Deep Sky Observations with Vespera Pro Beginning with August 2024

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

in progress

Since the beginning of May 2024, I own a Vaonis Vespera Pro telescope for observing and taking photos of deep sky objects. On this page, I collect information about observations starting at the beginning of August 2024. The photos that were taken during this phase are presented elsewhere (on the detail pages for the DSO).

Conditions

Sky Region and Objects

From the beginning of August 2024 on, 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)

Observation Time

The observations in this phase took place from the beginning of August 2024 on. They typically took place shortly after dusk, when it was sufficiently dark for a successful initialization of the Vespera Pro. In August, this was typically around 10 p.m., late in August at about 9:30 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

One observation session took place in Erkerode near Braunschweig (Germany):

52° 12' 27.2" N 10° 42' 52.9" E
52.207556° N, 10.714696° E

Equipment Used

When observing with the Vespera Pro, I only needed the Vespera Pro and my iPad. This time, I only used the Gitzo Systematic High Tripod that I had acquired for my Vespera (Pro). Moreover, I purchased filters for the Vespera (Pro) that I used partly during these observations.

General Conditions

In general, the sky above Mühlhausen/Kraichgau is "light-polluted" (SQM 20.5, Bortle 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 2024	Observed Objects	Observed Objects, Details	Remarks	Further Remarks
Aug 5 MH	GC: M 15 OC: M 21 G: M 51 GN: M 8, M 20	Order: M 8/M20/M 21: (17 min) M 51 (45 min) M 81/82 0 min) NGC 6960/6992: 0 min) M 15 (15 min)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod; iPad	One day after New Moon; Milky Way seen at around 11 p.m.(SQM 20) Initialization (from 11:05 p.m.) worked only in the second attempt (from 11:15 p.m.). M 8/M 20/M 21: mosaic; from about 11:21 p.m.; 11:23/19.17; 11:35/19.74; images disturbed; after 17 min, the observation did not move on... 2nd attempt did not start... M 81/82: mosaic; 11:00/20.0; image disturbed, only M 81 visible; aborted manually... M 51 did not work; therefore changed to new location and reinitialized at 11:07 p.m. M 51: 11:13/20.05; 11:46/20.16; 0:00/20.1 (about 30 min obs. time); stopped after45 min obs. time (about 0:20 a.m.) NGC 6960/6992: mosaic; 0:25/20.08; soon aborted, did not work... Second attempt at about 0:30 p.m.; again did not work, message: too high... M 15: 0:34/20.08; core washed out, larger stars with a stripe like Saturn!; stopped after 15 min obs.time (0:57 p.m.)
Aug 6 MH	OC: M 18, M 21 GN: M 8, M 16, M 17, M 20, M 21	Order: M 8/M20/M 21 (26 min) M 16/M 17/M 18 (60 min) NGC 6960/6992 (0 min): M 101 (0 min)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Two days after New Moon; Milky Way seen at around 11 p.m.(SQM 20) Initialization worked (from 9:55/17.0) M 8/M 20/M 21: mosaic; 11:03/17.9; 11:20/19.3; 22:35/19.9; stopped after one round ( about 26 min obs. time); M 8 seen in the binoculars M 16/17/18: mosaic; 11:50/20.1; M 11 and M 16 or 17 seen in binoculars; 11:17/20.16; 11:33/20.2; 0:00/20.2; 0:30/20.2 (52 min obs. time); stopped 0:45 a.m. after one round and 1h obs.time NGC 6960/92: 0:49/20.2; again does not work! Perhaps because started with 6960??? M 101: 1:04/20.3; soon aborted because of clouds
