Deep Sky Observations with Vespera January to April 2023

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

Since the end of July 2022, I own a Vaonis Vespera telescope for observing and taking photos of deep sky objects. On this page, I collect information about observations from January 2023 on. The photos that were taken during this phase are presented elsewhere (on the detail pages for the DSO).

 

Conditions

Sky Region and Objects

From January until April 2023, I observed mostly the following sky area (some observed objects are indicated):

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

Note: I observed some of the marked objects with the eVscope 2.

Observation Time

The observations in this phase took place from January to April 2023. They typically took place shortly after dusk, when it was sufficiently dark for a successful initialization of the Vespera. In January, this was typically after 6 p.m.; in April it was after 9.p.m.!

Observation Location

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

Equipment Used

When observing with the Vespera, I only needed the Vespera 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. For astro photography, however, light pollution is not as disturbing as for visual observations.

 

Observation Overview

Observation Dates

Date
2023
Observed Objects Observed Objects, Details Remarks Further Remarks
Jan 18
MH
GN: M 42/43, NGC 1977, NGC 1980, NGC 1981 Order: M 42/43 , M 42/43 (mosaic), M 42/43 (mosaic, > 40min); in mosaics partly NGC 1977, NGC 1980, and NGC 1981 included in the picture Vespera; iPad and iPhone 7

Observed also with the eVscope 2

Vespera: used from about 8:20 p.m. on until 11 p.m.; it initialized at the beginning "forever" and aborted; I then started a new successful initialization.
SQM 19.4-19.6 during the observations

Vespera aborted the first M 42/43 mosaic after 7 minutes, because the app no longer recognized the network, although it was "on"; with some effort, I turned Vespera off (after long pressing the power button) and then on again...
The second initialization went faster! Second try with M 42/43 mosaic was stopped by me after a little more than 40 minutes.

Jan 29
MH
GN: B 33, NGC 2024 Order: Alnitak (+ B 33, NG 2024; mosaic), NGC 2024, B 33 (cancelled because of clouds) Vespera; iPad Vespera: used from shortly before 7 p-m-; SQM 18.9 after 10 p.m.; about half moon (in SW); up to nearly 10 p.m. (clouds)

Mosaic 1.5 h (5700 s), NGC 2024 15 min (1220 s), B 33 cancelled soon because of clouds (880 s)

Feb 6
MH
OC: M 45 Order: M 45 in two runs and as a mosaic Vespera; iPad Vespera: used from 9:30 p.m., nearly full moon; SQM 18.4 (10:17 p.m.)

M 45 in two runs (due to temperatur drop and AF renewal) > Nach 20 min beendet,
M 45 as mosaic (nearly quadratic format) > Stopped after abour 40 min (because of clouds)

Feb 7
MH
OC: M 36, M 38
GN: M 1, M 78, NGC 1499
Order: M 78, M 1, M 36/38 (mosaic), NGC 1499 (AF renewed; 10 min), NGC 1499 (mosaic, >1:10 h) Vespera; iPad
Observed also with the eVscope 2
Vespera: used from about 6:30 p.m., still nearly full moon; SQM 19.3 (7:30 p.m.); SQM 19.1 (9 p.m.)
Feb 8
MH
OC: M 35, NGC 2158, NGC 2244, NGC 2264
GN: IC 405, IC 2118, NGC 2238, NGC 2261, NGC 2264
Order: IC 405 (Flaming Star Nebula) 30 min, IC 2118 (Witch Head Nebula) mosaic> cancelled after14 min, because I was unsure whether the target was OK (the mosaic markers had changed...), ditto once more (one mosaic run), M 35 with NGC 2158 (1700s), Rosette Nebula NGC 2238/2244 (a little more than 30 min), Cone Nebula/Christmas Tree Cluster NGC 2264/2261+OC (> 50 min) Vespera; iPad Vespera: used from about 6:30 p.m. (the moon rose at 8:30 p.m), SQM 19.4-19.6 (8:20 p.m.)

