Monday 18th June 2007

Southern Sentinel Observing Report

Monday 18th June 2007

Date:

18th June 2007 (Local)

Time:

19:30 - 21:00 NZDT (UT +13)

Location:

Kumeu Observatory

30 Minutes from Home

Weather:

Mild with a Light Breeze. Cloudy at Times.

Seeing:

Limiting Magnitude 5.5, transparency 3/5, seeing 3/5

Moon:

No Moon

Equipment:

13.1 Inch Dobsonian, TeleVue Paracorr & Eyepieces & Lumicon Filters

Dave Ek Box and PalmDSC

Another nice day in Auckland, but the sky tended to cloud up at the end of the day. I decided to make the trip to Kumeu, after Paul Moss collected my StellarVue AT1010 which I sold to him. Sad to see the StellarVue go.

Both Alan Kane and Alastair Duhs were already there setting up when I arrived and the skies were patchy at best.

Because of the spur-of-the-moment decision to go to Kumeu, I did not have a plan as such.

Amazingly, this is the first night I have observed at Kumeu this year....how has that happened!!

Observations as follows;

Object	Type	Magnification	Notes
NGC 6072	Planetary Nebula	176x	Fairly large and bright Planetary Nebula. Round with a bit of irregularly noted.
NGC 5979	Planetary Nebula	176x	Small round southern planetary. Hint of annularity and a definate central star. Still very small at the higher power.
NGC 5844	Planetary Nebula	176x	Irregular planetary nebula in Triangulum Australae. Easily defined and has an odd shape, a bit like the old inground pool, between a kidney bean and an peanut shell. Nice and contrasty.
NGC 3201	Globular Cluster	176x	Nice southern globular. Sharp and well framed at higher power. Another excellent example on how an object can look more impressive at greater magnification.
NGC 3132	Planetary Nebula	176x	Nice views of the Eight Burst tonight. Multiple shells and a prominent central star.
NGC 2822	Galaxy	176x	Small galaxy in the same FOV as Miaplacidus. Non descript, but bright and noticable.
NGC 2808	Globular Cluster	176x	Nice southern globular with excellent resolution at this power. Observing at this power makes this globulars reminisient of M22. Nicely framed.
NGC 2442	Galaxy	176x	NGC2442 detail is not enhanced by this amount of power and from a semi-rural sky. Not enough contrast to detect any irregularity in the shape.
M 22	Globular Cluster	176x	Had another look at M22 tonight, at higher power. Nicely framed in this eyepiece.
Jupiter	Planet	176x	Seeing much better than Waharau, 11mm Nagler holding up quite well. Detail is subtle and could be helped by filters. No Red Spot and a Shadow Transit finished as I started to setup.

Not much to see tonight, cloud was an ever present problem. Wind was not a problem and the seeing was much improved over Waharau, which allowed a higher power to be employed and nice views of Jupiter to be enjoyed.

Palm was spot on tonight…flat ground, I reckon. Not supposed to make a difference, but I think it does somehow.

Had some high powered looks at two overlooked southern globulars; NGC3201 & NGC2808. Very nice. Some planetaries were also recorded.

Cloud was pretty thick from about 8:50 PM and I called it quits at 9:15 PM.

Home by 10 PM. 3 out of 4 nights in a row at the telescope, awhile since this has happened.

Paul Kemp

13.1" Reflector

Auckland, New Zealand

36° 55' 09 " South, 174° 43' 30" East

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