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Date: March 17-19, 2026
Location: near Leakey, TX at 1,600 feet
NELM: Varies from 6.0 – 6.5
Eyepieces: 24mm Panoptic (finder eyepiece), 10 and 6mm ZAO-II’s, 9 and 7mm BGO, 17.3, 10, and 8mm Delos and TMB 1.8x ED barlow
Selected objects (about 2/3) observed at the "Chicken Killer" Star Party with some world class deep sky observers. This is a private event that happens twice a year for a week. My wife and I were there for four nights and we got just two half okay nights and one good night. We left a couple days early.
Note: I may edit this OR with additional objects observed during the time at the CKSP.
The cool thing is that with these observations, I have completed every trio in my Galaxy Trio Observing Guide. Looks like it is time for me to add more challenging trios.
RA and Dec coordinates are listed without commas.
Images are from Pan-STARRS unless noted.
Minkowski 1-7 06 37 21 +24 00 36
22-inch at 230, 287, 383 and 690x.
With the O-III filter, picked up as a 2:1 elongated glow at 383x. At 690x, the central part is round and slightly brighter than the "lobes". PA = 30 and 0.4' long and 0.2' wide. A blazing star lies just 1.1' NW and best to keep that star off the field.
Minkowski 1-8 06 53 34 +03 08 20
22-inch at 230, 287 and 383x: With the O-III filter, picked up as a considerably bright slightly elongated glow with two very slight notches on each side of the middle. 0.3' long and PA = 120. A star is just 0.1' off the SE edge.
Jones-Emberson 1 (PK 164+31.1) 07 57 53 +53 25 25
22-inch at 96 and 133x: With the O-III filter, a faint large round ring with both lobes picked up. The east lobe is slightly larger than the west lobe. The entirity of the halo was visible with a darker center. 6.1' across.
Colored DSS image
IRAS 06370+3623 trio 06 40 22.6. +36 20 38
Note: The IRAS catalog designation is for the three galaxies.
22-inch at 230, 320, and 383x: Starting from the north end. Three galaxies in a roughly 1' area.
Component A (LEDA 2079116): Faint round glow with a nearly stellar core.
Component B (PGC 97175): Lies about 0.5' SW of "A". Very faint 2:1 elongated even surface brightness glow. PA = 150 and 0.2' long.
Component C (2MASX J06402556+3620074): Faint 2:1 elongated glow just 0.1' north of two stars. PA = 150 and 0.2' long.
CGCG 207-7 trio 07 56 40. +44 06 02
22-inch at 230, 287,and 383x - Three members in a 2' field.
CGCG 207-7: Considerably faint, slightly elongated glow with a nearly stellar core. PA = 20 and 0.2' long.
PGC 2236511: Very faint 3:1 elongated even surface brightness glow. PA = 30 and 0.3' long.
PGC 2237223: Considerably faint round glow. No central brightening. 0.2' across.
UGC 4349 trio 08 20 35. -01 22 32
22-inch at 230, 287, 383 and 690x: Three galaxies with a close pair.
UGC 4349 - Very faint, 3:1 elongated even surface brightness glow. PA = 90 and 0.6' long. A star is on the east tip.
UGC 4352 lies 3' SE of UGC 4349. Considerably faint round glow, no central brightening. Even surface brightness. 0.3' across.
MCG+0-22-3 is attached to the SW edge of UGC 4349 and pointed to the SW. Popped in and out a third of the time as an extremely faint thin streak about 0.4' long using the 6mm ZAO-II with and without the TMB 1.8x ED barlow at 383 and 690x respectively. The key is to keep the "bright" star, lying 1.5' ESE of the pair, off the field.
MCG-1-24-11 trio 09 20 48 -08 02 01
22-inch at 230 and 287x: Three galaxies in a N-S line about 4' long. Starting from the north end.
MCG-1-24-11: Considerably faint 3:1 glow with a brighter center. Somewhat higher than average surface brightness suggesting a lenticular galaxy. PA = 120 and 0.4' long.
MCG-1-24-12: Lies 1.4' SSW of -11 with a faint star in between. Picked up as a considerably faint round diffuse even surface brightness glow. No central brightening. 0.5' across.
MCG-1-24-13: Lies 2.8' slightly east of due south of -12. Faint round even surface brightness glow. No central brightening. 0.5' across. Slightly brighter than -12 and fainter than -11.
NGC 2861 trio 09 23 37 +02 08 11
22-inch at 230 and 287x: Three widely space galaxies in a crooked E-W space spanning a little more than 7' long. Starting from the west end.
NGC 2861: Considerably bright round glow with a brighter center.
CGCG 6-40: Lies 3.1' WSW os NGC 2861. Picked up as a considerably faint slightly elongated glow with a slightly brighter center. PA = 60 and 0.2' long.
CGCG 6-41: Lies 4.3' slightly north of due west of CGCG 6-40. Faint slightly elongated even surface brightness glow with no central brightening. PA = 90 and 0.2' long.
NGC 3128 trio 10 06 02 -16 07 25
22-inch at 230 and 287x: Three galaxies in a near equilateral triangle with the short base E-W. E-W base is 5.6' long and the two sides pointed to the north are 6.6' long. Starting with the galaxy located at the north tip.
MCG-3-26-21: Considerably faint 4:1 even surface brightness glow. No central brightening. PA = 135 and 0.7' long.
NGC 3127 is the eastern galaxy. Picked up as a considerably bright 4:1 glow with a slightly brighter center. PA = 135 and 0.6' long. Sits in between two stars.
NGC 3128 is the west galaxy and seen as a considerably faint 3:1 elongated even surface brightness glow. Somewhat diffuse edges. PA = 0 and 0.6' long.
