THE TEXAS PARTY 2013 TELESCOPE OBSERVING CLUB

BY JOHN WAGONER TEXAS ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF DALLAS

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Welcome to the Texas Star Party's Telescope Observing Club. The purpose of this club is not to test your observing skills by throwing the toughest objects at you that are hard to see under any conditions, but to give you an opportunity to observe 25 showcase objects under the ideal conditions of these pristine West Texas skies, thus displaying them to their best advantage. The regular observing program is “ I Have No Idea Where I Am”. You need to observe 25 of 29 objects to get your pin, but if you are using a smaller scope and have a little trouble with some of the objects, just mark it as “tried” and move on, and you will get credit for the object. A big THANK YOU to Blackie Bolduc for the idea of this year’s program. We are also bringing back “2012” from last year. This is a list of 28 objects. All 28 objects must be observed.

That's it. Any size telescope can be used. All observations must be made at the Texas Star Party to qualify. All objects are within range of small (6”) to medium sized (10”) telescopes, and are available for observation between 9:00PM and 3:00AM any time during the TSP. Each person completing this list will receive an official Texas Star Party Telescope Observing Club lapel pin. These pins are not sold at the TSP and can only be acquired by completing the program, so wear them proudly.

To receive your pin, turn in your observations to John Wagoner - TSP Observing Chairman any time during the Texas Star Party. I will be at the outside door leading into the TSP Meeting Hall each day between 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM. except Saturday (10:00-11:30 AM). If you finish the list the last night of TSP, or I am not available to give you your pin, just mail your observations to me at 1409 Sequoia Dr., Plano, Tx. 75023, and I will see that you get a pin.

Good luck and good observing. Now, let's get out there and observe!!!

P.S. If you would like to see some of your favorite objects on a future TSP program, or have any ideas for a new program, let me know during TSP or email me at [email protected]

For those of you who missed previous TSP’s, pins for the following programs are still available: 2011 – Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! - 2010 – About Face. --- 2009 – Texas Star Party 5X5 --- 2007 - Be A Sap (Shapley-Ames Person) 2006 – Eye in the Sky --- 2004 – Starlight, Starbright 2003 - The Great Celestial A.R.C.” (Asterisms, Radio sources, & Clusters)

You can download these observing programs from the TSP website: www.texasstarparty.org.

“I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE I AM”

Object Type R.A. Dec Con Size Mag Date Time

NGC 2129 OpCl 06 02 +24 05 Gem 6.0 6.7

NGC 2681 Glxy 08 54 +51 19 Uma 4.0 10.3

NGC 2682 OpCl 08 52 +11 46 Cnc 25.0 6.6 M67

NGC 2683 Glxy 08 53 +33 25 Lyn 9x3 9.8

NGC 2903 Glxy 09 33 +21 27 12x6 8.9

NGC 3115 Glxy 10 06 -07 46 Sex 8x3 9.0

NGC 3344 Glxy 10 44 +24 55 Lmi 7.0 9.9

NGC 3923 Glxy 11 51 -28 48 Hya 7x5 9.6

NGC 3962 Glxy 11 55 -13 58 Crt 3.0 10.7

NGC 4526 Glxy 12 34 +07 42 Vir 7x3 9.7

Stargate Ast 12 36 -12 05 Crv 15.0 7.5

NGC 5024 GbCl 13 13 +18 10 Com 13.0 7.5 M53

NGC 5033 Glxy 13 14 +36 32 Cvn 10x4 10.0

NGC 5248 Glxy 13 38 +08 53 Boo 6.0 10.3

NGC 5897 GbCl 15 18 -21 01 Lib 13.0 8.6 Tough

NGC 5904 GbCl 15 19 +02 03 Ser 28.0 5.8 M5

NGC 6144 GbCl 16 27 -26 01 Sco 7.0 9.0 NGC 6210 PlNeb 16 45 +23 49 Her 14sec 8.8

NGC 6572 PlNeb 18 12 +06 51 Oph 8sec 8.1

NGC 6626 GbCl 18 25 -24 52 Sgr 15.0 6.8 M28

Kimble 2 Ast 18 35 +72 23 Dra 20.0 5.6

NGC 6694 OpCl 18 46 -09 22 Sct 7.0 8.2 M26

NGC 6709 OpCl 18 52 +10 20 Aql 13.0 6.7

NGC 6779 GbCl 19 17 +30 11 Lyr 7.0 8.3 M56

NGC 6838 GbCl 19 54 +18 47 Sge 7.2 8.0 M71

NGC 6891 PlNeb 20 16 +12 44 Del 15sec 10.0

NGC 6910 OpCl 20 24 +40 48 Cyg 10.0 7.0

NGC 6940 OpCl 20 35 +28 19 Vul 15.0 6.3

NGC 7510 OpCl 23 12 +60 34 Cep 5.0 7.9

‘2012’

Object Type R.A. Dec Con Size Mag Date Time

NGC 4654 Glxy 12 44.0 +13 08 Vir 4.7 10.5

NGC 4639 Glxy 12 42.9 +13 15 Vir 2.9 11.5

NGC 4569 Glxy 12 36.8 +13 10 Vir 9.5 9.5 M90

NGC 4552 Glxy 12 35.7 +12 33 Vir 4.2 9.8 M89

NGC 4579 Glxy 12 37.7 +11 49 Vir 5.4 9.8 M58

NGC 4621 Glxy 12 42.0 +11 39 Vir 5.1 9.8 M59

NGC 4647 Glxy 12 43.5 +11 35 Vir 3.0 11.3

NGC 4649 Glxy 12 43.7 +11 33 Vir 7.2 9.8

NGC 4564 Glxy 12 36.4 +11 26 Vir 3.1 10.9

NGC 4567 Glxy 12 36.5 +11 15 Vir 3.0 11.3

NGC 4568 Glxy 12 36.6 +11 14 Vir 4.6 10.8

NGC 4528 Glxy 12 34.1 +11 19 Vir 1.5 12.9

NGC 4503 Glxy 12 32.1 +11 11 Vir 3.5 11.1

NGC 6229 GbCl 16 47.0 +47 32 Her 4.5 9.4

NGC 6341 GbCl 17 17.1 +43 08 Her 11.0 6.4 M92

NGC 6205 GbCl 16 41.7 +36 28 Her 17.0 5.7 M13

NGC 6058 PNeb 16 04.4 +40 41 Her 25sec 13.0

NGC 6287 GbCl 17 05.2 -22 42 Oph 5.1 9.3

NGC 6284 GbCl 17 04.5 -24 46 Oph 5.6 8.9

NGC 6273 GbCl 17 02.6 -26 16 Oph 14.0 6.7 M19

NGC 6266 GbCl 17 01.2 -30 07 Oph 14.0 6.7 M62

NGC 4501 Glxy 12 32.4 +14 21 Com 6.8 9.5 M88

NGC 4321 Glxy 12 23.5 +15 45 Com 7.2 9.4 M100

NGC 4254 Glxy 12 19.5 +14 20 Com 4.5 9.9 M99

NGC 4459 Glxy 12 29.4 +13 54 Com 3.5 10.4

NGC 4477 Glxy 12 30.4 +13 34 Com 3.8 10.3

NGC 4473 Glxy 12 30.3 +13 21 Com 4.5 10.1

NGC 4216 Glxy 12 15.5 +13 08 Vir 8.1 9.9