Deep Sky Spring/Early Summer Observations May 2017

Observation Conditions | Observation Overview | List of Observed Sky Objects | Remarks | References

From the end of April to the end of May (1st of June, actually...), it is the time for "spring observations", which also comprise some sky objects that might be assigned to early summer and which might be of interest to other beginners and are therefore described here.

Observation Conditions

Sky Region and Objects

I initially restricted myself to the sky region around Ursa Major (Great Bear), Canes Venatici (Hunting Dogs), Gemini (Twins), Coma Berenices (Berenice's Hair), Cancer (Crab), Leo (Lion) because all there were located in about the same direction (Southwest to South). Moreover, I looked to the East in the direction of Hercules.

On my "observation list" there were firstly: M 81/82 (Ursa Major/Great Bear), M 3 (Canes Venatici/Hunting Dogs), M 53 (Coma Berenices/Berenice's Hair), M 35 (Gemini/Twins), M44 and M 67 (Cancer/Crab), as well as M 65/66 and M 96 (Leo/Lion). From May 10 on, I sometimes "drifted" to the East for M 13 und M 92 (Hercules). From mid-May on, I was also able to observe M 5 (Serpens/Serpent). The list of observed objects is, in fact, a little bit longer...

At the end of May, the moon returned to the night sky and made observing deep sky objects increasingly difficult. I then focused on the moon, Jupiter and its moons, the open star cluster in Coma Berenice (Mel 111), and Castor (Gemini/Twins) and Mizar (Ursa Major/Big Dipper) as as double stars. The first of June 2017 was my last observation day in this observation series.

Overview Map

Map, More Oriented Towards the West

The following map is more oriented towards the West. It shows approximately the sky area that I primarily browsed during my observations (the center area is most important here). This map shows better than the following one, which is more oriented towards the East, that many sky objects in the West were rather low on the horizon at this time of the year.

Click the map for a larger version - it opens in a new window. The deep sky objects that I tried to observe (and a few more) are indicated by red dots. (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

Alternative Map

The following map is more oriented towards the East. It also shows approximately the sky area that I primarily browsed during my observations (the center area is most important here). This map already announces a few "summer sky objects", which I was already able to observe.

Click the map for a larger version - it opens in a new window. The deep sky objects that I tried to observe (and a few more) are indicated by red dots. M 10 and M 12 were not observed. (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

Observation Time

The observations started every day when it was sufficiently dark, typically only from about 10 p.m. on. Later in May, they started even at 11 p.m. oder later.

Observation Location

All observations were conducted in Mühlhausen/Kraichgau (Germany):

Coordinates: 49° 15′ N , 8° 43′ E
Coordinates (dec.): 49,25° N, 8,72° E

Devices Used

Sky-Watcher Heritage 100P
Sky-Watcher Explorer 150PDS
Sky-Watcher Star Discovery AZ GoTo Mount
Leica Trinovid 10 x 25 binoculars

General Conditions

The first observations took place before the moon was full. Later on, the moon had less and less influence on my observations. From 10 to 12 May, however, the sky was still very bright, so that I was not able to find a lot of targets. Thereafter it became better, but toward the end of May, the moon returned to the night sky, so that hardly any deep sky objects could be found.

In general, the sky above Mühlhausen/Kraichgau is "light-polluted" and does not invite you to search for deep sky objects. This is certainly one of the reasons why I found some of the deep sky objects that I wanted to observe only sometimes or not at all. In May, the days are also very long so that my observations typically started late in the evening (see above).

