Deep Sky Winter Observations Mid-January - March 2018

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

From mid-January 2018 until March 2018, I did simple "deep-sky winter observations", often with binoculars, which might be of interest to other beginners and are therefore described here.

Conditions

Sky Region and Objects

My observations ranged between the Orion in the East to Andromeda, Cassiopeia, and Hercules in the West. I mostly "hunted" for objects that can be observed with binoculars.

Overview Map

The following map (January 2018) shows approximately the sky area that I primarily browsed during my observations:

Click the map for a larger version - it opens in a new window (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

And here an inverted map for February 2018 with marked possible targets:

Click the map for a larger version - it opens in a new window (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

Observation Time

Observations started early, often briefly after sunset. In March, this was, of course, a little bit later than in January...

Observation Location

Most of the observations were conducted in Mühlhausen/Kraichgau (Germany):

Coordinates: 49° 15′ N , 8° 43′ E
Coordinates (dec.): 49,25° N, 8,72° E

A few observations were conducted in Kellinghusen and Erkerode (both located in Germany).

Devices Used

Sky-Watcher Skymax-102 OTA
Sky-Watcher Skymax-127 OTA
Sky-Watcher Explorer 150PDS
Sky-Watcher Star Discovery AZ GoTo Mount
Celestron StarSense AutoAlign for Sky-Watcher
TS 10 x 60 binoculars
Leica Trinovid 10 x 25 binoculars

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.

The sky above Kellinghusen is considerably darker, and the one above Erkerode is in any case better than the one above Mühlhausen.

Observation Overview

Date 2018	Observed Objects	Details, Remarks	Further Observations and Remarks	Devices Used	Eyepieces Used
Jan 14	GE: M42/43 (Orion Nebula) OS: M 35, M 45 (Pleiades), Mel 25 (Hyades), Mel 20 (Mirfak Cluster), NGC 884/869 (Perseus Double Cluster)	Skymax-127/102 used with different magnifications: M 42/43 was nice, especially in the 127 for the pointed wings; both telescopes showed the Trapezium well, no really big differences between the two telescopes.... TS-Binoculars: M 35 was beautiful as never before, M 42/3, M 45, Hyades, Alpha Persei Cluster, Perseus Double Cluster		TS binoculars, Skymax-102/127	not documented
Feb 4	GE: M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy) OS: M 35, M 45, Mel 25, Mel 20, NGC 884/869	Skymax-102 and 127 on M 31: no major differences detectable, focusing worked better on the 127; M 31 was similarly bright but smaller in the TS binoculars TS-Binoculars: M 31, Mirfak Cluster, Perseus Double Cluster, Pleiades, Hyades, M 35 (faint, more a guess...) Eye: Betelgeuze for the first time consciously seen "yellow-red"...		TS binoculars, Skymax-102/127	not documented
Feb 5	G: M 31 GE: M42/43 OS: M 35, M 45, Mel 25, Mel 20, NGC 884/869	Skymax-102 and 127 compared using M 42/43 and M 35: M 42/43: Different eyepieces tried, Trapezium tested, actually no differences on the trapezoid in contrast to what Mr. Kloß wrote.... Most likely differences in the nebula structure and contrast... M 35: appears with more contrast in the 127, otherwise hardly any differences... TS Binoculars: Viewed again all "standards", at the end also found M 31. M 35 better recognizable as a "nebula" than the day before.		TS binoculars, Skymax-102/127	used different eypieces
Feb 12	G: M 31 GE: M 42/3 OS: M 35, M 36, M 37, M 38, M 45, NGC 884/869	All objects seen well in the telescope. Afterwards, some were photographed with Atik Infinity: M 35, M 36, M 37, M 38, M 42/43 (see special page)	Using the StarSense module was successful in my 2nd attempt (after problems on Feb, 8), the camera also worked well.	Explorer 150PDS GT with StarSense module (also with AI)	not documented
Feb 13	G: M 31 GE: M 42/3 OS: M 35, M 36, M 37, M 38, M 45, Mel 25, Mel 20, NGC 884/869	All 10 objects seen well in binoculars		TS binoculars
Feb 21	GE: M 42/43 OS: M 35, M 37	Everything seen well. Afterwards, some were photographed with Atik Infinity: M 35, M 42/43, Half Moon (see special page)		Explorer 150PDS GT (also with AI)	not documented
Feb 22	GE: M 42/43 OS: M 45, Mel 25	Infinity 76: M 42/43, M 45, Mel 25 Skymax-102/127: M 42/43		Skymax-102/127	not documented
Mar 14	GE: M 42/43, OS: M 41, M 93, M 50, M 45	Explorer 150PDS: M 42/43, M 41, M 93, M 50 Ditto with Atik Infinity: M 42/43, M 41, M 93, M 50, M 45 (see special page) Binoculars: M 42/43		TS and LT binoculars; Explorer 150PDS (also with AI)	24 mm
Mar 18	GE: M 42/43 OS: M 35, M 36, M 37, M 38, M 45, Mel 25, Mel 20, NGC 884/869	Skymax-102 (24 mm): M 42/43 (super, extended), M 45 (sparkling) Binoculars: M 42/43, M 45, Mel 25, Mel 20, NGC 884/869, M 35, M 36-38 (the center cluster was the smallest and somewhat lower, the right one the largest, the left one in between); all OCs seen very well	Kellinghusen	TS and LT binoculars; Skymax-102	24 mm
Mar 19	GE: M 42/43 OS: M 41, M 35, M 36, M 37, M 38, M 45, Mel 25, Mel 20, NGC 884/869	Skymax-102 (24 mm): M 42/43 (super, extended), M 41 (nice, large) Binoculars: M 42/43, M 41, M 45, Mel 25; M 35, M 36-38 - everything as nice as the day before; M 41 added; Christmas Tree cluster NGC 2264 not found…	Erkerode	TS and LT binoculars; Skymax-102	24 mm
Mar 20	OS: M 44, M 67	Cancer: M 44 (nice, many stars), M 67 (faint)	Erkerode	TS and LT binoculars
Mar 24	GE: M 42/43 OS: M 41, M 44, M 47, M 48, M 50, M 93	All in all, not very good conditions because of the Half Moon; M 41 worked best, M 47, 48, and 50 were OK; M 44 quite nice; M 93 partly not found	Not seen/found: M 67, M 46, M 93 (partly), NGC 2360, NGC 2362	Explorer 150PDS GT with StarSense module	24 mm

