My first Magazine Sky & Telescope - 03.2019 | Page 35

I used Uranometria 2000.0, the Millennium Star Atlas, and
the Sky Atlas 2000.0 in addition to printing images from the
Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) website to help fi nd
some of the more diffi cult targets. Norton’s Star Atlas used
Herschel numbers instead of NGC numbers in its early edi-
tions, but it charted only the brightest objects.
Obviously, it’s more diffi cult keeping track of 2,500+
objects than the AL’s list of 400 or the Messier 110. In
order to avoid confusion, I kept four separate records of my
observations. The fi rst were my logbooks, fi fteen of them,
dating back to 1974. Second, I checked off each object listed
in the NGC 2000.0 catalog. Next was a printout of objects
in the catalog in order of NGC numbers. And last was my
own printout of the Herschel objects grouped into each of
the eight categories of deep-sky objects. I trusted this would
eliminate mistakes or omissions.
Stepping Up to the Challenge
I decided to tally all my observations of Herschel objects after
I completed the second 400 list and found they amounted to
more than 1,400. My next step was to top the 2,000 mark
and, possibly, even expand to more than 2,400 Herschel
objects. Which I did.
And that’s where I planned to end my search. I figured
the increased light pollution near Wagman Observatory and
at the nearby dark-sky sites that I frequented would limit
my ability to get the more difficult objects: the very faint,
very small galaxies near the north pole at +70° to +80° and
galaxies and other objects in the southern portion of the sky
from –20° to –29°.
pu A FINE YEAR When
the author completed the
Herschel 400 in 1981 (the
fi rst “offi cial” batch) he
received this certifi cate
(right) along with a letter
from the Ancient City
Astronomy Club’s president
at the time (above). The
author went on to observe
all Herschel objects.
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