Ngc 55

[RolandosCY]

NGC 55 is a superb object located at declination -39, at the border of Sculptor and Phoeinix. Thus it requires clear skies to the south to be readily observable. From my latitude 34.40 southern location (Mazotos beach, Cyprus), it barely culminates 15 degrees above the calm waters of the Mediterranean Sea. I was lucky enough to observe this jewel of a galaxy a week ago, with superb transparency. The galaxy is REALLY LONG! It can not fit within the 0.63-degree field of view of my 13mm Ethos. It has streaks of darkness alternating with bright "stellarings" within the main body of the galaxy, and the western half of the galaxy is much brighter than the eastern part. Certainly worth more observing... I include a drawing of NGC 55 as well as a shot I took later from my observing location with Orion having just risen out of the Mediterranean...

930
931

[Ivan Maly]

Great photo and great view of the galaxy. I am at 42N and this is the view I have managed so far:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OEeIrdtyXgk/TySekfUC8QI/AAAAAAAAAGk/cyst49zc1yo/s1600/NGC+55+Dec+26+2011+small.jpg

This was done with a 12" SCT with a diagonal. The black below is the treeline, so N is up and W is LEFT. The eastern star cloud that appeared completely separated is IC 1537. The complete description of that observation is here (http://idle-stargazer.blogspot.com/2012/01/ngc-55.html).

[Uwe Glahn]

Rolandos,

I remember me good back at the time I blinked the HII regions out with my old 16" and UHC filters under very good Alpine skies. From my place at 47° latitude NGC 55 rises only 3° (horizon 1° over mathematic horizon) high but was impressive enough for me.

From Namibia the picture and detail of NGC changes dramatically (same example like M 83). The galaxy was full of knots and dark nebula with my 14,5" travel scope. I tried to sketch it, really hard to detect all detail and impossible to sketch with the 24".

14,5", 118x-283x, NELM 7m+, Seeing III, Hakos/Namibia
http://www.deepsky-visuell.de/Zeichnungen/NGC55.jpg

[hajuem]

Wow!!Great sketches here!! I don`t have observed this galaxy!! I must do!!

CS Hajü