Project #5 A Hunt for Galaxies

This lab is a bit problematic when done in the Fall semester. You need to make a decent image of of 4 different galaxies. In the Fall semester, there are few good galaxy choices that are visible from Athens. Late in the semester (or very late in the evening early in the semester), you should try to image M31 and M33 (See table below or pull up the GalaxyLab file in ACE). The first one is very easy (you can see it easily in the finder scope), the other is not so easy, but it's not hard, either. Early in the semester, I would also try M101 in Ursa Major might be too low by the middle of the semester, though. Some of the others like NGC 6946, M101, NGC 147 and NGC 185 are more of a challenge. You will just have to pick them depending on when you observe and how dark and clear the night is As you can see from the the right ascensions in the table below the lab is much easier in the spring.

Center the galaxy nicely and take a exposure in V, R and I. If you have to expose longer than one minute you might want to make sure you have the track rate adjusted so you don't get drift during the exposure.

Name

Nickname

RA h

m

s

DEC d

m

s

NGC185

00

39

00

48

20

NGC147

00

33

12

48

30

M110

00

40

22

41

41

07

M31

ANDROMEDA

00

42

44.

41

16

09

M33

TRIANGULUM

01

33

51

30

39

36

M74

01

36

41

15

46

59

M77

CETUS A

02

42

40

00

00

48

M95

10

43

57

11

42

12

M96

10

46

45

11

49

10

M105

10

47

49

12

34

54

M65

11

18

55

13

05

32

M66

11

20

15

12

59

21

M61

12

21

55

04

28

28

M49

12

29

46

07

59

59

M87

VIRGO A

12

30

49

12

23

28

M104

SOMBRERO

12

39

59

-11

37

23

M94

12

50

52

41

07

09

M64

BLACKEYE

12

56

43

21

41

00

M63

SUNFLOWER

13

15

49

42

01

46

M51

WHIRLPOOL

13

29

52

47

11

40

M101

PINWHEEL

14

03

12

54

20

53

M102

15

06

29

55

45

47

NGC6946

20

34

48

60

09