted By Rick Wiseman
Jess,

Give M5 a look in Serpens. I looked at both M13 and M5 and found them both real good, even in my little 90mm I could see stars at the outer edges of both.

Rick

May 25, 2007 12:36 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

Mercury as May-June Evening Star

Posted By Rick Wiseman
Curt,

Thanks for the heads up about Mercury. I have never seen the phases of Mercury, in fact, I can't recall ever observing it in the telescope. It's 8:30 May 24th, I am going to go out and have a look right now!

Regards,
Rick Wiseman in Ohio

May 25, 2007 12:41 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

Is ring tilt favorable to observe Cassini

Posted By Rick Wiseman
Bill,

The rings have indeed closed up (tilted away from us) since last year, and this makes the Cassini division more difficult to observe. I think Saturn is even more aesthetically proportioned now than when the rings are wide open. In any case, I can still see Cassini with my 90mm refractor toward the ends of the rings away from the planet. Also, as the rings close up, the smaller moons should become easier to see. I can pick out Rhea now, and could not last year. I hope to pick out two or three more in the next few years.

Regards,
Rick W

May 25, 2007 12:45 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

quadruple occultation surgery

Posted By Rick Wiseman
Jess,

I have heard that it never occurs that all four Galilean moons disappear at the same time. This is because the orbital periods of the inner three are in some kind of resonance caused by their gravity. Perhaps someone knows the ratios of the orbital periods, but the ratios do not permit them to all disappear simultaneously.

Rick

August 2, 2007 02:23 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Your favourite low power view

Posted By Rick Wiseman
Inge,

I enjoy scanning around the clouds of stars and dark nebulae just west of Tarazed in Aquila - this is a great view. Also around the North American nebula in Cygnus. Also the double cluster is great with the wide angle telescope.

Rick

August 4, 2007 01:39 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

Good-bye to Venus Contest

Posted By Rick Wiseman
Curt,

Thanks for the challenge, but it seems I am already out. I last saw her July 25th, and THOUGHT I saw her the 27th.

With the hazy, lazy, crazy days of August here in the midwest, the sun is a red ball setting and rising. The horizon has that gray look all day long. If past years are a hint, this could last several weeks. We need a good cold front to move through and clear all the haze out of here.

Venus was SO bright only a ten days ago, now I can't even find her with 10X50 binoculars.

Regards,
Rick W

August 25, 2007 04:11 AM Forum: ASTRONOMY

Astronomy - Oberserving/Hours/Quitting Time

Posted By Rick Wiseman
Great question, Michael. I would like ot see everybody on Astromart respond to this one.

I get out about 8 times a month in the warm months, and maybe three or four in the winter. More because of clouds than cold. I do shovel the snow off my back patio so I can set the scope up.

I start my sessions when the sky is still light in the west, and stay out for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Rick

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