Aug 8 MH	GN: IC 5070, NGC 6888, NGC 6960/6992, NGC 7000	Order: NGC 6960/6992 (60 min) NGC 6888 (36:30 min) NGC 7000/IC 5070 (25 min)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Several days after New Moon; Milky Way seen at around 10:45 p.m.(SQM 20) Initialization worked (from 9:50/16.9). NGC 6960/6992 (60 min rec.): mosaic; 9:58/17.7; 10:16/19.3; 10:30/19.85; 10:45/20.03; 11:00/20.05; 2nd round afrer about one hour obs. tie; aborted manually shortly afterwards (nearly 64 min observed, 71.5 min stacked; 1.5 h used in total) NGC 6888 (30 min rec): 11:40/20.1; 0:00/20.15 (15 min obs. time); 0:17/20.16; aborted after 36:40 min obs. time NGC 7000/IC 5070 (60 min rec.): mosaic; 0:35/20.2; went to bed around 1 a.m.. aborted automatically after about 25 min obs. time.
Aug 10 MH	Sun	Sun in the late afternoon	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad
Aug 10 MH	GN: M 16, NGC 6888; SH2-101	Order: NGC 6888 (36:30 min) SH2-101 (Tulip Nebula, 63 min) M 16 (21:40 min)	Vespera Pro; Dual Band Filter; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Several days after New Moon; Milky Way seen at around 11:15 p.m.(SQM 20) Initialization from 11:00/18.0 (this time pointing NW, that is, in the opposite direction...); AF over 100%, returned the to 100%! Thereafter DB Filter added; all observations with DB Filter NGC 6888 (30 min rec.): with DB Filter; 22:09/19,0; very "colorful noise" at the beginning; after 15 min obs.time still "colorful"; 11:30/20.0; 11:45/2011 (27 min); stopped after 36.5 min = 11:58/20.1. SH2-101 (Tulip Nebula; 60 min rec.): with DB Filter; 11:00/20.1; 11:15/20.1; 11:45/20.17; 0:00/20.17; ran for 63 min obs.time... M 16 (30 min rec.): with DB Filter; start at 0:34 a.m.; 0:48/20,26; aborted manually after 21:40 min obs.time, probably in the trees (1:10 a.m.)...
Aug 24 Erkerode	G: M 31	Order: M 31 (30 min) M 52/NGC 7635 (7 min, not useable)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod; iPad	Several days after full moon Initialization from 9:50/20.4; AF up to 150%, then 100%... NGC 6960/6992 (60 min rec.): Mosaic, DB Filter (added after object search); 10:04/20.45; aborted because the telescope stood in front of a car... Second initialization with DB Filter... NGC 6960/6992 (60 min rec.): Mosaic, DB Filter; 10:30/20.2; aborted because too high in the sky, did not start... M 31 (30 min rec.): about 10:40/20.1; 11:05/19.66; the moon began to disturb; 11:30/19.7, stopped after 30 min. M 52/NGC 7635 (Bubble Nebula; 30 min rec. for M 52): Mosaic (1,6° x 1,6°), 11:32/19.7;aborted after 1.5/4 of the first round because of clouds (did not continue any more...), about 7 min of observation.
Aug 25 MH	OC: M 52, NGC 7789 GN: 6969/6992, NGC 7635	Order: M 52/NGC 7635 (39 min) NGC 7789 (15 min) NGC 6960/6992 (a little more than 65 min)	Vespera Pro; partly Dual Band Filter; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Nearly waning half moon (56%) Initialization from about 9:50/20.0; OK (did not watch it...) M 52/NGC 7635 (Bubble Nebula; 30 min rec. for M 52): Mosaic (1.6° x 1.6°), 10:02/20.0; first round finished after 13:50 min; 2nd round (SQM 20) would not start (clouds?), but continued after some time; started 11:03/20 third round after 39 min; stopped NGC 7789 (15 min rec.): 11:05/20.0; stopped after 15 min NGC 6960/6992 (60 min): Mosaic, no filter; aborted, started anew with DB Filter; 11:36/20,0; automatically aborted around midnight (after a little more than 65 min), probably because of cloud (went to bed before that)
