Deep Sky Winter Observations February 2019

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

From the end of February 2019, I conducted simple deep sky "winter observations", 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 Cancer, Gemini (Twins), Orion, Auriga, and Taurus (Bull) because these constellations were more or less in the same direction for me (southwest to south).

Overview Map

The following map shows approximately the sky region that I primarily browsed during my observations:

Click the map for a larger version - it opens in a new window. The deep sky objects that I tried to observe are indicated by red dots.

Observation Time

The observations of deep sky objects started after it was sufficiently dark.

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
Omegon Photography Scope 72/432 ED OTA
Sky-Watcher AZ Pronto Mount
(Leica Trinovid 10 x 25 and) TS 10 x 60 binoculars

General Conditions

The observations started nearly a week after full moon so that the moon did not disturb my observations any more.

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.

Observation Overview

Date 2019	Observations	Details, Remarks	Further Observations and Remarks	Devices Used	Eyepieces Used
Feb 25	GE: M 42/43 (Orion Nebula)	Orion Nebula M 42/43: Trapezium very good, nebula not so good to see...	--	Heritage 100P	7 mm, 4 mm
Feb 26	GE: M 42/43 OC: M 35, M 45 (Pleyades), Mel 25 (Hyades), Mel 20 (Mirfak Cluster)	PS 72/432: Orion Nebula M 42/43 very nice, including the nebula (EP: 16 mm, 7 mm, 4 mm) Pleyades M 45 beautiful, Hyades Mel 25 also beautiful, like an ice cone...), Mel 20 (Perseus) (16 mm, probably all also observed with 24 mm) M 35: Many fine stars, not quite sure whether it was really M 35... Heritage 100P: M 42/43 very good including the nebula (EP: 16 mm, 7 mm, 4 mm) M45 beautiful (EP: 16 mm, 24 mm) TS binoculars: M 42/43 a round glow, M 35 a faint glow, M 45, Mel 25, Mel 20	Observations done with Heritage 100P, PS 72/432, and TS binoculars	Heritage 100P; PS 72/432 on AZ Pronto Mount; TS binoculars	24 mm, 16 mm, 7 mm, 4 mm
Feb 27	OC: M 35, M 37, M 42/42, M 44 (Praesepe), M 45, M 41, M 46, M 47, M 48, M 50, Mel 20, NGC 2244 (star cluster in Rosette nebula)	PS 72/432: Orion Nebula M42, nebula also very good to see (EP: 24-7 mm) Praesepe M 44 large, beautiful fine stars M 41 also fine stars M 46 larger, more wide-spread, M 47 fine, smaller; both together within the field of view (24 mm) M 48 fine; M 50 faint NGC 2244 only stars (star cluster in Rosette nebula) M 45 (Pleiades) beautiful, Mel 20 (Perseus) observerd only briefly M 35: Many fine stars M 37: very small, "normal" at higher magnification (7 mm) TS binoculars: M 42/43 (round glow), M 41, M 45, Mel 20, M 35 (glow), M 44, M 48 (fine stars), M 50 (faint)	Cancer: M 67 not found	PS 72/432 on AZ Pronto Mount; TS binoculars	24 mm - 7 mm

Bold: First observation during this observation period; all observations in Mühlhausen/Kraichgau; GE = galactic emission nebula, GR = galactic reflection nebula, PN = planetary nebula, G = galaxy, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster

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	PS 72/432	Remarks
M 37		Auriga	OS			yes	very small, "normal" at higher magnification
M 45	Pleyades	Taurus	OC	yes	yes	yes	large
Mel 25	Hyades	Taurus	OC	yes		yes	very large
M 42/43	Orion Nebula	Orion	GE	yes	yes	yes	in part very beautiful
M 35		Gemini	OC	yes		yes	many stars
M 50		Monoceros	OC	yes		yes	faint
NGC 2237-9/2244	Rosette Nebula	Monoceros	GE			yes	only star cluster found
M 41		Canis Major	OC	yes		yes	fine stars
M 46		Puppis	OC			yes	M 46 larger, more wide-spread, M 47 fine, smaller; both together within the field of view (24 mm)
M 47		Puppis	OC			yes
M 44	Praesepe	Cancer	OC	yes		yes	very large
M 48		Hydra	OC	yes		yes	fine
Mel 20	Mirphak Cluster	Perseus	OC	yes		yes	very large

*) 10 x 60 TS binoculars; GE = galactic emission nebula, GR = galactic reflection nebula, G = galaxy, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster

References

All the star maps were created with SkySafari Pro for Apple Macintosh.

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