Observation Overview

Date 2017	Observed Objects	Details, Remarks	Further Observations and Remarks	Devices Used	Eyepieces Used
Apr 29	G: M 65/66, M 96 OC: M 67, M 35	Moon and Jupiter were worth-while targets	Crescent of the moon, Jupiter (4 moons, 2 stripes)	Explorer 150PDS on GoTo Mount	32 mm Plössl, 24 mm WA, 16 mm, 7 mm, and 4 mm UWA, 10 mm WA
May 5	G: M 81/82 OC: M 67, M 44 GC: M 3	Moon and Jupiter were worth-while targets, first attempts at globular star clusters	Moon, Jupiter M 53 not found	ditto	ditto
May 9	OC: M 35 GC: M 3, M 53		---	ditto	ditto
May 10	KS: M 3, M 53, M 13	ditto	---	ditto	ditto
May 12	OC: M 44 GC: M 3, M 13	ditto	M 92 not found	ditto	ditto
May 14	G: M 81, M 51, M 64, M 104, M 65/66 OC: M 44, M 67, M 35 GC: M 3, M 5, M 13, M 92, M 53	highlight: the globular star clusters M 3, M 5, M 13, and M 92 (7 mm eyepiece), plus M 53, at about 11:30 p.m. some galaxies "assumed" this time, the sky gets darker each day...	Jupiter M 36 and M 38 not, M 37 perhaps seen M 48, M 50 covered/too low M 96 probably not found M 106, M 101, M 49 not found	ditto	ditto
May 15	G: M 106, M 81/82, M 51, M 64, M 49, M 104, M 65/66 OC: M 44 GC: M 3, M 5, M 13, M 92, M 5	probably somewhat darker sky than the day before globular star clusters seen well (24/16 mm)	Jupiter M 101 not found M 48, M 50 covered/too low M 96 probably not found	ditto	24 mm WA, 16 mm, and 7 mm UWA
May 16	G: M 106, M 81/82, M 51, M 64, M 87, M 104 GC: M 3, M 5, M 13, M 92, M 53	globular star clusters seen well again (24/4 mm) observing conditions obviously good again and the sky fairly dark at the end of my observations	Jupiter M 101 not found M 49 forgotten M 90 perhaps a glow...	ditto	24 mm WA, 16 mm, 7 mm, 4 mm UWA (for SC), 10 mm WA
May 20	G: M 106, M 64, M 94, M 104 GC: M 3, M 5, M 13 M 53		Jupiter M 63 not found M 81/82 not found	ditto	24 mm WA, 16 mm, 7 mm, and 4 mm UWA
May 23, 24	OC: Mel 111		Jupiter	Binoculars, naked eye
May 26	OC: Mel 111 GC: M 3		Jupiter	Heritage 100P, binoculars, naked eye	4 mm UWA, further (not documented)
May 29	DS: Castor			Heritage 100P	4 mm UWA (100 x), further (not documented)
May 31	DS: Castor, Mizar		Jupiter ("3" moons => 2 moons not separable) nearly half moon: beautiful craters at the border between sun and shade	ditto	ditto
Jun 1	DS: Castor, Mizar		Jupiter (4 moons, 2 quite close avove each other) nearly half moon: beautiful craters at the border between sun and shade	ditto	ditto

Bold: First observation during this observation period; G = galaxy, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster, DS = double star; all observations done in Mühlhausen/Kraichgau

List of Observed Sky Objects

Object details can be obtained via the links to the relevant deep sky objects.

DSO Details	Name	Constellation	Type	Bino*	100P	150 PDS GT	Remarks
M 81/82	Bode Galaxy/Cigar Galaxy	Ursa Major	G			yes	two galaxies, the left one oblique and flat, the right one rounder
zeta UMa	Mizar	Ursa Major	DS		yes		double star; visual double star with Alcor
M 106		Canes Venatici	G			yes	found, weak glow?
M 3		Canes Venatici	GC			yes	similar to M 5 and M 92, somewhat grainy at higher magnifications
M 51	Whirlpool Galaxy	Canes Venatici	G			yes	glow (perhaps with brighter core), undefinded something, somewhat larger
M 94		Canes Venatici	G			yes	glow
Mel 111	Coma (Berenices) Star Cluster	Coma Berenices	OC	yes	yes		wide-spread open star cluster with relativly bright stars, best seen with opera glasses; a faint glow with the naked eye
M 64	Blackeye Galay	Coma Berenices	G			yes	glow, but fairly good to see
M 53		Coma Berenices	GC			yes	smallest observed GC, somewhat grainy, brighter core at higher magnifications
M 49		Virgo	G			yes	small, but seen quite well
M 87		Virgo	G			yes	perhaps a round glow, not much seen
M 104	Sombrero Galaxy	Virgo	G			yes	oblique flat glow, no sombrero...
M 5		Serpens Caput	GC			yes	similar to M 3 and M 92, somewhat grainy at higher magnifications
M 44	Praesepe	Cancer	OC	yes	yes	yes	very nice in binoculars (not documented)
M 67		Cancer	OC			yes	somewhat wide-spread open star cluster
M 65/66		Leo	G			yes	sometimes I was able to recognize two galaxies
M 96		Leo	G			yes	sometimes I was able to recognize a galaxy, but often not so...
M 35		Gemini	OC			yes	very nice OC, fairly large
alpha Gem	Castor	Gemini	DS		yes		double star
M 13		Hercules	GC	yes	yes	yes	largest observed GC, with 4 mm eyepiece (187,5 x) a few stars recognizable, grainy, fairly well resolved into stars
M 92		Hercules	GC			yes	similar to M 5 and M 5, somewhat grainy at higher magnifications

*) 10 x 25 binoculars; G = galaxy, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster, DS = double star

Searched for but not found: M101 (Pinwheel Galaxy), M36, M 37, M 38, M 48, M 50, M 63, M90?, NGC 4449, NGC 4490, NGC 4565

References

Books

Michael Feiler & Philip Novak (2014). Deep Sky Reiseatlas, Oculum Verlag
www.oculum-verlag.de/detailview?no=2014
Ronald Stoyan (2014). Deep Sky Reiseführer, Oculum Verlag
www.oculum-verlag.de/detailview?no=2015
Erich Karkoschka (2016). Atlas für Himmelsbeobachter, Kosmos Verlag
www.kosmos.de/buecher/ratgeber/astronomie/einsteiger/6598/atlas-fuer-himmelsbeobachter?number=15147