Autumn Edge On Galaxies
by Steve Coe 13.1" f/5.6 unless noted

NGC 7184 Faint, pretty small, much elongated 4x1 with a bright nucleus. There is a hint of a dark lane with averted vision at 135X. There are two attendant galaxies 20' to the NE, they are both very faint, small and round.

NGC 6925 Pretty faint, pretty large, much elongated 3 X 1 in PA 0, much brighter in the middle with an almost stellar nucleus at 135X. Averted vision makes it longer.

NGC 7332 Pretty bright, pretty large, elongated 3 X 1 and has a bright middle at 100X.

NGC 7339 Pretty faint, pretty large, elongated 3 X 1 and does not have a brighter middle at 100X.

NGC 7331 Bright, large, very elongated, much brighter in the middle with a stellar nucleus at 135X. It is an elongated shape even in the 11x 80 finder. It is surrounded by companion galaxies. It is obvious at 100X in the 13", but much better at 150X, where it is bright, large, much elongated 3X1 in PA 165 and very suddenly much brighter in the middle. It is a "little Andromeda". There are three layers of increasing brightness with an almost stellar nucleus. There is a hint of a dark lane "under" the nucleus. It is a
lovely edge-on, surrounded by faint to very faint companions. Going to 220X doesn't show any more detail on a 8/10 night at Sentinel.

Ultimate Star Party, McDonald Obs. Oct. 95, S=6, T=8, 25" f/5--

NGC 7331 in 25" 20mm; core is three times seeing disk, dark lanes obvious. Seven companions seen, five above and two below, two of those held with averted vision only. Great view, almost entire field of view.

NGC 720 Pretty bright, pretty large, much elongated 3 X 1, somewhat brighter middle with bright almost stellar core.

NGC 955 Pretty bright, pretty large, elongated 3 X 1, much brighter middle.

NGC 1055 Pretty bright, pretty large, much elongated (3 X 1), bright middle. Averted vision makes this object grow larger and will just bring out a dark lane running along the galaxy edge.

NGC 253 Very bright, very large, very, very elongated at 100X. Many dark lanes with swirls and rifts prominent throughout the galaxy to a somewhat brighter core. This galaxy displays lots of mottling across its' surface. It is easy in binoculars or a finderscope.
Sentinel 13" 9/10--in either 10X50 or 11X80, bright, large, much elongated, somewhat brighter middle, one star on NE end and three stars on southwest end frame the galaxy. 60X with 38mm Giant Erfle-- Very bright, very large, very much elongated 4X1 in PA 45, much brighter middle, very mottled, beautiful convex lens shape, many
dark markings in arms. 100X--Excellent view, stellar nucleus evident about 20% of the time, 7 stars involved, two pretty bright oval patches in southwest arm, lots of dark markings, the most mottling I have ever seen. 150X 14mm UWA--core is gradually
sculptured by dark lanes, oval bright core has tiny stellar nucleus.