[sac-forum] Call for Observations
- From: "AJ Crayon" <acrayon@xxxxxxx>
- To: "SAC Forum" <sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 2 Jan 2012 12:25:24 -0700
Seems the holidays have taken its toll on this column. So, trying to not fall
to far behind it is time for submitting observations for the next
constellation. That is the one we were "supposed" to observe last month. It
was Andromeda, don't you remember that? See the December issue. Regardless
here's the list of entries for which observations are needed.
BTW, if you didn't get out, like everyone else, check your observing archives
for candidates. They, toooo, are acceptable. The list of objects follows -
The New Year will start out with Andromeda, which has only been done in 2004 –
December to exact. That installation covered most of the show pieces of the
constellation, yet there are some interesting things to check out, amongst them
are a couple of open clusters and asterisms in addition to one MCG entry. So,
without farther delay, let’s get on with the list. I’ve read a few times about
a reference to the Andromeda Dipper that, actually, isn’t a dipper at all. Yet
some times it creeps up in conversations, articles or the Internet. So to help
understand this here are the stars that makeup this misnomer. It starts in
Andromeda with gamma, beta and alpha then continues in Pegasus with gamma,
alpha and beta. Don’t ask me where this naming began, hopefully this will help
from keeping it from spreading. Now, moving on to objects of more interest we
start in the western part of the constellation with NGC7640, a nearly edge-on
spiral listed as faint and large. Also in the western reaches is UGC12632, a
12th mag spiral. What kind of NGC Description would you use to describe this
galaxy? Next is the open cluster Aveni-Hunter 1 listed in the SAC database at
23h 37.8m +48° 34’. The documentation but has no reference for this catalog.
It is referenced in deepskypedia.com as an open cluster in Andromeda with no
other comments. It includes the variable star BM Andromeda. With your
observation give a star count and estimate the Trumpler description in addition
to other features that seem important to you. Next is an entry from the
Morphological Catalog of Galaxies and its number is MCG +08-01-016. You can
find its 12th mag at 23h 59.2’ and +46° 53’. The MCG catalog notes indicate it
is face-on and the inner regions are completely black. Perhaps a larger scope
will reveal this feature. Moving on to the next is NGC160, an early type
spiral galaxy. Be careful as the field includes an 8th mag star that may make
this a difficult observation. Moving on towards the center part of the
constellation is another galaxy, NGC252. This galaxy has a nice double star
that precedes by about 4’. Now we get a small surprise, NGC272 an open
cluster. It’s listed as mag 8.5 but don’t expect much. As in prior open
clusters give star count, your Trumpler description along with features that
jump out at you. Going back to galaxies is the bright and small NGC529. It
precedes another galaxy of mag 13.2, can you see it in your telescope? Now
towards the eastern part of the constellation is an asterism titled the Golf
Putter found at 01h 52.5m and +37° 30’ and is 95' X 25'. What end is the
putter found? NGC982 our last object for this sequence. It is a faint, small
galaxy that is supposed to be north follow if 2 galaxies. Do you see them?
Sorry if there is any confusion.
AJ Crayon
Phoenix, AZ
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