| Observer: | Tom Campbell |
| Location: | Iola, Kansas (Long: 95°24'W Lat: 37°55'N) |
| Equipment: | Discovery DHQ 8" dobsonian |
| Eyepieces: | 1.25" Plössls - 25mm (49x), 15mm (81x), 10mm (122x), 6mm (203x) |
| Time: | 9:00pm - 10:30pm CST (03:00-04:30 UT) |
| Transparency: | Clear (8/10) |
| Seeing: | Stable (8/10) |
| Weather: | Temperatures in the 40s. There was a strong breeze. |
Tonight, the temperature was fairly warm, and the skies were beautiful. After having missed several astronomical events lately (including a lunar eclipse) due to either bad weather or a busy schedule, I was determined to get out under the sky tonight.
For an observing list, I picked an article by Fred Schaaf in the November issue of Sky & Telescope. Despite the wealth of open clusters and double stars, I often overlook Cepheus. Like a miserly king, Cepheus' precious gems are hidden away, buried within the bright glow of the Milky Way. Even when you know right where to look, they can sometimes be difficult to pick out. Armed with a few good star charts, I decided to try to pick the locks off the royal vault and take a peek at some of his treasures.
| NGC 6939 | Cepheus | Open Cluster | 9:00pm CST |
| CR 423 | RA: 20h 31m 32s | Dec: +60° 39' | Mag: 7.8 |
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The best view of this open cluster was at 122x. With direct vision, I could see 8-9 faint stars superimposed upon a hazy background. The cluster appeared oblong. With averted vision, a couple dozen stars were visible. The cluster was fairly small, but rich. |
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| NGC 6946 | Cepheus | Spiral Galaxy | 9:15pm CST |
| Arp 29 | RA: 20h 34m 52s | Dec: +60° 09' | Mag: 9.6 |
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This spiral galaxy lies near NGC 6939, but I was unable to find it. I've tried a few times from my backyard, but have been unsuccessful. I'll have to try from darker skies. |
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| NGC 7235 | Cepheus | Open Cluster | 9:30pm CST |
| CR 447 | RA: 22h 12m 30s | Dec: +57° 17' | Mag: 7.7 |
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This cluster was small and bright, with five bright stars and several fainter members. Four of the bright stars form a trapezoid. A slight haze was in the background, probably indicating unresolved stars. The cluster didn't appear very impressive through this telescope. The best view was at 122x. |
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| NGC 7380 | Cepheus | Cluster + Nebula | 9:40pm CST |
| CR 452 | RA: 22h 47m 0s | Dec: +58° 06' | Mag: 7.2 |
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This cluster is large and fairly bright. It is somewhat loose. The brighter components of the cluster form the shape of a Christmas tree, with a bright member as the "star" of the tree, and a slightly fainter star as the trunk. The tree points right at a double star, OS480. A couple dozen stars were visible in the cluster, sprinkled throughout. Some nebulosity was supposed to be associated with this cluster, but I was unable to confirm it with certainty, even using my O-III filter. |
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| OS480 | Cepheus | Double Star | 9:45pm CST |
| RA: 22h 46m 06s | Dec: +58° 04' | Mag: 7.6, 8.5 | |
This double was wide, easily split at 49x. Both components were white, with one star about half a magnitude brighter. |
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| NGC 7510 | Cepheus | Open Cluster | 10:05pm CST |
| CR 454 | RA: 23h 11m 30s | Dec: +60° 34' | Mag: 7.9 |
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This cluster was long and narrow, consisting of about 10 bright stars. The two brightest stars of the cluster are on either end. Some haziness was observed in the background. The best view was at 122x. |
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| King 19 | Cepheus | Open Cluster | 10:15pm CST |
| RA: 23h 08m 18s | Dec: +60° 31' | Mag: 9.2 | |
This cluster was a small knot of stars, best viewed at 122x. There were 3 bright stars forming a right triangle that spanned the edges of the cluster. A few more stars were detected with direct vision, and averted vision revealed some background haze. |
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