2018 TSP

[fnowat]

Wow,

Kicking up some dust here. Down in West Texas...why are there not any posts here from the TSP?!

You guys are missing a chance to rub elbows with a group of observers from down under (Australia)! They are quite friendly and carrying a mascot. We have the vinyl blow up beach balls, they have a lemon yellow Roo (kangaroo), standing about a meter tall!

I am in the Middle field close to another 22in U.C. owner from Houston. There are many UGCs and ICs being marked off my lists this year! Come and join us!

Frank Nowatzke

[fnowat]

Also,
For three nights now I have been taking some time to find that elusive IC4617 in Hercules. I have spent about 20-25 minutes on a few occasions over the last 3 nights without success. I have asked my viewing neighbor with his 25" classic Obsession how often he had resolved it. I will keep trying over these last two nights but would love to hear how others have done with this task.

Frank

[Dragan]

Hey Frank,

I'm sorry I didn't see your post before right now. Glad to hear you were at TSP! I'm not sure if you ever got to nail down IC4617 before the end of the star party, but here is a sure fire way to see it. Atleast, it's a technique that has always worked for me. Especially in larger scopes like your 22" with dark skies.

In between NGC6207 and M13 you will see a parallelogram of 4 similarly bright stars. This parallelogram lies just about equidistant between the two objects. At the vertex of the parallelogram closest to M13, lies IC4617. Once you know exactly where to look, you should have no problem spotting it. Especially with your size and scope and dark skies.

Just be sure to use some magnification. This object needs some power.

Check out the pictures below. Hopefully this describes what it is I'm trying to convey.

Hope it helps!

3045

3046

3047

[fnowat]

Hey Dragan,

Thank you for the tips. Nope, never able to tease it out. I did try bumping up the magnification but maybe I was searching the wrong area? I do like your trick. It is similar to the asterism of the harp (Lyra). I must use that next time. I think I was down in the star field nearer the bright orange star. But I will remember your tips for next year. Gonna do it again! I was marking off many other galaxies and will have to transfer my list from the observing log into the checklist. Not in any hurry to complete the list of NGCs, after all it is the journey not the destination!

Frank

[fnowat]

looking again, i was too far up and to the left (according to your posted photo). Nearer your satellite trail closer to 6207 there are 2 fairly bright close stars oriented almost up and down as your photo left edge/margin has it, then there is a lesser bright orange star (which your photo appears to expose a double, dimmer companion), which forms a hypotenuse that I was concentrating on. But still, I thank you for my next outing to dark skies. May be at the Grand Canyon next month just to get more familiar with the area. Of course I want to use my own but not travelling to Arizona with my scope for June's adventure. Thanks,
Frank

[fnowat]

Well... I had the best intentions this past week to find the IC galaxy near m57 while at the Okie-Tex Star Party. I believe (by memory), IC1647? Did set the scope up on Saturday along with the rest of my viewing site. Cloudy, rain, more rain, stuff all expensive equipment into rental family van just in case of passing T-storms, then more rain, T-storms, rain... Drive away. It is not nice to fool mother nature.

Now hoping for those clear but cold Midwest winter nights and go to my mother's farm in NW Indiana!

Frank

I was wrong, IC1296