October 6, 2024

Fall Caldwells

October 5, 2024. Cherry Springs. 20" F/4. T 4/5, S 4/5. SQM 21.1, diffuse aurora. Fall Caldwells.

NGC 188, OC, Cep. 8 mm. Very rich in faint and barely resolved stars. The brighter stars appear to be foreground. No concentration but well detached.

NCG 40, PN, Cep. 8 mm. Bright central star. Slightly ellipsoid annulus. One side enhanced. Faint star just beyond the edge. Brighter star near.

NGC 7023, RN, Cep. 8 mm. Bluish nebula around a bright star, more to one side. On the opposite side, a fainter patch. The latter seems to be connected to a faint star. The nebulosity appears to continue in a spiral fashion from the faint star to a dim, long arc around the central part.

NGC 559, OC, Cas. 8 mm. This cluster seems to consist of 4 arms of stars that converge on one side and are swept toward the lucida on the other. Stars similar to the lucida are in the background nearby.

Sh 2-155, EN, Cep. 8 mm. Only the compact knot that is next to the bright star is seen. It is immediately next to a faint star, and a slightly brighter star is farther away. OIII filter makes it disappear, suggesting that this knot is a reflection nebulosity. [Wikipedia confirms that Sh 2-155 involves some reflection nebulosity, although the source of this information is unclear.]

NGC 663, OC, Cas. Just framed by the 8 mm. Has two arcs of stars on one side and a void in the middle that is shaped like the digit 8.

NGC 7635, EN, Cas. Bubble Nebula. 8 mm. This nebula lies to one side of a bright star. One edge enhanced, running from the bright star. Faint star on the other edge. Comparing with photographs, this is not the bubble but rather the dot in the comma that forms one side of the bubble.

NGC 6946, GX, Cep. 8 mm. One arm dominates and has a fainter branch splitting off its inner edge. A second arm is fainter and has many stars involved. A third arm is shorter and is also traced by some bright stars along its outer edge. It has a distinct knot at its end.

NGC 457, OC, Cas. Just framed by the 8 mm. Bright cluster with no concentration. Double lucida on the edge. The center appears dominated by a symmetrical pair of comma-like arrangements of bright stars.

NGC 7009, PN, Aqr. Saturn Nebula. 8 mm. Bright turquoise ellipsoid with thin ansae, one steadier than the other. Suggestion of annularity in the ellipsoid.

NGC 7293, PN, Aqr. Helix Nebula. Framed by 8 mm. Very large uneven annulus, opposite sides enhanced, in one place almost broken.

NGC 6934,GC, Del. 8 mm. Considerably small, concentrated, resolved across the core. Bright star near.

NGC 7006, GC, Del. 8 mm. Faint, small, resolved on the periphery. Core smoothly concentrated.

NGC 7479, GX, Peg. 8 mm. Faint stellar nucleus. Greatly elongated core reaches to a bright star. Its other end curves around a fainter star.

NGC 7331, GX, Peg. 8 mm. Greatly elongated, stretches across the field. Sharp nucleus, bright elongated core. Dust on one side. 2 small galaxies near.

NGC 7814, GX, Peg. 8 mm. Round core, faint tapering extensions. There is an immediate suggestion of an equatorial dust lane, but it remains subtle. (This is the first time I've been able to to see it.)

IC 1613, GX, Cet. 8 mm. 2 mottled patches are visible: 1 between a filed star and a faint double, the other near the double at right angles with this line.

NGC 246, PN, Cet. 8 mm. Very large, considerably faint, off-round, edge unevenly enhanced. 4 stars involved, including the central star.

NGC 247, GX, Cet. 8 mm. Greatly elongated, stretches across the field. Bright star on one end. Short hook on the other end, which is longer.

NGC 253, GX, Scl. 8 mm. Marvelous sight. Very greatly elongated; stretches across two fields of view. Fine mottling and dust near the core. Two arms run to the ends, one hooked back toward the core and the other straight.