Deep Sky Observations with eVscope Beginning of 2020

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

Since the end of January 2020, I own an Unistellar eVscope telescope for observing and taking photos of deep sky objects. On this page, I collect information about my first observations (end of January 2020 to the beginning of March), which might be of interest to other beginners. In this phase, I used the preliminary version of the Unistellar app. The photos that were taken during this phase are presented elsewhere.

Notes:

 

Conditions

Sky Region and Objects

At the beginning, I constrained myself to the sky area in the south, southwest, and somewhat to the west (according to the respective date).

Map: Section of the sky showing most of the observed objects (Feb 5, 2020) (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

After late February, I also looked further to the east (with the objects gradually moving further south):

Map: Section of the sky showing the observed objects further to the east (Feb 24, 2020); M 66 and M 96 were very hard to find for me (a house was in between...) (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

In March, I also looked into further directions (Ursa Major, Virgo, Canes Venatici, ...).

Observation Time

The observations in this phase started at the end of January 2020 and ended on March 9, 2020. They typically took place shortly after dusk, when it was sufficiently dark for a successful star alignment. Once, I also observed in the early morning.

Observation Location

All observations took place in Mühlhausen/Kraichgau (Germany):

Equipment Used

When observing with the eVscope, I only needed the eVscope and my iPhone.

General Conditions

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. For astro photography, however, light pollution is not as disturbing as for visual observations.

 

Observation Overview

Observation Dates

Date
2020
Observed Objects Observed Objects, Details Remarks Further Remarks
Jan 28 DN: B 33
GN: M 1, M 42/43, M 78
OC: M 34, M 35, M 45
Order: M 1 (Crab Nebula), M 34, M 35, M 42/43 (Orion Nebula), M 45 (Pleiades), M 78, B 33 (Horse Head Nebula) The app crashed many times. First observation session with the eVscope

Photos

Feb 5 GN: M 42/43
PN: NGC 7662
OC: M 36, (M 37,) M 38, M 39, M 45, M 52, NGC 663, NGC 884/869
G: M 31, M 33
Order: M 33 (Triangulum Galaxy), M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy), NGC 884/869 (Perseus Double Cluster; not quite hit), NGC 663, M 42/43 (Orion Nebula), M 52, NGC 7662 (Blue Snowball Nebula), M 42/43 (Orion Nebula), M 39
After supper: M 42/43 (Orion Nebula), M 45 (Pleiades), M 38,M 36 (, M 37)
The session continued after we had supper.
Unknown to the eVscope: NGC 752, 654, 559

M 38 was in part labelled as "M 36" by the eVscope, M 36 was labelled M 37
Four days before full moon

Photos

Feb 6 GN: M 1, M 42/43, M 78, NGC 281
PN: M 76, NGC 7662
OC: M 29, M 34, M 39, M 52, NGC 457, NGC 663, NGC 884/869, NGC 7789
G: M 33, M 31, M 74, M 77
C: C/2017 T2 (Panstarrs)
Order: M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy), M 33 (Triangulum Galaxy), M 39, M 29, NGC 7789 (Caroline's Rose Cluster, White Rose Cluster), NGC 7662 (Blue Snowball Nebula), M 52, NGC 281 (Pacman Nebula), M 76 Little Dumbbell Nebula, NGC 457 (Owl Cluster, E.T. Cluster), NGC 663, C/2017 T2 (Panstarrs) comet, NGC 884/869 (Perseus Double Cluster), M 34, M 33 (Triangulum Galaxy), M 74, M 77, M 42/43 (Orion Nebula), M 78, M 1 (Crab Nebula) Overall the results were fainter than those on the previous day and one week earlier, which is certainly due to the influence of the almost full moon.
Unknown to the eVscope: NGC 752
Not found: M 79
Three days before full moon

Photos

Feb 7 GN: M 1
PN: M 76, NGC 6826
OC: M 29, NGC 884/869, NGC 7243
G: NGC 891, NGC 7331
C: C/2017 T2 (Panstarrs)
Order: M 29, NGC 7243, NGC 6826 (Blinking Planetary Nebula), NGC 7331, NGC 891
Demo: M 1 (Crab Nebula), NGC 891, NGC 884/869 (Perseus Double Cluster), M 76 (Small Dumbbell Nebula), C/2017 T2 (Panstarrs; comet)
Demo for a star friend in the second half.
Not found: NGC 7000 (North America Nebula)
Two days before full moon

