M61 (NGC 4303), spiral galaxy, Virgo
92x: Large, round mottled haze. Over time, and with averted vision, a star-like nucleus becomes apparent, along with a central bar (aligned north-south) and a reverse-s spiral. A welcome change from all the featureless elliptical galaxies elsewhere in Virgo.
M62 (NGC 6266), globular cluster, Ophiuchus
92x and 133x: Small condensed blur – gains size with averted vision. Quite bright, given its low altitude. Averted vision also makes it appear a little grainy.
M63 (NGC 5055), Sunflower Galaxy, spiral galaxy, Canes Venatici
133x: Bright galaxy with a stellar core and an extended, finely mottled envelope. Two bright stars to the west, a close grouping of three fainter ones to the east.
M64 (NGC 4826), Black Eye Galaxy, Spiral galaxy, Coma Berenices
133x and 171x: A bright and large galaxy, with a mottled outer envelope and a star-like nucleus. The famous “black eye” is clearly visible with averted vision, appearing as a kidney-bean shaped patch of darkness on the northern side of the core. This feature isn’t quite so obvious at 92x; nor indeed is the star-like nature of the nucleus.
M65 (NGC 3623), spiral galaxy, Leo
92x: M65 and M66 are well framed in the Ethos. Both galaxies appear larger and brighter than the M95/M96 pair, but the outer regions have lower surface brightness.
133x: Large, extended galaxy with bright core. Suggestion of dark and light bands on eastern side (dust lane and spiral arm).
M66 (NGC 3627), barred spiral galaxy, Leo
133x: Initially this galaxy appears smaller than M65, but with time the fainter outer regions becomes more apparent and the overall shape and structure seems more irregular than M65. Stellar nucleus, but the surrounding core region appears larger than the one in M65.
See also:
NGC 3628, Hamburger Galaxy, Leo
92x and 133x: The third member of the Leo Triplet. A large, boxy galaxy perpendicular to the M65/M66 pair and significantly fainter than the two Messiers – but not too difficult to spot once you know where it is. The dark dust lane is visible with averted vision and is noticeably broader than the one running through NGC 4565.
NGC 3593, galaxy, Leo
133x. Faint ellipse not far from the Leo Triplet, aligned east-west. Brighter towards centre with averted vision.
M67 (NGC 2682), open cluster, Cancer
50x: Lovely sight – a “filmy” mass of stars which appears richer than it probably is due to the lower contrast at this magnification. Bright star on north-eastern edge of cluster which looks like it’s leading the other stars through space.
133x: Very rich cluster, well resolved at this magnification, but loses some of the “breathing room” of the surrounding space. Stars arranged in tight clumps.
M68 (NGC 4590), globular cluster, Hydra
133x: Large, faint misty patch of light, all but washed out by its low altitude and atmospheric haze. With averted vision it seems a little mottled, but that’s all I’ve been able to make out.
M69 (NGC 6637), globular cluster, Sagittarius
92x and 133x: A tough target from my latitude, but when conditions are favourable, it’s visible as a soft round blur just southeast of an 8th magnitude star (which helps a lot when tracking it down). Core appears somewhat condensed with averted vision. In the brief window of time I had to look at it (at 133x) I was able to make out two or three speckles of individual starlight – possibly foreground stars, but overall this globular remained very faint.
See also:
NGC 6624, globular cluster, Sagittarius
92x and 133x: Fairly large condensed blur, southwest of Delta Sgr. Bright core with averted vision. From my location this globular is much easier to see than M69 and M70, despite its NGC designation. Those two extra degrees of elevation make all the difference.
M70 (NGC 6681), globular cluster, Sagittarius
92x: Faint, low surface brightness globular – not as obvious as M69. Another difficult object from my latitude. Some sources list M70 as being smaller than M69, but to my eyes it seemed a little larger, perhaps because I’m only seeing their respective core regions. Bright field star to west. The cluster appeared condensed with averted vision, which also revealed a faint star north of the core, plus a suggestion of fainter stars east of the core.
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