These are our observations in Triangulum

• NGC 969 galaxy group

  Finally I got a clear window last night to catch up with Owen's Webb society Galaxy of the Month challenge. More accurately on this occasion a galaxy group or two!

  Found in Triangulum I went for the core group of NGC's 969, 970 and 974 first. All three members obvious with my video set up I failed to detect the spiral arm shown in deep images of NGC 974 although I could see a little brightening in the outer halo with the overall shape extending NW-SE to give a lemon shape.

  

  NGC 969 the eastern most member showed brighter fan shaped regions emanating from the core N-S. NGC 970 is diminutive elongated NW-SE with a bright nucleus and a brighter area in the southern portion, this could be a foreground or local star. To the lower left of my sketch are 2 very faint small elongated galaxies, not identified in the Mega Star finder Owen provided.

  I wonder what magnitude the faintest star in my sketch is?

  Although Owen suggested that the close by NGC 978 A and B pair should have been included in the group as they would be in the same high power field of view as the NGC 969 group I was unable to get them into my FOV to make a single sketch so I had to make two!

  

  An interesting pair, nicely resolved by set up NGC's 978 A and B at juxtapositions to each other. A hint of structure seen in the A galaxy. B although considerably smaller has a bright nucleus. To the upper right are a pair of identified very small faint round galaxies just below the two elongated unidentified galaxies seen in my NGC 969 observation. I'm always intrigued by any very diminutive unidentified galaxies in an image or visual FOV, I just love that mystery and sense of never ending universe they conjure up.

  Dale Holt - (13 December 2020).

• Messier 33 in Triangulum

  I took this last night 2000 second exposure of M33. Bit of saturation or flat off on the calibration, it got colder and focus drifted a bit. The Moon was coming up so only time for one exposure, thought it captured quite a bit of detail for a single shot.

  

  Image Details

  • Telescope: AG14 Orion F 3.8
  • Camera: FLI Microline Camera

  Richard Weatherley - (4 November 2020).

• Observations of the NGC 750 group in Triangulum

  My observation of the September's Galaxy of the Month with a 60-cm F4.5 Newtonian, 8mm Ethos eyepiece giving x338 and a 18’ field of view (FOV). Magnitude 5.5 skies, Ant III, at 02:15 UT on the 2nd September 2019.

  The 750 group was pretty straightforward. I identified 6 galaxies in total (NGC 736, NGC 738, NGC 740, NGC 759, NGC 751 and NGC 761) ranging in magnitude from magnitude 13.1 to magnitude 15.9. NGC 750/NGC 751 is Arp 166.

  NGC 738 was almost stellar with a bit of 'fuzz'. The group was spread over half a degree so with the 8mm Ethos (x340) used to observe them I had to move around and missed ngc 739 (magnitude 14.9) and NGC 733 - dubious this one re mag etc. MegaStar5 and Sky Tools 3 give slightly varying magnitudes.

  

  The double star I noticed which I estimated to have a separation of 2" - 3" was A 1920, magnitudes 9.4 and 9.2 with a separation of 1.7".

  N.B. Having since read Harold Corwin’s notes he states NGC 733 is almost certainly a star.

  MegaStar5 magnitudes:

  • NGC 736 m12.1
  • NGC 738 m15.9
  • NGC 739 m14.9(P)
  • NGC 740 m14.8(P)
  • NGC 750 m12.9(P)
  • NGC 751 m13.6
  • NGC 761 m14.4(P)

  Andrew Robertson - 4 September 2019

• NGC1060 Galaxy Group

  Owen has chosen an interesting galaxy group this month, a group with something for every size of telescope. Owen wondered what size of telescope was needed to see all the galaxies in the group. On 13 November 2015 I turned my 600mm f4.5 dobsonian onto the group and I managed to see many of the galaxies although not the individuals that might be expected.

  Sky conditions were poor. The SQM reading at the time of observation (20:30) was only 20.95 with a fresh to strong wind giving average' seeing. For the site this was very poor indeed, which can reach 21.50. Transparency was variable due to much high tin cloud. Sometimes was looking through the cloud and at other times not, it was just luck really. The high wind meant that there was no dew. I had the best view with a 8mm Ethos eyepiece giving x340. Higher power on this occasion gave worst views. I have reproduced a sketched that I made a the eyepiece. My sketches are not intended to be works of artistic merit, but more of positional interested showing the main features that I noticed.

  The two main galaxies are ngc1060 and ngc1066. NGC1060 is by far the brightest at m11.8v, and NGC1066 was obvious but at only m14.3p was much fainter than the primary galaxy. Both galaxies appeared elliptical with a bright core. NGC1060 appeared orientated West-East and NGC1066 appeared more circular. Two other galaxies were close to NGC1060 in a close curve heading NW. I needed averted vision level 1 (AV1) to see these. MegaStar5 tells me that they are NGC1061 and NGC1057. These are magnitude 15.0p and 15.2p respectively.

  To the SE of NGC1066 and a small distance away (approximately 10 arc minutes), I noted a very small galaxy which turned out to be MCG+5-7-46 at magnitude 15.7. Searching further afield, I noted another galaxy, this time a reasonable size and obvious, almost directly South of NGC1060 and about 14' distant. This was CGCG505-42 at magnitude 15.4.

  Later the next day I checked with Owen's comments on the website and with MegaStar5 to find that I had missed two NGC galaxies positioned close to NGC1066. I can't explain why I missed them. The only thought I can offer is that the night was poor for darkness and that at that moment I may have been looking through some cloud. The two galaxies that I missed are NGC 1062 and NGC 1067. These galaxies are magnitude 15.4p and 14.6b. I can't explain why I didn't see these two.

  UGC2202 is nearby both main galaxies but it is fainter than the other galaxies at 16.3 and on the night I would not expect to see it, in those conditions. Whereas I spotted CGCG505-42 I did not see its close neighbour MCG+5-7-34. Megastar5 does not give Surface Brightness figures for these galaxies so I can't compare. However, MCG+5-7-34 is brighter and larger than the galaxy that I did see, and so I do not have an explanation, other than a misidentification UGC 2174 is outside the area that I was viewing.

  The NGC 1060 group is a very interesting collection of galaxies and one that is now on my list for a re-visit.

  David Reynolds (Norfolk) - 2015 November 22

• NGC 1060 group of galaxies

  Despite the on going cloudy skies I have managed a couple of very enjoyable sessions looking at NGC 1066 with the 20” Dob under fairly average conditions – NELM 5.4 at best.

  NGC 1060 and 1066 immediately obvious and both show a brighter core. 1060 having the brighter core and overall the galaxy appears slightly oval as compared to 1066.

  NGC 1061 was fairly easy to spot as a small patch of indeterminate fuzz.

  NGC 1067 could be seen with concentration and a touch of AV to confirm. AV was needed to locate 1057 and I was unable to sense any definite shape to it.

  On the better of the two nights, by using AV I was just able to get the merest hint of the elliptical 1062 (UGC 2201) but I would not want to claim it as a 100% definite observation. (NGC 1062 - a star, was also located).

  On my next visit to the group I must wander over to UGC 2174.

  

  Mike Wood - 12 November 2015