Aug 26 MH	OC: M 52 GN: NGC 7635, NGC 7538, C9	Order: M 52/NGC 7635/NGC 7538/C 9 (6 h)	Vespera Pro; Dual Band Filter; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Waning half moon (45%) Initialization (with filter) from about 9:35/20.0 OK M 52/NGC 7635/NGC 7538/C9 (= Sh2-155, Cave Nebula) (30 min for M 52): Mosaic (3.9° x 2.7°), DB Filter (had forgottern to remove it...), 9:45/19.8; 10:00/20.0; 1st round finished at about 0:07/20.1 (1:17:30 obs.time, 2:20 in total); then went to bed; finished at 4:46 a.m. (after 6 h in total, 1 3/4 rounds, 50 MP), looked fuzzy (but this was due to my eyes...).
Aug 27 MH	GN: NGC 7538, C 9	Order: NGC 7538 (50 min) C9 (6 h)	Vespera Pro; Dual Band Filter; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Waning half moon (35%) Initialization (with filter) from about 9:30/20.0 OK NGC 7538 (90 min rec.): With DB Filter, start at 9:35/19,4; 10:00/20,0 (17 min obs.); 10:30/20,06; 10:46/20,09; stopped after 50 min observation time. C 9 (90 min rec.): With DB Filter, start at 10:50/20.05; 11:30/20.15 (about 30 min obs.); 11:42 (40 min)/20.14; at midnight to bed and Vespera left alone; at about 2? a.m. checked, was still observing; at about 5:30 a.m. (lief noch) fnished after 1880 frames (1525 stacked). C9 still faint...
Aug 28 MH	GN: C 9, NGC 7023	Order: C9 (1:40 h) NGC 7023 (1:45 h)	Vespera Pro; no filter; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Waning moon (25%) Initialization from about 9:20/18.0-18.4 OK C 9 (90 min rec.): Start at 9:24 (9:27 actual)/18.7; 10:00/19.95 (25:10 min obs.time); 10:30/20.0; 11:00/20.04 (1:07 h obs.time); 11:30/20.0 (1:30 h obs.time); stopped at 1:40 h obs.time (11:44 p.m.) NGC 7023 (Iris Nebula; 30 min rec.): Start at 11:45/20.0; 0:00/20.07 (11:30 min obs.time); left the Vespera alone outside; 0:08 (16 min obs.time); stopped at 2:20 a.m. (1:43:30 h obs.time); center too bright.
Aug 29 MH	GN: NGC 281, NGC 7380	Order: NGC 7380 (1:20 h) NGC 281 (3:22 h)	Vespera Pro; Dual Band Filter; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Waning moon (17%) Initialization (with filter) from 9:25/19.0; OK; SQM does not reach exactly 20 this night... NGC 7380 (Wizard Nebula; 60 min rec.; comp.: nearly 25 min with Vespera): DB Filter, start at 9:34/19.5; 10:00/19.8 (20 min obs.time); 10:30/19.85; 11:00/19.95; stopped after 1:20 h obs.time (about 11:20 p.m.) NGC 281 (Pacman Nebula; 60 min rec.): DB Filter, Start at 11:25/19.9; 0:04/19.95; to bed after midnight, left the Vespera alone outside; stopped at 5:08 a.m. (3:22:30 h obs.time), clouds, few stars, it got brighter gradually...
Aug 30 MH	GN: NGC 7822	Order: NGC 7822 (21:50 min) NGC 7822 (3:34 h)	Vespera Pro; Dual Band Filter; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Waning moon (10%), some clouds, chaning... Initialization (with filter) from 9:27/19.2; focus correction, aborted, took too long; 2nd attermpt at 9:32/19.3 NGC 7822 (added manually): DB Filter; start at 9:38(40)/19.52; nothing to see at the beginning; 10:16/19.3 (about 21 min); got stuck at 21:50 min obs.time because of clouds; aborted automatically... Second attempt at 10:25/19.4; nothing to see at the beginning; 10:54/19.4 (20 min); 11:30/19.6 (about 45 min obs.time); 0:00/19.56; 0:07 to bed, VP alone, in the kitchen for a while... Stopped at 4:27 a.m. (1283 frames, 3:33:50 h obs.time; 1676 frames tried; about 6 h in total)
