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Date: October 22-23,
2025
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
Note: I may edit
this OR with additional objects observed during the time
at the CKSP.
RA and Dec coordinates are listed without commas.
Images are from
PanSTARRS unless noted.
It is good to be back out. This is the first
multi-day observing session in more than ten
years. I'm still a bit rusty from observing, but
catching up fast.
VV 764 21 07 35.7 -25 24 52
The field contains a small group of galaxies (part of Abell Galaxy Cluster 3744) visible in the 22-inch at 230 - 383x. Based on VV's paper, the object is MCG-4-49-16. However, I'll start with the brighter nearby NGCs. All distance references from NGC 7018.
22-inch at 230, 328 and 383x
NGC 7018 - considerably bright 5:2 elongated glow with a two brighter centers arranged E-W. This suggests a possible double galaxy.
NGC 7016 lies 3.1 SW. Considerably bright round glow with a slightly brighter center.
NGC 7017 lies 3.7' SSW. Considerably bright 2:1 elongated glow with a double brighter center aligned E-W. Another double galaxy.
MCG-4-49-16 is considerably faint round small even surface brightness glow. Lies 2.5' ENE.
2MAX J21072440-2524490 lies less than 1' due north. Very faint 2:1 elongated glow. PA = 90. A faint star lies just NNE.
VV 750 (MCG-4-48-29) 20 42 09.0 -24 12 50
22-inch at 230, 328 and 383x
Seen as a double galaxy of less than 0.5' apart (PA = 135). Both are considerably faint equal surface brightness round glows. No tidal tails seen.
VV 767 (MCG-4-48-11) 20 30 51.1 -25 21 46
22-inch at 230, 328 and 383x
The eastern member, MCG-4-48-12, is a considerably faint 3:1 elongated even surface brightness glow. PA = 0. The western member, MCG-4-48-11, lies less than 0.4' west and is a very faint thin glow. PA = 20.
VV 591 21 00 26.2 +16 51 37
22-inch at 230, 328, and 383x
Considerably faint round even surface brightness glow with diffuse edges. About 0.6' across.
VV 773 (20 27 38.0 +10 45 31) is a thin galaxy with a small "companion" just off the west tip.
22-inch at 230, 328, and 383x
Extremely faint flat streak pops in and out about 75% of the time. 0.7' long and PA = 90. A flat isosceles triangle of faint stars lies just south. Just off the west tip lies an extremely faint small 2:1 elongated glow that pops in and out about 50% of the time.
VV 476 (21 07 43.6 +03 52 30) is a double galaxy with an attached member off the NE tip.
22-inch at 230, 328, and 383x
UGC 11680 is a faint round glow with a very faint extension that goes to the west about 0.6'. The companion is an extremely faint very small round glow that pops in and out 50% of the time. It lies about 1' ENE. Nothing was detected between UGC 11680 and the companion.
VV 338 (01 47 54.5 +27 25 58) according to VV is NGC 672. IC 1727 is nearby and picked up in the same 10mm Delos field.
22-inch at 283, 328 and 383x
NGC 672 is a considerably faint, low surface brightness 4:1 elongated glow. 2.2' long and PA = 100. An extremely faint knot was detected about 1.1' SW from the center. It is marked as an HII region as noted in my Extragalactic Objects Within Host Galaxies.
IC 1727 is a very faint 3:1 even surface brightness glow with diffuse edges. PA = 30 and 2' long. Lies about 7' SE from NGC 672.
VV 93 (UGC 1246) 01 47 00.7 +12 24 21
22-inch at 230, 328 and 383x
Very faint 3:2 elongated even surface brightness diffuse glow. PA = 0 and about 0.5' long.
NGC 7479 extragalactic objects
22-inch at 383x
[HK 83] 57 was seen an a very faint brighter knot on the sweeping arm at about PA 135 from the center of the galaxy. [RZH99] 12 and 95 detected as a brightening on the sweeping arm at about PA 160 from the center.
Image: Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)
VV 332 (23 57 33.4 -21 59 22) is a pair of galaxies arranged N-S.
22-inch at 230, 328 and 383x
The southern member, MCG-04-01-007, is an extremely faint flat glow that pops in and out 75% of the time. A star is just off the E tip. PA = 60 and 0.8' long. The northern member, MG-04-01-008, lies about 1' NNE and is a considerably faint 3:1 even surface brightness glow. About 0.5' long and PA = 60.
VV 258 (01 12 59.7 -19 00 14) is a triple galaxy system. The main member is MCG-03-04-028 marked as the brighter double galaxy while MCG-3-4-29 is the tiny member just to the NE.
22-inch at 230, 328 and 383x
MCG-3-4-28 is detected as a barely resolved double galaxy at 383x when the seeing steadies. Both are very faint very small round glows. The third member, MCG-3-4-29, was not seen. Nearby galaxy, MCG-3-4-30, lies about 1.3' ENE. It is a very faint very small round glow. Another nearby galaxy lies 0.8' SSE and is an extremely faint very small glow that pops in and out 50% of the time.
VV 302 (02 18 19.2 -12 12 38) is a widely spaced double galaxy
22-inch at 230 and 328x
The brighter member, MCG-2-6-52, is a considerably bright round with a slightly brighter center. The second member, MCG-2-6-54, is a very faint small round glow. Lies about 3' NE of -052
VV 285 (NGC 985) 02 34 37.4 -08 47 08
22-inch at 230 and 328x
Faint roundish glow with an offset brighter center near the south edge. 0.5' across. By this time clouds were starting to roll in.
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