Deep Sky Observations with eVscope 2 August to December 2022

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

Since the beginning of December 2021, I own an Unistellar eVscope 2 telescope for observing and taking photos of deep sky objects. On this page, I collect information about observations from August to December 2022 (third sample). In this phase, I used app version 2.0 and newer. The photos that were taken during this phase are be presented elsewhere (and on the detail pages for the DSO).

Notes:

See page Overview of the eVscope Pages for just that!

Conditions

Sky Region and Objects

Between August and December 2022, I observed mostly the following sky area :

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

Observation Time

The observations in this phase took place in August, in October, and in December 2022. They typically took place shortly after dusk, when it was sufficiently dark for a successful star alignment. In August 2022, this was typically after 10:30 p.m. (summer time), in October already after 7:30 p.m and at the beginning of November after 6:00 p.m..

Observation Location

The observations took place in Mühlhausen/Kraichgau (Germany):

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

Equipment Used

When observing with the eVscope 2, I only needed the eVscope 2 and my iPhones or iPad.

General Conditions

In general, the sky above Mühlhausen/Kraichgau is "light-polluted" (SQM 20.5) 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. For astro photography, however, light pollution is not as disturbing as for visual observations.

Observation Overview

Observation Dates

Date 2022	Observed Objects	Observed Objects, Details	Remarks	Further Remarks
Aug 22 MH	GC: M 13 OC: M 11 GN: M 16, M 17 PN: M 27 G: M 51, M 101	Order: M 13, (M 27), M 13 (nennt er M 27), (M 27), M 51, M 101, (M 27), (M 57), M 17, M 11, M 16, M 27 I think 5 attempts at M 27; close on the 4th, but fumbled when changing the section (too fast), found it in the 5th attempt...	eVscope 2 (first light for third sample), iPhone 7 Observed after 9:30 p.m. up to about midnight; SQM 19.4...20.1	More often (2x?) EV2 named the new object after the old one, moved to the new object correctly, but named it wrong in the overlay... No darkframe, no collimation check, only sharpness set on stars and checked with Bahtinov mask. Especially on the left edge still triangular stars, but I leave it like this now!
Oct 22 MH	G: M 31/32 GN: IC 5070, IC 5146 PN: M 27	Order: M 27, IC 5070 (Pelican Nebula), IC 5146 (Cocoon Nebula), M 31 (Vespera und eVscope 2) In part, I exposed up to 30 minutes, in part a little more than 20 minutes; I also took photos in between (manually and with the Vespera also automatically); this observation was meant as a comparison of eVscope 2 and Vespera at long exposure times.	Vespera; iPad (eVscope 2, iPhone 7)	Observed from after 7:00 p.m. until about 9:30 p.m.; SQM 17...18 at the very beginning, 19 at about 7:30, 19.4 at 7:35, 19.6 at 8:15, later only 19.4; dew!!! Soon clouds were appearing... eVscope 2: No dark frame, no checking of collimation and focus
Nov 2 MH	OC: M 52, M 103 GC: M 15 G: M 31/32, M 33, NGC 7331 GN: IC 1396, IC 5070, NGC 281, NGC 6888, NGC 7635	Order: M 31 (labelled as M 33), NGC 281 (Pacman Nebula; 10 min), IC 5070 (labelled as Pacman; 10 min), M 15 (poorly centered; 5 min), IC 1396 (Elephant's Trunk, 11 min), NGC 7331, (NGC 7293), M 33 (still labelled as NGC 7331; 10 min), M 52 (still labelled as NGC 7331; 7 min), NGC 7635 (Bubble Nebula, 13 min), M 103 (6 min), NGC 6888 (Crescent Nebula; 17 min) This session was in part meant to replicate an observation session the day before that was done with the Vaonis Vespera, but became only a partial replication.	eVscope 2, iPad	Observed between 6 an 9:45 p.m. SQM 17...18 at the beginnng, 19 at 6:45 p.m., later lower again because of the moon... Sky "fuzzy", moon with "haze"... App: Often, but not always the wrong (previous) object name is displayed... Often the icons next to the camera icon disappear (which is then mostly inactive, but not always...).
Nov 24 MH	OC: NGC 457, NGC 663, NGC 869, NGC 884 GC: M 2, M 15, M 30 G: M 31 GN: IC 1396, IC 1805, IC 1848, IC 5070, NGC6960, NGC 6992, NGC 7000, NGC 7023 PN: M 27, NGC 7293 Jupiter, Saturn	Order: Saturn, Jupiter, Saturn in LiveView moda and in new EV planetary mode; M 27, M 2, M 30 partially obscured), M 15, NGC 7293 (Helix Nebula), NGC 6960, Jupiter, Saturn, IC 5070 (Pelican Nebula), IC 1396 (Elephant's Trunk), NGC 7023 (Iris Nebula), NGC 7000 (North America Nebula), NGC 6992, IC 1805 (Heart Nebula), IC 1848 (Soul Nebula), NGC 869 (h Persei), NGC 884 (chi Persei), NGC 633, NGC 457 (E.T. Cluster/Owl Nebula, already hazy), M 31, (M 33) Observation stopped because of haze.	eVscope 2, iPad	Observed between 6:30 p.m. up to 9:30 p.m.; 6:30 p.m. > SQM = 19.6; thereafter only small changes. One day after new moon. App: New version 2.2.0 with new planet EV mode; still a lot of bugs: the wrong (previous) object name is still displayed now and then; probably especially after connection loss, the icons next to the camera icon as well as the "edit/move" buttons disappear.
Dec 17 MH	OC: M 45 G: M 33, M 74, M 77, NGC 891 GN: NGC 1499	Order: Jupiter, Mars, Jupiter, Mars, M 45, NGC 1499 (California Nebula), Mars, M 77, M 74, M 33, NGC 891 Partially photographed at minute intervals to test the progress.	eVscope 2, iPad	Observed between 9:30 p.m. up to 0:10 p.m.; 0:00 a.m. > SQM = 19.6 (or about 19.6...) Planets poor, paticularly Jupiter (poor seeing?) App: New version 2.2.0 with new planet EV mode

