Observation Log - January 24, 2001

Observation Log - January 24, 2001 - Tinton Falls, NJ

[NOTE: Setup on the 12" Meade LX200 was the Crayford focuser/f3.3 reducer/1.25" visual back/MX516 camera, and the images were all taken WITHOUT the IR blocking filter. Used flats from Jan 25 and Jan 26 both, and darks and bias frames from 01/24/01, as I had left the setup the same. -GW]

NGC1605, an open cluster in Perseus, magnitude 10.7, diameter 5'. This was a 21-minute integration from one-minute frames, taken between 7:23 and 7:47 p.m. the evening of January 23. The frames were calibrated in AstroArt with darks, flats and bias frames, then moved into MaxIm for Digital Development (kernel, low-pass) and a contrast stretch.

NGC1883, an open cluster in Auriga, magnitude 12.0, diameter 2'.5. This was a 29-minute integration from one-minute frames, taken between 8:04 and 8:38 p.m. the evening of January 23. The frames were calibrated in MaxIm with darks, flats and bias frames, then enhanced with a Digital Development filter (kernel, low-pass) and a contrast stretch.

NGC1545, an open cluster in Perseus, magnitude 6.2, diameter 18', distance is 2,600 light years, and age is 190 million years. This was an 18-minute integration from one-minute frames, taken between 8:52 and 9:14 p.m. the evening of January 23. The frames were calibrated in MaxIm with darks, flats and bias frames, then enhanced with a Digital Development filter (FFT, low-pass, hard) and a contrast stretch.

NGC1161, a galaxy in Perseus, magnitude 11.0, dimensions 3'.0 x 2'.0, surface brightness is 12.3 mag/sq arcmin, distance is 90 million light years. Galaxy above is NGC1160, mag 12.8, 1'.5 x 0'.8, sb 13.8. Note two tiny galaxies halfway to left edge of frame from NGC1160. This was a 50-minute integration from one- minute frames, taken between 9:19 and 10:20 p.m. the evening of January 23. The frames were calibrated in MaxIm with darks, flats and bias frames, then enhanced with a Digital Development filter (FFT, low-pass, hard) and a contrast stretch.

NGC2681, a galaxy in Ursa Major, magnitude 10.3, dimensions 3'.8 x 3'.8, surface brightness is 12.1 mag/sq arcmin, distance is 33 million light years. This was a 52-minute integration from one-minute frames, taken between 10:37 and 11:39 p.m. the evening of January 23. The frames were calibrated in MaxIm with darks, flats and bias frames, then enhanced with a Digital Development filter (Kernel, low-pass) and a contrast stretch. Here is another version with less stretch showing interesting detail in the core of the galaxy.

NGC2420, an open cluster in gemini, magnitude 8.3, diameter 10', distance is 8,200 light years. This was a 19-minute integration from one-minute frames, taken between 11:44 and 12:08 a.m. the morning of January 24. The frames were calibrated in MaxIm with darks, flats and bias frames, then enhanced with a Digital Development filter (Kernel, low-pass) and a contrast stretch.

NGC2648, a galaxy in Cancer, magnitude 11.8, dimensions 3'.6 x 1'.1, surface brightness is 14.7 mag/sq arcmin, distance is 85 million light years. The smaller galaxy is PGC24469, mag 14.8, 1'.1 x 0'.3. This was a 44-minute integration from one- minute frames, taken between 12:11 and 1:04 a.m. the morning of January 24. The frames were calibrated in MaxIm with darks, flats and bias frames, then enhanced with a Digital Development filter (Kernel, low-pass) and a contrast stretch.

M108, a galaxy in Ursa Major, magnitude 10.0, dimensions 8'.8 x 2'.2, surface brightness is 13.3 mag/sq arcmin, distance is 24 million light years, and the galaxy spans 60,000 light years. This was a 59-minute integration from one- minute frames, taken between 1:09 and 2:20 a.m. the morning of January 24. The frames were calibrated in MaxIm with darks, flats and bias frames, then enhanced with a Digital Development filter (Kernel, low-pass) and a contrast stretch.

NGC4440, a galaxy in Virgo, magnitude 11.7, dimensions 1'.7 x 1'.6, surface brightness is 11.9 mag/sq arcmin. To the right and slightly above is NGC4436, mag 13.0, 1'.6 x 0'.8, sb 13.6. And more to the right is NGC4431, mag 12.9, 1'.7 x 1'.0, sb 14.4. This was a 28-minute integration from one- minute frames, taken between 2:30 and 3:32 a.m. the morning of January 24. The frames were calibrated in MaxIm with darks, flats and bias frames, then enhanced with a Digital Development filter (Kernel, low-pass) and a contrast stretch. This image was made from the best 28 of 39 taken, many damaged by clouds passing by.

NGC5466, a globular cluster in Bootes, magnitude 9.1, diameter 11', distance is 47,000 light years. This was a 28-minute integration from one-minute frames, taken between 3:36 and 4:10 a.m. the morning of January 24. The frames were calibrated in MaxIm with darks, flats and bias frames, then enhanced with a Digital Development filter (Kernel, low-pass) and a contrast stretch.