Deep Sky Summer Observations 2018

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

From May to mid-September 2018, I conducted simple "summer" deep sky observations, which might be of interest to other beginners and are therefore described here. These observations are quite a mishmash, though, because on the one hand I wanted to compare my Maksutov tubes, and on the other hand I wanted to try out my new refractor and compare it with the Heritage 100P...

Observation Conditions

Sky Region and Objects

I restricted myself mostly to the sky region in the South-West. In the course of several months, this changed considerably, of course... An overview map does not make much sense for such a long period of time, therefore here is none...

Observation Time

It was sufficiently dark for deep sky objects only after about 9 p.m.

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

Devices Used

So this time we observed "manually" without any GoTo control!

General Conditions

The moon appeared on the sky at times, but did not disturb my observations. In general, the sky above Mühlhausen/Kraichgau is "light-polluted" and does not invite you to search for Deep Sky objects.

Observation Overview

Date 2018	Observations	Details, Remarks	Further Observations and Remarks	Devices Used	Eyepieces Used
May 6	OC: M 44 (Praesepe), M 67	Cancer: M 44 (Praesepe) seen in 100P, Skymax-102, TS binoculars; M 67: guessed in TS binoculars	Some constellations visited...	Heritage 100P, Skymax-102, TS binoculars	???
Aug 2	GC: M 13	Hercules: M 13		TS binoculars
Aug 3	GC: M 13 P: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger)	Hercules: M 13 Vulpecula: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger)	Observed the Milky Way	TS binoculars
Aug 10	GC: M 13 P: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger)	Hercules: M 13 (TS binoculars, Skymax-127 with different eyepieces) Vulpecula: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger; in TS binoculars)		Skymax-127, TS binoculars	32 mm Plössl, 16 mm, 10mm and probably 7 mm
Aug 11	GC: M 13 P: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger)	Hercules: M 13 - TS-Fernglas, im OM21-Fernglas erahnt... Vulpecula: Cr 399 (Kleiderbügel) - im TS gesehen, im OM21-Fernglas teilweise...	Observed the Milky Way and several constellations with thw OM21 binoculars	TS binoculars, OM21 binoculars
Aug 14	GC: M 13 P: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger)	Hercules: M 13 - in TS binoculars, in OM21 binoculars guessed, in Skymax-102 seen with eyepieces downto 7 mm herab, and in the 100P... Vulpecula: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger) - seen in binoculars, partly seen in OM21 binoculars		Heritage 100P, Skymax-102, TS binoculars	32 mm downto 7 mm
Aug 19	GC: M 56 PN: M 57 (Ring Nebula) DS: eps Lyrae (Double Double)	Lyra: eps Lyrae (Double Double) Skymax-127: 4 stars visible from about 100 x up; 150 x at maximum; Skymax-102: 4 stars visible from about 100 x up; 130 x and 180 x at maximum Lyra: M 57 (Ring Nebula) Skymax-127: up to 150 x (24, 16, 10 mm; nebula disk, almost seen the ring shape; Skymax-102: up to 130 x; eyepieces of 24, 16, 10 mm; nearly the same as Skymax-127... Lyra: M 56 (GC) Skymax-127: globular cluster very faint (between Lyra and Albireo); Skymax-102: ditto, even fainter as in the Skymax-127	All in all, everything seen with the Skymax-102 as well, but a tiny bit better in the Symax-127 Everything very high up in the sky and difficult to find, but with exact preparation nevertheless possible...	Skymax-127, Skymax-102	24 mm, 16 mm, 10 mm
Aug 20	DS: Alcor & Mizar, Albireo	Ursa Major: Alcor & Mizar (DS) seen well in both telescope Cygnus: Albireo (DS) seen well in both telescope	Observed only double stars	Skymax-127, Skymax-102	24 mm and shorter
Aug 21	DS: Alcor & Mizar, Albireo, eps Lyrae (Double Double)	Ursa Major: Alcor & Mizar (DS) - Mizar not separable Cygnus: Albireo (DS) not separable Lyra: eps Lyrae (Double Double) - only two stars seen	Ditto, this time with the TS binoculars	TS binoculars
Sep 8	GC: M 13	Hercules: M 13 (GC) seen very nice		Skymax-127	24 mm, 16 mm
Sep 9	G: M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy) P: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger) DS: eps Lyrae (Double Double)	Andromeda: M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy) seen OM21 binoculars, seen better in TS binoculars Vulpecula: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger) - partly seen in OM21 binoculars, seen much better in TS binoculars Lyra: eps Lyrae (Double Double) - only two stars seen	Again, only a "binoculars" day...	TS binoculars, OM21 binoculars
Sep 11	G: M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy) GC: M 13, M 92 P: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger) DS: eps Lyrae (Double Double)	Andromeda: M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy) Hercules: M 13 (GC), M 92 (GC) Vulpecula: Cr 399 Lyra: eps Lyrae (Double Double)	First use of the PS72/432; everything seen beautifully with it; ditto with the TS binoculars, also everything seen beautifully... That is, everything seen with both devices.	PS 72/432 on AZ Pronto mount, TS binoculars	24 mm and shorter
Sep 12	G: M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy) GC: M 13 P: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger) PN: M 57 (Ring Nebula) DS: eps Lyrae (Double Double)	Andromeda: M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy) seen with PS72, 100P, TS binoculars Hercules: M 13 (KS) seen with PS72 and 100P Lyra: eps Lyrae (Double Double) seperated in PS72 at 108 x, similar with 100P); M 57 (Ring Nebula: ring not recognized; PS72 and 100P) Vulpecula: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger) seen with PS72, 100P, TS binoculars	PS72: 2 x focal extender does not come into focus, ditto 10 mm eyepiece PS72/100P: often observed the same object at a similar magnification (7 mm > 16+2x; 4 mm > 7+2x; both used with 24 and 16, 7, 4 mm) Overall, the PS72 is more contrasty and sharper; at high magnifications the image in the 100P may be brighter (larger exit pupil), DSOs may be brighter than in the PS72	Heritage 100P, PS 72/432 on AZ Pronto mount, TS binoculars	24 mm, 16 mm, 7 mm, 4 mm, 2/3 x focal extender
Sep 15	P: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger) PN: M 27(Dumbbell Nebula) DS: Albireo	Vulpecula: Cr 399 (Coat Hanger) - PS72 with 24 mm, 100P; M 27 (Dumbbell Nebula) seen at different magnifications up to 108 x (oval faint diffuse glow) Cygnus: Albireo (separable already with 24 mm eyepiece)	PS72: 3 x focal extender comes into focus, even with the 10 mm eyepiece PS72/100P: often observed the same object (except for Albireo) at similar magnification (see the day before); high magnifications on the moon do not seem to be quite as sharp as with the PS72, but as focusing is fiddly, focusing might be the cause for this...	Heritage 100P, PS 72/432 on AZ Pronto mount	24 mm, 16 mm, 7 mm, 4 mm, 2/3 x focal extender