NGC 3203
trio 10 19 34 -26 41 56 22-inch at 230 and 287x: One bright galaxies with two dim neighbors. One was very difficult. Starting with the bright galaxy.
NGC 3203: Immediately picked up as a bright 3:1 elongated glow with a brighter elongated center. PA = 120 and 1.6' long.
PGC 764945 lies 1.2' due west from the center of NGC 3203 and 0.7' NW of the SW tip of the NGC. This was the most difficult member and popped in and out 50% of the time as an extremely faint small diffuse round glow. Spent 5 minutes and popped in at least eight times.
ESO-500-23 lies 3.1' due west from the center of NGC 3203. Very faint round diffuse glow. About 0.2' across.
Nearby galaxy (uncharted): About 2' south of ESO 500-23. Extremely faint popped in and out 75% of the time. A very faint star is off the east edge.
NGC 3280
trio 10 32 46 -12 38 04 Trio within a trio of galaxies. The larger trio is a isosceles triangle with the short edge (4.8' long) aligned N-S and consists of NGC 3280 (north corner), 3296 (south corner) and 3297 (east corner). NGC 3280 itself is a compact trio of galaxies spanning 0.8' long.
22-inch at 230, 287 and 383x.
NGC 3296 picked up as a considerably bright round glow with a nearly stellar core. 0.3' across.
NGC 3297 picked up as a considerably faint slightly elongated even surface brightness glow. PA = 30 and 0.5' long.
NGC 3280 picked up as three individual glows with careful observation at 383x. The western most component is the brightest as a considerably bright very slightly elongated even surface brightness glow. PA = 45 and 0.3' long. The middle member to the east picked up as a faint compact slightly elongated glow. Slightly higher surface brightness than the western member but overall a little fainter. PA = 2 and 0.1' long. The eastern member is a considerably faint round even surface brightness glow. Slightly larger than the middle member.
UGC 8281 trio 13 12 02 +44 48 52
Very faint compact trio in a 1.4' space
22-inch at 230, 287 and 383x. This trio is best at 383x.
UGC 8281 is a very faint thin even surface brightness glow. PA = 120 and 0.5' long.
MCG+8-24-79 picked up as a very faint round glow with no central brightening. 0.2' across.
PGC 214090 popped in and out 50% of the time as an extremely faint very small round glow, just 0.3' north of the MCG.
CGCG 245-31 lies nearby and picked up as a considerably bright round glow with a brighter center.
CGCG 290-52 trio 10 34 05 +59 24 12
Very compact trio of one elliptical with two very small neighbors occupying a 0.4' space.
22-inch at 383x: CGCG 290-52 picked up a considerably faint round glow with a brighter center. 0.2' across.
Component A lies 0.3' SW of the CGCG and picked up as a very faint, very small round nearly stellar glow. 0.1' across. Component B lies 0.3' just north of due west of the CGCG. Extremely faint small round glow popped in and out 75% of the time. Careful and patient observing at high powers should easily pick up all three members with a 20-inch and larger telescope under transparent skies.
UGC 5822
trio 10 41 53 +21 15 08Three widely and equally spaced galaxies in crooked N-S line that bends towards the west.
22-inch at 230 and 287x. Starting with the Northern member.
CGCG 124-54: Considerably faint round glow with a slightly brighter nearly stellar center. A faint star is just off the north edge. 0.4' across.
UGC 5822 lies 3.6' south of CGCG 124-54. Considerably faint 2:1 elongated glow with a slightly brighter center. PA = 0 and 0.4' long.
CGCG 124-53: Lies 4.5' SSW of UGC 5822. Picked up as a considerably faint 2:1 elongated glow with a slightly brighter large center. Appears that the halo just extends a little to the NE and SW. PA = 135 and 0.3' long.
UGC 6361
trio 11 20 49 +00 31 51This trio is a trio within a trio. Consists of a widely space trio in an "almost" 45-dgree right triangle with the south tip being a compact trio in itself.
22-inch at 230, 287, and 383x. Starting with the north corner.
CGCG 11-68: Faint round even surface brightness glow. 0.2' across. A star lies 0.5' north and an extremely faint star is 0.4' west.
CGCG 11-75: Lies 4' SE of CGCG 11-68. Considerably faint 2:1 elongated even surface brightness glow. PA = 60 and 0.3' long. Slightly higher surface brightness than CGCG 11-68.
UGC 6361: This is a trio of galaxies occupying a 1' space. The brightest is a faint 3:1 elongated even surface brightness glow with a slightly brighter very small round center. PA = 20 and 0.4' long. The second brightest (UGC 6361-3) lies 0.3' WNW from the center of the brightest component. Faint round glow with a slightly brighter round center. 0.1' across. The dimmest member (UGC 6361-2) is located 0.6' SSE from the center of the brightest member. Picked up as a very faint very small round glow. 0.1' across.
MCG+0-27-17
trio 10 27 25 +01 14 2922-inch at 230 and 383x. Three galaxies in a small crooked 30-60-right triangle with a 1.4' long side. Starting with the faintest member.
MCG+0-27-17: Located at the 30-dgree angle. Extremely faint small round glow. 0.1' across.
MCG+0-27-19: Located 1.1' east of -17 and at the right angle. Very faint small round glow.
UGC 5667: At the 60-degree angle and 0.4' north of -19. Faint round glow with a slightly brighter center. 0.2' across.
Jonckheere 900 06 25 57 + 17 47 25
22-inch at 230 and 383x. NPB filter - popped well. Small round bright disk 0.2' across. A star is just off the SSW edge.
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