OR: Change Of Searson at Henry Coe.
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Mark Wagner
Mar 25, 2025, 3:32:05 PM3/25/25
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Richard Navarrete and I met up at Henry Coe State Park Monday
afternoon (3/24), to observe from the overflow parking lot 1/2 mile
before park headquarters. We started observing in the fading
twilight around 20:30, watching the bright navigational stars and
two planets appearing overhead, as the night deepened over the
western mountains and Belt Of Venus rising, until astronomical dark
a tick before 21:00.
It is amazing to see the difference month, and change of seasons can have. The curving road on the way up was bounded by green everywhere, along with displays of Gold Fields, California Poppies and Blue Lupines. Gorgeous drive up, and fun cutting turns (with care) testing the handing of my car. And at night, the change of season was away from open clusters, and into full on galaxy blooms! With above average seeing, excellent transparency and warmer weather, waiting forecasts and waiting for this Monday session was well worth it.
Richard brought up a 127mm refractor, showing all sorts of great binoviewer and wide field framing of brighter objects, in context rather than crowded into my more than usual < 30 arc-minute constraints. Thanks for those views Richard. M42 binoviewed and filtered was superb. I used my 10" f/5.7 "Ferrari" (compared to handing my 18") of targets beginning in R.A. 9 and finishing in the high 10's.
I think our first view was of the Trapezium during twilight, showing A to E stars.
But, for me, it was on to Galaxy Fields. I have the haul listed below, but will specifically mention two of the later views; NGC 3079 and NGC 3521, for how interesting their details were, simply amazing to me that from Coe, star-hopping a 10" scope, I could see so much and continue finding fascination and enjoyment, just an hour from home and tens of millions of light years away.
Last night's list below, morning in the campground and relaxed easy drive back... well, more please.
Object Type Const RA Dec Mag Size
NGC 2782 Galaxy Lyn 9 14.1 + 40 7 11.5 Size: 3.8
7mm Small and very dim, bright star to NE, diffuse, lacking structure.
NGC 2787 Galaxy UMa 9 19.3 + 69 12 10.8 Size: 3.4
7mm distinct nucleus with small bright core, extended envelope surrounds evenly, bright star to SE.
NGC 2811 Galaxy Hya 9 16.2 - 16 19 11.3 Size: 2.7
7mm elongated NNE/SSW with matching orientation bright core orientation, possible double stellar nucleus(?). Difficult location, but even with small size showed in 12 mm.
NGC 2841 Galaxy UMa 9 22 + 50 58 9.3 Size: 8.1
12mm large and bright, very elongated SSW/NNE with star involved in the W end. Core seem mottled and tight with stellar nucleus. Appear almost disrupted and split at SE end, with possible knot. Glow separated well out at W end, possible other nearby dim oval galaxy. Another glow seems separated away from W end to S with star involved. Amazing detail in this galaxy.
NGC 2859 Galaxy LMi 9 24.3 + 34 31 10.7 Size: 4.8
7mm position certain, but view is only a roundish contrast gain at most. No definitive sighting, just a feeling of difference, like something is hiding there.
NGC 2903 Galaxy Leo 9 32.2 + 21 30 8.9 Size: 12.6
7mm bright extended core aligned with overall galaxy NW/SE, Pinpoint nucleus, NGC 2905 showing close N/E of nucleus, extended surrounding halo especially prominent to SE.
NGC 2950 Galaxy UMa 9 42.6 + 58 51 11 Size: 3.2
7mm stellar nucleus embedded in small bright core, possible spiral face on or ring galaxy, round and diffuse. Core possibly extended W/E and maybe an arm extending around south side of galaxy..
NGC 2964 Galaxy Leo 9 42.9 + 31 51 11.3 Size: 3.0
7mm NGC 2968 visible as NW/SE elongated oval without detail, even with perhaps slight brightening in the center. Brighter than NGC 2964 to its east, with an E/W orientation and not much detail in its elongated oval shape.
