Over the past…almost thirty years, I’ve always enjoyed attempting to estimate the magnitude of any supernova within reach of a moderate backyard telescope.

The following are my estimates of the most recent, M82, SN:

• Date:  January 22nd 2014:  Telescope:  10-inch f/4.5 reflector  =  11.6 M
• Date:  January 24th 2014:  Telescope:     3-inch f/4.0 reflector  =  11.0 M
• Date:  January 29th 2014:  Telescope:     3-inch f/4.0 reflector  =  10.6 M
• Date:  January 30th 2014:  Telescope:    10-inch f/4.5 reflector =  10.3 M

It was not the best of conditions, but I was able to easily observe the latest SN in galaxy, M82, in Ursa Major.  Telescopes used:  A vintage Meade 10-inch (model DS-10a) and an Orion 102mm Orion/Vixen f/9.8 refractor.  

The SN could easily be seen in the small refractor (102mm) even at low magnification, however, the best view came at 166x.  

I made the following pencil sketch, using the 10-inch reflector at 190x.  Both seeing and transparency were a bit lacking, however, I was very surprised to see so much mottling in galaxy, M82.  

I’m planning tonight to attempt with a 76mm f/4, Dobsonian Reflector…complete with another sketch.  The magnitude seems to be around 11th magnitude.  

The following pencil sketch was made using a 10-inch reflector, on a blank 5 x 8 note card, with the colors inverted using a scanner.  

Date:  January 22nd 2014

Pencil sketch using a Celestron 76mm reflector at 70x.  Estimated magnitude 11.0.  

Date of observation:   January 24th 2014