Photos

Feb 8 (M) G: NGC 4636
SN: 2020ue
NGC 4636 with supernova 2020ue (like a small star)

 

Briefly before 4 a.m. One day before full moon, in the morning

Photos

Feb 8 (E) OC: M 45
G: M 74
Order: M 74, M 45 (Pleiades) The results were poor due to the nearly full moon and upcoming clouds... One day before full moon, in the evening
Feb 15 C: C/2017 T2 (Panstarrs)
OC: M 35, M 36, M 37, M 38, M 103, NGC 663
GN: M 1, M 42/43, M 78
Order: M 42/43 (Orion Nebula; auto and manual exposure), then M 35, M 36, M 37, M 38, NGC 663, and M 103 (all with manual exposure from M 42/42 by accident) observed and photographed; then "backwards" with auto exposure, which was quite bright: M 103, NGC 663, C/2017T2 (Panstarrs; comet), M 38, M 37, M 36, M 35, M 42/43; at end M 78 and M 1 (both with auto exposure)

First observation session with the new microSD card
First, I collimated the eVscope using Rigel; I could not get it to work according to the instructions and tried it in another way; the result was worse than before.
I connected the iPhone to the eVscope for charging, which caused shake and increased hot pixels (the more, the longer the exposure time)

Half moon (waning), could not see it..

The photos were not great, I therefore put only a few into the gallery.

Feb 16 DC: B 33
GN: M 1, M 42/43, M 78, NGC 2024, NGC 2261
OC: M 35, M 36, M 37, M 38, NGC 2244
G: 891

Order: M 42/43 (Orion Nebula; auto and manual exposure), then
M 78, B 33 (Horse Head Nebula), M 1 (Crab Nebula), M 35, M 36, M 37, M 38, NGC 891, M 42/43, NGC 2024 (Flame Nebula), NGC 2244 (Cluster in Rosette Nebula), NGC 2261 (Hubble's Variable Nebula)
First, I collimated the eVscope using Rigel (better this time...).
Hot pixels again disturbing...
I repeated some DSO hoping that the new collimation would lead to better results, which was indeed the case.
One day after half moon (waning), could not see it..

The photos were not great, I therefore put only a few into the gallery.

Feb 17 OC: M 50 Saw M 50 only... Clouds came soon in...  
Feb 19 OC: M 41, M 46, M 47, M 48, M 50, M 93
PN: NGC 2392
G: M 81, M 82
Order: M 50, M 41, M 46, M 47, M 48, M 93 then
NGC 239
2 (Eskimo Nebula)
M 81
(Bode Galaxy), M 82 (Cigar Galaxy)
Observed after supper (after 9 p.m.) A couple of new objects for the eVscope...
Feb 24 DN: B 33
OC: M 44, M 67, NGC 2244
GN: M 78, NGC 2024
G: M 33 (NGC 604), M 66, M 96
Order: NGC 2244, NGC 2024 (Flame Nebula), M 78, B 33 (Horse Head Nebula), M 33 (Triangulum Galaxy with HII region NGC 604), M 67, M 44 (Beehive, Praesepe), M 96, M 66 Observed before supper (from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.n.); at the end, clouds appeared... I usually exposed longer, but there was no moon yet, either; the Horsehead Nebula was clearly visible on the iPhone screen, as was the Flame Nebula. The galaxies were "borderline" cases...
Mar 9 C: C/2017 T2 (Panstarrs)
G: M 77
Order: M 77, C/2017 T2 (PANSTARRS) Full moon (super moon)  

Bold: First observation during this observation period; G = galaxy, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster, GN = galactic nebula, PN = planetary nebula, P = star pattern, DN = dark nebula, C = comet, SN = supernova

 