NGC 3077 Galaxy UMa 10 3.3 + 68 44 9.9 Size: 4.6
7mm roundish and mostly even, tiny stellar nucleus, possible void on SW side.
NGC 3079 Galaxy UMa 10 2 + 55 41 10.6 Size: 7.6
7mm very elongated thin galaxy slightly thicker at it center. Many areas of what appears to be dark intrusions. Runs predominantly NW/SE with possible extension from N portion to the W. South end looks highly segmented and difficult to determine its extent.
NGC 3190 Galaxy Leo 10 18.1 + 21 50 11 Size: 4.6
7mm 3190 is large and fairly bright with prominent extended core and possible pair of spiral arms. Noticeable stellar nucleus and dim extended disk.
NGC 3193 Galaxy Leo 10 18.4 + 21 54 10.9 Size: 2.8
in same 7mm field with 3193, round and bright, next to bright field star. Bright nucleus, half size of 3913. Nearby NGC 3185 is a very dim ghostly haze.
NGC 3198 Galaxy UMa 10 19.9 + 45 33 10.4 Size: 8.3
7mm large and must be an elliptical, no distinct shape but elongated and thick. Luffa like. Surprisingly little detail. An elongated blob.
NGC 3521 Galaxy Leo 11 5.8 - 0 2 8.9 Size: 9.5
7mm nice tight bright small nucleus/core. Wide dim spiral apron NNW/SSE, small bright area fits tightly around nucleus. Very extended, surprisingly. Gorgeous classical looking spiral.
That's all folks!
It is amazing to see the difference month, and change of seasons can have. The curving road on the way up was bounded by green everywhere, along with displays of Gold Fields, California Poppies and Blue Lupines. Gorgeous drive up, and fun cutting turns (with care) testing the handing of my car. And at night, the change of season was away from open clusters, and into full on galaxy blooms! With above average seeing, excellent transparency and warmer weather, waiting forecasts and waiting for this Monday session was well worth it.
Richard brought up a 127mm refractor, showing all sorts of great binoviewer and wide field framing of brighter objects, in context rather than crowded into my more than usual < 30 arc-minute constraints. Thanks for those views Richard. M42 binoviewed and filtered was superb. I used my 10" f/5.7 "Ferrari" (compared to handing my 18") of targets beginning in R.A. 9 and finishing in the high 10's.
I think our first view was of the Trapezium during twilight, showing A to E stars.
But, for me, it was on to Galaxy Fields. I have the haul listed below, but will specifically mention two of the later views; NGC 3079 and NGC 3521, for how interesting their details were, simply amazing to me that from Coe, star-hopping a 10" scope, I could see so much and continue finding fascination and enjoyment, just an hour from home and tens of millions of light years away.
Last night's list below, morning in the campground and relaxed easy drive back... well, more please.
Object Type Const RA Dec Mag Size
NGC 2782 Galaxy Lyn 9 14.1 + 40 7 11.5 Size: 3.8
7mm Small and very dim, bright star to NE, diffuse, lacking structure.
NGC 2787 Galaxy UMa 9 19.3 + 69 12 10.8 Size: 3.4
7mm distinct nucleus with small bright core, extended envelope surrounds evenly, bright star to SE.
NGC 2811 Galaxy Hya 9 16.2 - 16 19 11.3 Size: 2.7
7mm elongated NNE/SSW with matching orientation bright core orientation, possible double stellar nucleus(?). Difficult location, but even with small size showed in 12 mm.
NGC 2841 Galaxy UMa 9 22 + 50 58 9.3 Size: 8.1
12mm large and bright, very elongated SSW/NNE with star involved in the W end. Core seem mottled and tight with stellar nucleus. Appear almost disrupted and split at SE end, with possible knot. Glow separated well out at W end, possible other nearby dim oval galaxy. Another glow seems separated away from W end to S with star involved. Amazing detail in this galaxy.