Oct 11 MH	GN: IC 1396, NGC 6992/5, NGC 7000	Order: NGC 7000 (39:10 min) NGC 6992/5 (40 min) IC 1396 (about 60 min)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	A little more than Half Moon, clear sky Initialization from about 7:40 p.m., SQM not measured, OK NGC 7000: Start at 7:48/18,75; moon shone on objective...; 8:11/19:47; aborted after 39:10 min because observation seemed to have stopped... NGC 6992: Start at 8:53/19,55; 10:00/19/64; stopped after 40 min (about 10:00 p.m.) IC 1396: Start at 10:02/19,68; stopped after a little more than 1 h (end at 11:30 p.m.)
Nov 3 MH	G: M 33	Order: M 33 (1 h)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Shortly after New Moon Initialization from about 9:30 p.m., SQM not measured M 33 (2 h empf.): Start at 9:30 p.n.; 10:21/19.93; clouds/fog after 50 min obs.time (not checked before that...); aborted after 1 h obs.time (clouds/fog) = 11 p.m.
Nov 4 MH	OC: M 34, M 45, NGC 869/884 G: NGC 891 GN: NGC 1499, NGC 6960 (allein) PN: M 1	Order: NGC 6960 (62 min) NGC 869/884 (21 min) M 34 (16 min) M 45 (40 min) NGC 891 (30 min) M 1 (30 min) NGC 1499 (fast 33 min)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Crescent of the Moon (about 10%) Initialization from about 6:08/19.1, OK NGC 6960 (1 h rec.): Start at 6:14/19.2; 6:40/19.5 (about 15 min obs.time); 7:06/19.5 (33 min obs.time); 7:45/19.6; stopped after about 1 h; after about 20 min, a shooting star appeared (weakened only a little in the course of time); shortly before the end Live Focus Beta came up... (paused the observation) NGC 869/884 (10 min rec.): Start at 7:53/19.6; stopped after about 21 min (8:22 p.m.) M 34 (30 min rec.): Start at 20:27/19.6, AF restarted; aborted after 16 min obs.time at SQM 19.8; suspicion of fog... M 45 (30 min rec.): Start at 20:51/19.8; stopped after 40 min obs.time at about 9:45 p.m. NGC 891 (60 min rec.): Start at 21:46/19.86; stopped after 30 min obs.time at 10:30/20 M 1 (30 min rec.): Start at 22:32/20; stopped after 30 min obs.time, at 11:15/20.1 NGC 1499 (60 min rec.): Start at about 23:15/20.1; stopped after nearly 33 min obs.time
Nov 5 MH	SP: CR 399 OC: M 29, M 39, NGC 457, NGC 6885/2 G: M 74, NGC 7331 PN: M 76	Order: M 29 (15 min) CR 399 (10 min) NGC 6885/2 (10 min) NGC 752 (15 min) NGC 7331 (30) NGC 7243 (10 min) NGC 457 (10 min) M 39 (15 min) M 76 (10 min) M 74 (17 min)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Crescent of the Moon (about 16%). Initialization from about 6:17/19.3, OK M 29 (30 min rec.): Start at 6:27/19.3; stopped after 15 min obs.time (8:50/19.4) CR 399 (10 min rec.): Start at 6:55/19.4; stopped after 10 min obs.time NGC 6885/2 (added manually): Start at 7:11/19.4; stopped after 10 min obs.time (7:26 p.m.) NGC 7243 (added manually): Start at 7:30 >> did not work, probably too high NGC 752 (30 min rec.): Start at 7:42/19.4; stopped after 15 min obs.time (8:03 p.m.) NGC 7243 (added manually): Start at about 8:00 >> did not work, probably too high NGC 7331 (60 min rec.): Start at 8:09/19.5; 8:30/19.5 (about 10 min obs.time); stopped after 30 min obs.time (9:03 p.m.) NGC 7243 (added manually): Start at 9:05/19.6; stopped after 10 min obs.time (9:23 p.m.) NGC 457 (10 min rec.): 9:26/19.7; stopped after 10 min obs.time (9:40 p.m.) M 39 (30 min rec.): Start at 9:43/19.8; stopped after 15 min obs.time (10:04 p.m.) M 76 (30 min rec.): Start at 10:07/19.7; stopped after 10 min obs.time (10:27 p.m.) M 74 (30 min rec.): Start at 10:33/19.5; did not proceed, probably clouds or fog (11:00 p.m.); therefore aborted after 17 min obs.time!