Bold: First observation during this observation period; G = galaxy, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster, GN = galactic nebula, PN = planetary nebula, P = star pattern, DN = dark nebula, C = comet, SN = supernova

List of Observed Sky Objects

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

DSO Details	Name	Constellation	Type	Remarks
IC 1396	Elephant Trunk	Cepheus	GNE	Becomes visible after long exposure times
IC 1805	Heart Nebula	Cassiopeia	GN/OS	The galactic nebulae IC 1805, IC 1848, and IC 1795 (also named NGC 896) form a larger nebulosity region in the constellation Cassiopeia, not far away from the Perseus Double Cluster NGC 869/884.
IC 1848	Soul Nebula	Cassiopeia	GN/OS	The galactic nebulae IC 1848, IC 1805, and IC 1795 (also named NGC 896) form a larger nebulosity region in the constellation Cassiopeia, not far away from the Perseus Double Cluster NGC 869/884.
IC 5070	Pelican Nebula	Cygnus	GNE	Large reddish nebula
IC 5146	Cocoon Nebula	Cygnus	GNE	Small reddish nebula with embedded open star cluster Cr 470
M 2		Aquarius	GC	Nice globular cluster, one of the larger ones
M 11	Wild Duck Cluster	Scutum	OC	Large and nice open star cluster
M 13	Hercules Cluster	Hercules	GC	Large and nice globular star cluster, one of the largest
M 15		Pegasus	GC	Supposedly, it is the best globular cluster in autumn, bright core.
M 16	Eagle Nebula	Serpens	GN	Nice nebula
M 17	Swan/Omega Nebula	Sagittarius	GN	Nice nebula
M 27	Dumbbell Nebula	Vulpecula	PN	Perhaps the nicest object in the sky?
M 30		Capricornus	GC	Disturbed...
M 31	Andromeda Galaxy	Andromeda	G	Together with M 32; observed for longer at the end of October
M 33	Triangulum Galaxy	Triangulum	G	Fairly faint, details recognizable only after longer duration in EV mode
M 45	Pleiades, Seven Sisters	Taurus	OC	Too large for the eVscope 2's field of view; accompanying nebulae faintly visible
M 51	Whirlpool Galaxy, with NGC 5195	Canes Venatici	G	Nice spiral galaxy together with connected satellite galaxy NGC 5195
M 52		Cassiopeia	OC	Medium-sized open star cluster
M 74		Pisces	G	Nice spiral galaxy, but in the eVscope 2 just a faint dot/glow...
M 77		Cetus	G	Spiral galaxy, a bit more to see than with M 74, but in the end just a soft dot in the eVscope 2
M 101	Pinwheel Galaxy	Ursa Major	G	Spiral galaxy, seen face-on, similar to M 99 and M 100, but much larger than both; quite impressive in the eVscope 2
M 103		Cassiopeia	OC	Open star cluster with many fine stars; the bright stars form a triangle.
NGC 281	Pacman Nebula	Cassiopeia	GE	Reddish nebula, fits the eVscope 2's FOV
NGC 457	Owl/E.T. Cluster	Cassiopeia	OC	Nice, particularly the eyes; somewhat hazy during the observation
NGC 663		Cassiopeia	OC	Large
NGC 869	h Persei, part of the Perseus Double Cluster	Perseus	OC	Both clusters together are too large for the eVscope 2's field of view; the more compact cluster of the two
NGC 884	chi Persei, part of the Perseus Double Cluster	Perseus	OC	Both clusters together are too large for the eVscope 2's field of view; for me, this is the nicer cluster
NGC 891		Andromeda	G	Seen from the side; nice
NGC 1499	California Nebula	Perseus	GN	Faint, extended
NGC 6888	Crescent Nebula	Cygnus	GE	Nice, but faint
NGC 6960	Western Veil Nebula	Cygnus	GN	Rather faint
NGC 6992/5	Eastern Veil Nebula	Cygnus	GN	Faint
NGC 7000	North America Nebula	Cygnus	GN	Faint and large...
NGC 7023	Iris Nebula	Cepheus	GN	NGC 7023 is the name of an open star cluster containing the Iris Nebula. The Iris Nebula is a reflection nebula illuminated by a central star.
NGC 7331		Pegasus	G	The galaxy NGC 7335 and two smaller galaxies can be seen on the better photos.
NGC 7635	Bubble Nebula	Cassiopeia	GN	Nice, is located close to the well-known open star cluster M 52.
Jupiter			P	Seen with EV planet mode
Saturn			P	Seen with EV planet mode
Mars			P	Seen with EV planet mode

G = galaxy, GaC = galaxy cluster, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster, GE = galactic emission nebula, GR = galactic reflection nebula, DN = dark nebula, C = comet, PN = planetary nebula, SP = star pattern, HII = HII region (emission nebula in other galaxies)

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