averted imagination

M74 by Alsand on flickr

Rainy. Last night I got up about midnight to finish my sitting for the Term Student program at the Center. I took a glance out the window, and was surprised to see that the sky was clear. It was supposed to be cloudy. I've had two galaxies on my shopping list for some weeks now to finish viewing all 110 items from the Messier catalogue. Quite a feat if I do say so myself.

I quietly removed my telescope from the bedroom where Allyn was sleeping, and went outside. I was hoping Pete was up, but no luck. The red light wasn't on in his garage as it always is when he's out star gazing. I set my sights for M74, a head on spiral galaxy in Pisces. Is is considered to be the hardest member of the Messier catalogue to observe. The astronomer Stephen James O'Meara calls it the phantom. I didn't see anything. I went to M77 in Cetus. This is also considered to be a hard catch, but I found it right away. The sky was very clear. There was a deer snorting at me from the blackness. Back to M74. I scanned the appropriate area in Pisces very slowly. I have to admit that from time to time I seemed to pick up just the slightest wisp of light. I think I saw it. In situations like this, Pete would say you have to use your averted imagination (Averted vision. Get it? Astronomer humor).

When I came in, I put a check next to M77 in my star atlas. I put a question mark next to M74. I would want his confirmation anyway, but I want Pete to be with me when I finish up my journey through the Messier catalog. It never would have started in the first place without him.