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, SR = supernova remnant

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
C 9	Cave Nebula, Sh2-155	Cepheus	GE	Emission nebula; photographed together with M 52, NGC 7635, and NGC 7538 as a huge mosaic (50 MP, 6 h); very faint; also observed alone (> 6 h), faint! Also observed alone without a filter.
CR 399	Coat Hanger	Vulpecula	OC	In binoculars better to see than in a telescope
IC 1396	Elephant Trunk	Cepheus	GNE	Dark nebula; hard to recognize....
M 1	Crab Nebula	Taurus	GE/SR	Supernova remnant
M 8	Lagoon Nebula	Sagittarius	GN	Emission nebula (NGC 6523) and open star cluster (NGC 6530); together with M 20 and M 21 in a mosaic
M 15		Pegasus	GC	Supposedly, it is the best globular cluster in autumn, bright core (washed out).
M 16	Eagle Nebula	Serpens	GN	Star cluster M 16 embedded in the Eagle Nebula IC 4703; seen together with M 17 and M 18; also observed alone with Dual Band Filter.
M 17	Omega/Swan Nebula	Sagittarius	GN	One of the most beautiful emission nebulae; in the reversing telescope, some people recognize a swan; seen together with M 16 and M 18.
M 18		Sagittarius	OC	More a less a "sub par" star cluster; seen together with M 16 and M 17.
M 20	Trifid Nebula	Sagittarius	GN	Is called Trifid Nebula because it consists of three parts; together with M 8 and M 21 in a mosaic
M 21		Sagittarius	GN	Together with M 8 and M 20 in a mosaic
M 29		Cygnus	OC	Pattern created from a few stars
M 31	Andromeda Galaxy	Andromeda	G	Together with M 32 and M 110 on normal photo
M 32	Satellite of M 31	Andromeda	G	Satellite galaxy of M 31
M 33	Triangulum Galaxy	Triangulum	G	Faint but nice
M 34		Perseus	OC	Large and nice open star cluster, reminds me of M 41
M 39		Cygnus	OC	Few stars
M 45	Pleiades, Seven Sisters	Taurus	OC	Somewhat large; hints of the nebulae in M 45 recognizable (NGC 1432, NGC 1435, and more)...
M 51	with NGC 5195	Canes Venatici	G	Nice spiral galaxy with connected satellite galaxy NGC 5195
M 52	together with NGC 7635	Cassiopeia	OC	Medium-sized open star cluster; together with NGC 7635 in FOV
M 74		Pisces	G	Nice spiral galaxy, but in the Vespera Pro just a faint dot/glow...
M 76	Small Dumbbell Nebula	Perseus	PN	Very small, colorful, rectangular
M 110	Satellite of M 31	Andromeda	G	Satellite galaxy of M 31, faint
NGC 281	Pacman Nebula	Cassiopeia	GN	Larger reddish nebula with embedded star cluster IC 1590
NGC 457	Owl Cluster, E.T. Cluster	Cassiopeia	OC	The eyes stand out
NGC 752		Andromeda	OC	Large, loose open star cluster
NGC 884/869	Perseus Double Cluster	Perseus	OC	Nice, both clusters visible in the same view
NGC 891		Andromeda	G	Seen from the edge
NGC 1499	California Nebula	Perseus	GN	Red nebula; aborted because of clouds
NGC 6882/5		Vulpecula	OC	Wide-spread star cluster, actually NGC 6885, not NGC 6882...
NGC 6888	Crescent Nebula	Cygnus	GE	Faint, but better this time... Observed with Dual Band the second time, somewhat more contrasty
NGC 6960	Western Cirrus Nebula	Cygnus	GN/SR	Together with NGC 6992/5 in a mosaic and alone; together with NGC 6992/5 a supernova remnant.
NGC 6992/5	Eastern Cirrus Nebula	Cygnus	GN/SR	Together with NGC 6960 in a mosaic and alone; together with NGC 6960 a supernova remnant.
NGC 7000	North America Nebula	Cygnus	GN	Only partly visible
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 7243		Lacerta	OC	Open star cluster
NGC 7331	With NStephan's Quintet NGC 7317	Pegasus	G	Close to Stephan's Quintet NGC 7317; together in FOV with Vespera
NGC 7380	Wizard Nebula/Cluster	Cepheus	GN/OC	A star formation region that contains the young open star cluster NGC 7380
NGC 7538		Cepheus	GE	Emission nebula; photographed together with M 52, NGC 7635, and C 9 as a huge mosaic (50 MP, 6 h); also observed alone
NGC 7635	Bubble Nebula; together with M 52	Cassiopeia	GN	Together with the well-known open star cluster M 52 in FOV
NGC 7789	Caroline's Rose Cluster, White Rose Cluster	Cassiopeia	OC	Large; according to Stoyan one of the richest star clusters for small telescopes.
NGC 7822		Cepheus	GE	Nebula very faint...
Sh2-101	Tulip Nebula	Cygnus	GE	Very faint; observed with Dual Band filter

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, A = Asterism, SR = Supernova remnant, HII = HII region (emission nebula in other galaxies)

References

Books

Michael Feiler & Philip Novak (2023). Deep Sky Reiseatlas (5th edition), Oculum Verlag (ISBN 978-3-949370-04-5)
www.oculum-verlag.de/detailview?no=608
Ronald Stoyan (2021). Deep Sky Reiseführer (6th edition), Oculum Verlag (ISBN: 978-3-938649-72-9)
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