 

Feb 12
MH
OC: M 50, NGC 2169, NGC 2194
GN: IC 2177, NGC 2174
Order: NGC 2169 and NGC 2194 ( 2169 = Little Plejades; also called 37 Cluster; mosaic, ca 1 h = one run), IC 2177 (Seagull Nebula) + M 50 + further ( mosaic), Seagull Nebula alone, Seagull Nebula as a mini mosaic for a better section, NGC 2174 (Monkey Head Nebula, mosaic)

Vespera; iPad
Observed also with the eVscope 2
Vespera from about 7:30 to 11:40 p.m. (the moon rose after midnight); SQM 19.8 (8:40 p.m.) and SQM 20.2 at 11 p.m.
Feb 13
MH
OC: M 36, M 37, M 38, M 46/47
GN: NGC 2359
G: NGC 891
Order: M 37 (about 10min), M 36, M 38, M 46/47 (mosaic disturbed > too low), NGC 891 (mosaic), NGC 891 alone, NGC 2359 (Thor's Helmet) Vespera; iPad Vespera from about 7:00 to nearly 11:30 p.m.; SQM 19.6 (7:10 p.m.) and SQM 19.8 at 10 p.m.
Feb 20
MH
OC: NGC 2374
GN: IC 1805, M 42, NGC 2359
Order: M 42 mosaic (DBFilter; one run took about 47 min; Running Man Nebula not visible with nebula filter!), IC 1805 mosaic (DBFilter; one run took > 54:30 min), NGC 2359 normal (DBFilter), NGC 2359 small mosaic with NGC 2374 (DBFilter, one run took about 35 min), M 42 mosaic (DBFilter, aborted before one run was finished) later with a darker sky.

This session was mainly a first test of the Dual Band filter.

Vespera; iPad; Dual Band Filter Vespera used from 8:30 to about 10 p.m.; SQM 17.5 (6:45 p.m.); SQM 18.6 (7 p.m.); SQM 19.5 (7:20, 8:00, 8:30 p.m.); SQM 19.7-8 (9 p.m.); SQM 20 (10:15 p.m.); new moon and clear sky

Vespera used with Rollei Quick Exchange adapter on the tripod.

Apr 4
MH
OC: NGC 2244 Order: NGC 2244+Rosette Nebula as a mosaic (1) with CLS Filter (1 run, 31 min*/45 min), (2) with Dual Band Filter (partial run, 42 min*/60 min), (3) without a filter (partial run, 25 min*/37 min)
*) actual time longer
Vespera; iPad; Dual Band Filter, CLS Filter Vespera: used from about 8:50 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. SQM 18.2 to 18.5 and downto 18.1; nearly full moon

Goal: Compare filters, compare with no filter

Apr 5
MH
GN: NGC 2174 Order: NGC 2174 (rec: 60 min) (1) no filter (35 min) (2) with CLS Filter (35 min), (3) with Dual Band Filter (35 min) Vespera; iPad; Dual Band Filter, CLS Filter Vespera: used from about 9 p.m. to about 11 p.m.; full moon and clear sky

Goal: Compare filters, compare with no filter

Apr 9
MH
GN: IC 405, IC 410 Order: IC 405 (rec. 60 min & targeted) as mosaic with IC 410 (rec. 90 min; moved inside the picture) with Dual Band Filter (4 rounds, 3 h) Vespera; iPad; Dual Band Filter Vespera: used from about 9 p.m. until midnight; SQM 19.3 (start, 9 p.m. to SQM 20 (9:40 p.m.), 20.1 (11:10 p.m.); after fulll moon, clear sky

Goal: photograph two nebulae together (with Dual Band Filter)