NGC 2859 Galaxy LMi 9 24.3 + 34 31 10.7 Size: 4.8
7mm position certain, but view is only a roundish contrast gain at most. No definitive sighting, just a feeling of difference, like something is hiding there.
NGC 2903 Galaxy Leo 9 32.2 + 21 30 8.9 Size: 12.6
7mm bright extended core aligned with overall galaxy NW/SE, Pinpoint nucleus, NGC 2905 showing close N/E of nucleus, extended surrounding halo especially prominent to SE.
NGC 2950 Galaxy UMa 9 42.6 + 58 51 11 Size: 3.2
7mm stellar nucleus embedded in small bright core, possible spiral face on or ring galaxy, round and diffuse. Core possibly extended W/E and maybe an arm extending around south side of galaxy..
NGC 2964 Galaxy Leo 9 42.9 + 31 51 11.3 Size: 3.0
7mm NGC 2968 visible as NW/SE elongated oval without detail, even with perhaps slight brightening in the center. Brighter than NGC 2964 to its east, with an E/W orientation and not much detail in its elongated oval shape.
NGC 3077 Galaxy UMa 10 3.3 + 68 44 9.9 Size: 4.6
7mm roundish and mostly even, tiny stellar nucleus, possible void on SW side.
NGC 3079 Galaxy UMa 10 2 + 55 41 10.6 Size: 7.6
7mm very elongated thin galaxy slightly thicker at it center. Many areas of what appears to be dark intrusions. Runs predominantly NW/SE with possible extension from N portion to the W. South end looks highly segmented and difficult to determine its extent.
NGC 3190 Galaxy Leo 10 18.1 + 21 50 11 Size: 4.6
7mm 3190 is large and fairly bright with prominent extended core and possible pair of spiral arms. Noticeable stellar nucleus and dim extended disk.
NGC 3193 Galaxy Leo 10 18.4 + 21 54 10.9 Size: 2.8
in same 7mm field with 3193, round and bright, next to bright field star. Bright nucleus, half size of 3913. Nearby NGC 3185 is a very dim ghostly haze.
NGC 3198 Galaxy UMa 10 19.9 + 45 33 10.4 Size: 8.3
7mm large and must be an elliptical, no distinct shape but elongated and thick. Luffa like. Surprisingly little detail. An elongated blob.
NGC 3521 Galaxy Leo 11 5.8 - 0 2 8.9 Size: 9.5
7mm nice tight bright small nucleus/core. Wide dim spiral apron NNW/SSE, small bright area fits tightly around nucleus. Very extended, surprisingly. Gorgeous classical looking spiral.
That's all folks!
Richard Navarrete
Mar 25, 2025, 7:59:02 PM3/25/25
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It was a wonderful night on that ridge. It’s great to see more people using Henry Coe’s overflow lot. The rangers and staff there are very astronomer friendly.
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Rod Brown
Mar 28, 2025, 12:19:44 PM3/28/25
to The Astronomy Connection (TAC)
Mark wrote:
It is amazing to see the difference month, and change of seasons can have. The curving road on the way up was bounded by green everywhere, along with displays of Gold Fields, California Poppies and Blue Lupines. Gorgeous drive up, and fun cutting turns (with care) testing the handing of my car. And at night, the change of season was away from open clusters, and into full on galaxy blooms!
The list of things I miss about living in the Bay Area is limited, but mountain biking in Henry Coe in the spring is a big one. Also, one of my first astronomical experiences was backpacking there with a couple friends, carrying one's cheap refractor and its heavy wooden tripod to observe Hale-Bopp. And don't forget the abundant and very cool tarantulas.
The park can be truly beautiful, in many ways.
Rod
Ted Hauter
Mar 28, 2025, 8:21:06 PM3/28/25
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The range there at Coe clear down to Lick is vastly underrated.
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