[AZ-Observing] NGC 5474, et al

     Here, are some notes from last Friday night. I was observing with the 
10-inch, f/4.5 Starfinder from Anderson Mesa, the Lowell dark sky site 
southeast 
of Flagstaff.
NGC 5474: http://members.aol.com/billferris/n5474.html
     This galaxy is among several in the neighborhood of M101. My sketch 
presents a 129X view in my 10-inch equatorial Newtonian. NGC 5474 covers a 
10'x5' 
area at the center of the drawing. the core and main disk appear roughly 5' in 
diameter. With averted vision a fairly large spiral arm is seen arcing 
westward from the disk. A second, shorter arm reaches to the east-southeast. 
Neither 
appears on DSS images, but this is a loose spiral galaxy and arms should 
range far from the core. A 14th magnitude star dimly glows in the foreground 
just 
north of the central disk region. A tight triangular grouping of 11th and 12th 
magnitude stars is seen about 9' to the northwest. The 10.8 magnitude spiral 
galaxy is about 26' northwest of 7.1 magnitude HD 123518. M101 lies beyond the 
field boundary to the northwest.

     Regarding the spiral arms, has anybody else observed these in NGC 5474?

NGC 3718, NGC 3729: http://members.aol.com/billferris/n37183729.html
     This galaxy pair hangs from the bowl of the dipper like water drops from 
a laddle. My drawing presents a 129X view in the 10-inch. NGC 3718 is west of 
center. This 10.7 magnitude barred spiral has an interesting dark lane 
structure. The galaxy is split in two triangular sections with a barely 
discernable 
dark lane bisecting them along a northwest-to-southeast track. It covers a 
7'x3' area. A pair of 11th magnitude GSC stars are close-set at the southern 
extent of this galaxy's soft glow. Another 11th magnitude star marks the 
northern 
limit. NGC 3729 is visible just 11' to the east, very near yet another 11th 
magnitude GSC star. This 11.4 magnitude peculiar galaxy covers a 3'x2' area. 
You'll find NGCs 3718 and 3729 about 3 degrees west-southwest of 2.4 magnitude 
Phad.

     Any other observations of the dark lane in NGC 3718?

NGC 6309 "Box Nebula": http://members.aol.com/billferris/n6309.html
     Tiny, can't begin to describe this one. At just 45"x20" in size, NGC 
6309 is very difficult to detect at less than high power. I used 388X to make 
the 
observation recorded in my sketch. A 12th magnitude foreground star is 
centered. The planetary extends south-southeast over a distance of some 45". 
This 
dainty ribbon of light is just 20" wide. The south end of the nebula appears 
slightly tapered, making NGC 6309 look something like a parallelogram. But the 
end closest to the star looks squared.
     NGC 6309 is sometimes called the Box nebula. I can see the resemblance 
in some images but, considering the challenging nature and irregular form of 
this miniscule planetary, it doesn't really to fit the mold of objects meriting 
a popular name. You'll find this 10th magnitude object in eastern Ophiuchus, 
almost 2 degrees west of 4.3 magnitude 53 (Nu) Serpentis.

     At what aperture, have folks seen this planetary as a "box?"

Regards,

Bill in Flagstaff


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