Apr 14
MH
GN: IC 405, IC 410 Order: IC 405 (rec. 60 min & targeted) as mosaic with IC 410 (rec. 90 min; moved inside the picture) with CLS Filter (2 rounds, 2.5 h/1.5 h real???) Vespera; iPad; CLS Filter Vespera: used from about 9 p.m. until 11:30 p.m.; SQM until 20; moon not up, clear sky

Goal: photograph two nebulae together (with CLS Filter, for comparison with Dual Band Filter)

Bold: First observation during this observation period; G = galaxy, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster, GN = galactic nebula, PN = planetary nebula, SP = 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
B 33 Horse Head Nebula Orion GN/DN Alone (aborted because of clouds) and together with NGC 2024 in a mosaic
IC 405 Flaming Star Nebula Auriga GN Reddish nebula; as mosaic together with IC 410; with filters
IC 410   Auriga GN Reddish nebula, fainter than IC 405 (as mosaic together with IC 405); with filters
IC 1805 Heart Nebula Cassiopeia GN/OC 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 2118 Witch Head Nebula Eridanus GN Not really recognizable...
IC 2177 Seagull Nebula Monoceros GNE Together with M 50 (mosaic) and alone
M 1 Crab Nebula Taurus GN Nice, but small
M 35 With NGC 2158

Gemini

OC Nice star cluster, together with NGC 2158 in a mosaic
M 36   Auriga OC Nice star cluster, the smallest of M 36-38; with M 38 in a mosaic
M 37   Auriga OC Nice star cluster, the densest of M 36-38
M 38   Auriga OC Nice star cluster, the largest of M 36-38; with M 36 in a mosaic
M 42/43 Orion Nebula Orion OC Nebula nicely captured; with mosaics sometimes also NGC 1977 and/or NGC 1980 are on the photo.
M 45 Pleiades, Seven Sisters Taurus OC Too large for a regular photo with Vespera, but fits a mosaic; hints of the nebulae in M 45 recognizable...
M 46 Contains NGC 2438 Puppis OC Together with M 47 in a mosaic; includes NGC 2438 (PN)
M 47   Puppis OC Together with M 46 in a mosaic
M 50 With NGC 2177 Monoceros OC Together with IC 2177 (and more) in a mosaic
M 78 With NGC 2071 Orion GN Very nice to see with Vespera, together with NGC 2071
NGC 891   Andromeda G Seen from the edge (mosaic and alone)
NGC 1499 California Nebula Perseus GN Red nebula that I really saw with the Vespera for the first time
NGC 1977 Running Man Nebula Orion DN In mosaics of M 42/43 partly also NGC 1977 is included in the photo
NGC 1980 Lost Jewel of Orion Orion OC+GN In mosaics of M 42/43 partly also NGC 1980 is included in the photo
NGC 1981   Orion OC In mosaics of M 42/43 partly also NGC 1981 is included in the photo
NGC 2024 Flame Nebula Orion GN Alone and together with B 33 in a mosaic
NGC 2158   Gemini OC Close to M 35
NGC 2169 with NGC 2194 Orion OC+OC Together with NGC 2194
NGC 2174 Monkey Head Nebula Orion GN Reddish nebula, also tried with filters
NGC 2194   Orion OC Together with NGC 2169
NGC 2237-39/46 Rosette Nebula Monoceros GN Saw the nebula for the first time in full size.
NGC 2244 Star cluster in Rosette Nebula Monoceros OC+GN OC at the center of the Rosette Nebula; partially observed with filters (mosaic)
NGC 2261 Hubble's Variable Nebula Monoceros GNR Together with NGC 2264 and Cone Nebula; hard to see
NGC 2264 Christmas Tree Cluster and Cone Nebula Monoceros OC+DN Large mosaic
NGC 2359 Thor's Helmet Canis Major GN Resembles a helmet with wings
NGC 2374   Canis Major OS Hard to see; close to NGC 2359, both can be seen together in a mosaic
NGC 2438   Puppis PN Embedded in M 46, small

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)

 

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28.04.2024