May Favorites
Richard Navarrete
April Favorites
Here are a few of my favorite deep sky objects that I’ve observed over the past 40 years. Coincidentally, two of my choices are also Caldwell objects.
Small Scope – 4” and larger
NGC 4244 – Silver Needle Galaxy – Caldwell 26
This is a spectacular needle galaxy in Canes Venatici. Magnitude 10 and very near Beta Canum Venaticorum. My notes on this object are sadly brief “Thin, even brightness.” Even so, if you’re a fan of loose edge-on galaxies, you’ll enjoy the view.
Medium Scope – 8” and larger
NGC 5383 – barred spiral galaxy
A magnitude 11.4 barred spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici. My notes say “Nice! Round with brighter core. Next to a big double.” William Herschel’s notes say “considerably bright, considerably large, round, and a gradually brighter middle.”
Large Scope – 16” and larger
NGC 4039/4038 – Ringtail or Antenna Galaxy – Caldwell 60/61
This is a double galaxy in Corvus. The darker the sky, the better, but I recently observed these galaxies in an 18” Obsession from Bortle Four skies. This is from Wikipedia “Located in the NGC 4038 group with five other galaxies, these two galaxies are known as the Antennae Galaxies because the two long tails of stars, gas and dust ejected from the galaxies as a result of the collision resemble an insect's antennae.” My poor notes say “ The Ringtail. Awesome!”
NGC 4244
NGC 5383
NGC 4039/4038