Bold: First observation during this observation period; PN = planetary nebula, GC = globular star cluster, OC = open star cluster, P = star pattern (asterism), DS = double star

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	100P	SM102	SM127	PS72	Remarks
Alkor & Mizar	double star	Ursa Major	DS	TS		yes	yes		Mizar not separable in binoculars
M 13	Herkules Globular Cluster	Hercules	KS	TS, OM21	yes	yes	yes	yes	seen well, even in the TS binoculars with two accompanying stars; these were just one dot in the OM21 binoculars
M 92	globular cluster	Hercules	KS					yes	hard to find for me, smaller than M 13
eps Lyrae	Double Double	Lyra	DS	TS		yes	yes		only up from a magnification of 100 x, I was able to see 4 stars; only two stars visible in binoculars
M 57	Ring Nebula	Lyra	PN		yes			yes	nebula disk, almost seen as a ring...
M 56		Lyra	OS		yes			yes	only very faint
Albireo	double star	Cygnus	DS	TS		yes	yes	yes	beautiful, not separable in binoculars, but from a magnification of nearly 20 x up in telescopes
Cr 399	Coat Hanger	Vulpecula	SM	TS, OM21	yes			yes	best to observe in binoculars, but only partly in the OM21 binoculars
M 27	Dumbbell Nebula	Vulpecula	PN		yes			yes	oval faint diffuse glow
M 31	Andromeda Galaxy	Andromeda	KS	TS, OM21	yes			yes	already visible in binoculars (the core)
M 44	Praesepe	Cancer	OS	TS	yes	yes			seen very nicely
M 67		Cancer	OS	TS					only a "guess"...

G = Galaxy, PN = planetary nebula, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster, P = star pattern (asterism), DS = double star

References

Books

Michael Feiler & Philip Novak (2014). Deep Sky Reiseatlas, Oculum Verlag
www.oculum-verlag.de/detailview?no=2014
Ronald Stoyan (2014). Deep Sky Reiseführer, Oculum Verlag
www.oculum-verlag.de/detailview?no=2015
Erich Karkoschka (2016). Atlas für Himmelsbeobachter, Kosmos Verlag
www.kosmos.de/buecher/ratgeber/astronomie/einsteiger/6598/atlas-fuer-himmelsbeobachter?number=15147