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Here is the blog post announcing this observation
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Name
Todd D. Vance
Bowie, MD |
Seeing (1-10)
4
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Site
Bowie, MD: N3854'51''
W7644'5'' |
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Date / Time
05/22/06
22:06—22:29EDT |
Transparency(1-5)
3.5
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Object Name
M81/M82
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Instrument
9x63 5.8 FOV binoculars |
Power
9X |
Constellation
Ursa Major |
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Location: ___9h __57m 13.6s __67º __45' __47'' J2000 (Starry Night) |
Both were very faint, hard to detect visually. M82 was fainter than M81. M81 was close enough to another star I at first
mistook it for a double star with the nebulosity sometimes seen on double stars. I drew M81 before finding M82. Both appeared
to be faint elliptical smudges with star-like nuclei. In sketch below, view is centered on HIP48803 (whose coordinates are
given above). At 22:15, a satellite passed through the field of view (shown). To find this field in binoculars, aim at the
top of the bear's nose (23 UMa, mag. 3.62) and move outward (North) along a line perpendicular to the line formed from the
other two stars of the bear's nose (Upsilon, mag. 3.75, and Omicron, mag. 3.34). Pass a quadralateral of stars (a bright triangle
means you are too far west), and arrive at a pentagon that looks vaguely like a smiley face. Continue on the line to find
a boomerang shape with west end at 24 UMa, mag. 4.53, and the galaxies are to the east.
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