Bold: First observation during this observation period; all observations done in Mühlhausen/Kraichgau, except for where noted otherwise
G = galaxy, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster, GE = galactic emission nebula

List of Observed Sky Objects

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

DSO Details	Name	Constellation	Type	Bino*	150PDS GT/S	SM-102	SM-127	Remarks**
M 31	Andromeda Galaxy	Andromeda	G	yes	yes	yes	yes	a glow in binoculars, not much better in the telescope...
NGC 884/869	Perseus Double Cluster	Perseus	OC	yes	yes			seen well in binoculars, with "oval" of stars
Mel 20	Alpha Persei Cluster (Mirfak)	Perseus	OC	yes				seen well in binoculars, very extended
Mel 25	Hyades	Taurus	OC	yes				seen well in binoculars, very extended
M 45	Pleiades	Taurus	OC	yes	yes			seen well in binoculars
M 42/43	Orion Nebula	Orion	GE	yes	yes	yes+	yes	M 42/43 seen well in binoculars; seen very nicely in the telescope when the sky was dark
M 35		Gemini	G	yes	yes			M 35 seen well as a glow in binoculars under a dark sky; seen well in the telescope
M 36		Auriga	OC	yes	yes			M 36 seen well as a glow in binoculars under a dark sky; seen well in the telescope
M 37		Auriga	OC	yes	yes			M 37 seen well as a glow in binoculars under a dark sky; seen well in the telescope
M 38		Auriga	OC	yes	yes			M 38 seen well as a glow in binoculars under a dark sky; seen well in the telescope
M 44	Praesepe	Cancer	OC	yes	yes			M 44 seen well in binoculars, ditto in the telescope
M 67		Cancer	OC	yes	yes			M 67 seen as a glow in binoculars; also seen in the telescope; later not seen because the moon was too bright
M 41		Canis Major	OC	yes	yes			M 41 seen as a glow in binoculars; seen well in the telescope
M 46		Puppis	OC		yes???			M 46 probably not seen/found
M 47		Puppis	OC		yes			M 47 seen in the telescope
M 93		Puppis	OC		yes			M 93 seen in the telescope
M 48		Hydra	OC		yes			M 48 seen in the telescope
M 50		Moneceros	OC		yes			M 50 seen in the telescope

G = galaxy, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster, GE = galactic emission nebula
*) TS binoculars, sometimes also LT binoculars; **) the remarks do not refer to photos taken with the Atik Infinity; +) also in Kellinghusen and Erkerode

References

Books

Michael Feiler & Philip Novak (2023). Deep Sky Reiseatlas (5. Auflage), Oculum Verlag (ISBN 978-3-949370-04-5)
www.oculum-verlag.de/detailview?no=608
Ronald Stoyan (2021). Deep Sky Reiseführer (6. Auflage), Oculum Verlag (ISBN 978-3-938469-72-9)
www.oculum-verlag.de/detailview?no=603
Erich Karkoschka (2022). Atlas für Himmelsbeobachter, Kosmos Verlag (EAN: 9783440173602)
www.kosmos.de/de/atlas-fur-himmelsbeobachter_1074889_9783440173602