NGC 2300 and NGC 2276 – Galaxy Pair in Cepheus – March 2019 Observer’s Challenge Objects
March Observer’s Challenge Complete Report: Click on the following link:
MARCH 2019 OBSERVERS CHALLENGE – NGC-2300
Inverted color pencil sketch:
NGC 2300 and NGC 2276 – Galaxies in Cepheus – Date: Wednesday, March 6th 2019 Telescope: 10-inch f/4.5 reflector – Sketch magnification: 183x – Eyepiece: 12.5 mm + 2x Barlow – FOV: 0.33º – 20 arc minutes – Conditions: NELM ~5.0-5.2
NGC 2300: Bright, high surface brightness, brighter very concentrated nucleus, mostly round, but with a very subtle E-W elongation.
NGC 2276: Extremely difficult, mostly round, very low surface brightness, appearing only as a brightening in the sky. Very even without concentration. The glare from a magnitude 8.5 star located two arc minutes WSW of the galaxy, hinders the view. Averted vision required. The eyepiece view of this galaxy was far more illusive than my pencil sketch projection. Roger Ivester
Image and information by Mario Motta – 32-inch f/6 telescope
I fought some clouds late, and had to drop some subs, but got about 65 minutes total for this image.
SBIG STL 1001B camera, five minute subs to keep the bright mag. 8.5 star, only a couple arc minutes away from blooming too much, with the 32-inch f/6 telescope, and then processed in PixInsight.
NGC 2300 is mostly featureless as an elliptical, but I find NGC 2276 very interesting. It has sharp arms that are chock full of H alpha knots it would appear.
I wonder if NGC 2276 is a starburst galaxy? Possibly by a close approach to 2300? Such an interesting galaxy and image.
Mario Motta from Massachusetts
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