Observing night in Honsem: April 30, 2025

On the night of April 30, 2025, Honsem was bustling with astronomical enthusiasts. With around 15 people and 10 telescopes, finding a spot on the terrain was quite a challenge. Despite the crowded conditions, the night was filled with awe-inspiring views of the cosmos.

An old image from the observing site.  The images I made this night were unsharp, resulting in a terrible timelapse.

M 3: The Magnificent Globular Cluster

M 3 was a highlight of the night. Through the Tele Vue 31mm Nagler, the globular cluster revealed a plethora of resolved stars. The core was significantly brighter than the rest, with the cluster fanning out into a sea of fainter stars. Positioned in a triangle of brighter stars, M 3 was a sight to behold.

Switching to the Tele Vue 21mm Ethos, M 3 appeared slightly better resolved, though the fan-out effect was less pronounced. The best view came with the Tele Vue 13mm Ethos, where M 3 was much better resolved, and the core exhibited a distinct triangular shape. Using the Tele Vue 8mm Ethos, M 3 became a large object, still filled with many unresolved stars. Finally, the Tele Vue 6mm Ethos provided a view where M 3 filled the entire field of view, brimming with faint stars.

M 64: The Black Eye Galaxy

M 64, the Black Eye Galaxy, was another stunning sight. Through the Tele Vue 31mm Nagler, the galaxy appeared elongated and quite bright, with a very bright core and a hint of a dark spot north of the core. The galaxy expanded significantly when viewed through the Tele Vue 21mm Ethos, revealing the black eye clearly as a banana-shaped feature. Although the view through the Tele Vue 13mm Ethos was still nice, the galaxy became a bit fainter. Using the Tele Vue 8mm Ethos, M 64 appeared even fainter but more extended, showcasing more nebula compared to lower magnifications.

M 104: The Sombrero Galaxy

The Sombrero Galaxy, M 104, was truly impressive. Bright in the Tele Vue 31mm Nagler, an obvious dark lane could be seen to the south. The Tele Vue 21mm Ethos transformed M 104 into a showpiece object, with extra nebula visible south of the dark lane. The dark lane and extra nebula were easy to see through the Tele Vue 13mm Ethos, making the galaxy appear really large. However, the dark lane was more challenging to discern using the Tele Vue 8mm Ethos.

NGC 4565: The Needle Galaxy

NGC 4565, the Needle Galaxy, was spectacular. Through the Tele Vue 31mm Nagler, the galaxy appeared extremely long and narrow, with a much brighter central part and extended nebula. The Tele Vue 21mm Ethos highlighted the dark lane and extra nebula beautifully, but the most striking view was through the Tele Vue 13mm Ethos, showcasing the galaxy's immense size. Using the Tele Vue 8mm Ethos, the galaxy became much fainter, and the view was better without any filter.

Other Notable Observations

M 98: A not-so-bright galaxy, clearly elongated with a brighter core. The Tele Vue 21mm Ethos hinted at mottling within the galaxy.

M 99: A nice round galaxy with a brighter core, best viewed through the Tele Vue 21mm Ethos. The Tele Vue 13mm Ethos revealed a mottled appearance.

M 100: An even nebula with a brighter, almost starlike core, not perfectly centered in the galaxy.

M 51: A wonderful galaxy with visible spiral arms through the Tele Vue 21mm Ethos. The best view was with the Tele Vue 13mm Ethos, where the cores of M 51 and NGC 5195 were bright, and the spiral arms were clearly visible. NGC 5195 appeared teardrop-shaped.

Additionally, I observed M 81 (very bright and blueish), M 82 (detailed, large, and elongated), M 13 (brighter than M 3), and M 57 (with a ragged inner part). The night concluded around 2:00 AM, and after packing up the telescope and bidding farewell to fellow observers, I headed to bed around 3:00 AM.