List of Observed Sky Objects

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

DSO Details
Name Constellation Type Remarks
B 33 Horse Head Nebula Perseus DN Perhaps to guess on photo with aggressive post-processing; better recognizable on second attempt
C/2017 T2 C/2017 T2 (Panstarrs) --- C The comet can be recognized as such
M 1 Crab Nebula Taurus GE Only on Jan 28 bright, later faint because of the moon light; a little better in mid-February
M 29   Cygnus OC Pattern created from a few stars
M 31 Andromeda Galaxy Andromeda G Too large for the eVscope's field of view
M 33 Triangulum Galaxy Triangulum G Very faint, details are hardly recognizable
M 34   Perseus OC Confirmed with Stoyan drawing
M 35   Gemini OC Confirmed with Astrometry.net
M 36   Auriga OC Labelled wrongly by the eVscope as M 37, confirmed with Astrometry.net; found correctly in mid-February
M 37   Auriga OC Wrong label from eVscope, it was M 36; found correctly in mid-February
M 38   Auriga OC Identified using a Wikipedia photo and Astrometry.net; found correctly in mid-February
M 39   Cygnus OC Few stars
M 41   Canis Major OC Large, some bright stars
M 42 Orion Nebula Orion GE Too large, somewhat blurry, Trapezium washed out; less washed out in mid-February
M 43 De Mairan's Nebula Orion GE Part of M 42
M 44 Beehive, Praesepe Cancer OC Too large, a few bright stars
M 45 Pleiades, Seven Sisters Taurus OC Too large for the eVscope's field of view
M 46   Puppis OC Large; NGC 2438 (PN) on the photo!
M 47   Puppis OC Large, bright stars
M 48   Hydra OC Large, bright, at the center many nearby stars...
M 50   Monoceros OC Nice cluster
M 52   Cassiopeia OC Confirmed with a Stoyan drawing
M 66   Leo G Borderline case... close to house
M 67   Cancer OC Nice cluster with a few bright stars and many not so bright ones
M 74   Pisces G Faint glow...
M 76 Small Dumbbell Nebula Perseus PN Small, colorful
M 77   Cetus G A bit more to see than with M 74...
M 78   Orion GE Faint, but identified using two stars; a little bit better again in mid-February
M 81 Bode Galaxy Ursa Major G Nice galaxy, particulary after post-processing
M 82 Cigar Galaxy Ursa Major G The cigar was good to see
M 93   Puppis OC Nice
M 96   Leo G Borderline case... close to house
M 103   Casiopeia OC Triangular shape good to see
NGC 281 Pacman Nebula Cassiopeia GE Only stars, the nebula is invisible...
NGC 457 Owl/E.T. Cluster Cassiopeia OC Nice, particularly the "eyes"
NGC 604   Triangulum HII The brightest HII region in M 33, a small blob...
NGC 663   Cassiopeia OC Large; seen well also in mid-February
NGC 884/869 Perseus Double Cluster Perseus OC Too large for the eVscope's field of view; one photo shows NGC 884, another one shows the sky far left to it, a third one the sky below NGC 884
NGC 891   Andromeda G Seen from the side; nice but faint; not better in mid-February...
NGC 2024 Flame Nebula Orion GE Rather faint reddish nebula next to Alnitak; could be made visible...
NGC 2244 Open star cluster in Rosette Nebula Monoceros OC Nice to see (not the embedding nebula, the Rosette Nebula, found)
NGC 2261 Hubble's Variable Nebula Monoceros GR Nebula that looks like a comet.
NGC 2392 Eskimo Nebula Gemini PN Round light blue spot with white dot in it
NGC 2438   Puppis PN Visually located in M 46; found on photos of M 46!
NGC 4636 with Supernova 2020ue nearby Virgo G Supernova appears as a little dot...
NGC 6826 Blinking Planetary Nebula Cygnus PN Bluish spot...
NGC 7243   Lacerta OC Confirmed with a Karkoschka photo
NGC 7331   Pegasus G Faint, but confirmed with a Stoyan drawing
NGC 7662 Blue Snowball Nebula Andromeda PN Small, green
NGC 7789 Caroline's Rose Cluster, White Rose Cluster Cassiopeia OC Large

G = galaxy, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster, GE = galactic emission nebula, GR = galactic reflection nebula, DN = dark nebula, C = comet, PN = planetary nebula, SP = star pattern, HII = HII region (emission nebula in other galaxies)

 

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19.11.2021