Laevens 3 -- a newly discovered probable GC in Delphinus

[oliva]

I forgot to mention the used telescope. It was a 25“ Dobsons.

Oliver

[akarsh]

BTW, now that we have access to better imaging from the Legacy Survey, the mystery object near Laevens 3 that Jimi and I noticed and checked out in the eyepiece (marked "Anonymous" above) looks like a tidal extension from the interacting pair of galaxies nearby...
Laevens3.png

[oliva]

Another try of spotting Laevens 3 this time with a smaller scope, my 21” Dobson and the GC appeared at 231x relatively easily. Using averted vision the GC could be hold as a faint glow with increasing brightness towards the center. I was really surprised how easy it could be seen. SQM-L readouts around 21,5.

Oliver

[akarsh]

Another try of spotting Laevens 3 this time with a smaller scope, my 21” Dobson and the GC appeared at 231x relatively easily. Using averted vision the GC could be hold as a faint glow with increasing brightness towards the center. I was really surprised how easy it could be seen. SQM-L readouts around 21,5.

Oliver

Thanks, this is encouraging. Tells me I should perhaps try with my 18".

[oliva]

Hi everyone again,

I tried to spot Laevens 3 with my smaller scope in my home region under Bortle 3 sky and interestingly I succeeded again. Scope was a 21 inch Newton. The GC could be hold using averted vision and was relatively easy to spot. Forgot to write down the used magnification, but I think it was 238x. SQM-L readouts were around 21.48 in the Delphinius constellation.

Oliver

[wvreeven]

Hi everyone again,

I tried to spot Laevens 3 with my smaller scope in my home region under Bortle 3 sky and interestingly I succeeded again. Scope was a 21 inch Newton. The GC could be hold using averted vision and was relatively easy to spot. Forgot to write down the used magnification, but I think it was 238x. SQM-L readouts were around 21.48 in the Delphinius constellation.

Oliver

From what I read here in your comments, you own (at least) three telescopes: a 14", a 21" (which you refer to as your "smaller scope") and a 25". Is that correct? Did you try to observe this GC with your 14" as well?

Wouter

[oliva]

Hi everyone again,

I tried to spot Laevens 3 with my smaller scope in my home region under Bortle 3 sky and interestingly I succeeded again. Scope was a 21 inch Newton. The GC could be hold using averted vision and was relatively easy to spot. Forgot to write down the used magnification, but I think it was 238x. SQM-L readouts were around 21.48 in the Delphinius constellation.

Oliver

This is actually a double post to those from 31. august. Didn’t notice that I already posted my observation.

Oliver

[oliva]

Hi Wouter,

The 25" was a rental at Tivoli Astrofarm. The 14" I owned myself in 2013, the 21" is a second hand home built Dobson which I use since last December. I tried Laevens 3 with the 14" in 2021 too but could not spot anything. But the star field is tricky and I used a screenshot from Aladin so I also didn’t succeeded with the 21 the first time recently because I accidentally observed a field nearby, which looks like that at the correct position. So, possibly I was with the 14" when I observed the GC in summer 2021 at the wrong position also even because I tried the same night with a friend’s 21", but could not see anything too. Ok, it’s a little bit complicated...

Oliver

[ScottH]

Since I had access to a 36-inch telescope for one clear evening and was waiting for other objects to get higher, I took a look at Laevens 3. SQM-L reading was no better than 21.15 after darkness. Was surprised to be able to detect it at just 150x and it was easy at 334x! Now I will have to try for it in my 16-inch at 600x under my 21.4 skies at home. Pretty sure I've got a good shot at seeing it. Thanks to Akarsh for starting this thread since there isn't a similar thread on Laevens 3 on CN.

Scott