Observer’s Challenge Report:  JULY 2019 OBSERVERS CHALLENGE – NGC-6482

In an attempt to observe the July Observer’s Challenge object, galaxy NGC 6482, a bit early to avoid the heat and high humidity of June and most of the summer months, here in the foothills of North Carolina:  

Telescope: 10-inch f/4.5 reflector.  I went out last night at about 2:00 AM (May 30th) only to find a not so transparent sky, with a NELM of about 4.6, temperature 55º and with 99% humidity.  The high moisture mixed with high-pollen created a bright sky for sure!

However, while outside, I thought I’d make the best of it and give the galaxy a try.  At 2:00 AM the object was still too low in the east, but I wanted to find the “spot” and work on the object.  At about 3:30 it was high enough to get serious.  

At 5:00 AM, I called it quits, as the sky was beginning to brighten.  This might be a difficult object from my backyard with a 10-inch reflector.

On a better night in June.  Pencil sketch with the colors inverted.  Roger Ivester

NGC 6482:  Observation Notes and Sketch by Sue French:

I  took a look at NGC 6482 on Friday, May 24 at 12am EDT with my 254/1494mm (10-inch f/5.8) Newtonian.  The seeing was below average, and the transparency was fair.

At 43× NGC 6482 is just a little fuzzball.  It dangles beneath (south of) the base of a slender, 6.3′-tall trapezoid made by four 11th-magnitude stars.  At 115× the galaxy presents an oval glow tipped northeast by east and sports a superimposed star near the galaxy’s center. 

The sketch was made at 187×, at which this petite galaxy wears a fainter fringe and appears roughly 0.7′ long.  The galaxy showed no core, and I’ll be interested in finding out whether anybody else spotted one. 

Perhaps the proximity of the superimposed star hid the core, or maybe one would show if viewed higher in the sky.  It was about 52° above the horizon when I observed it.   Sue French 

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