Hi all,
Ok, I had to bite the bullet tonight and undertake a big 'un, Omega Centauri.
Again I used my easy to use (1 min. set up time) 8" f/4 scope. With such a short focal length, I had to use a short focal length EP to get any resolution. The TMB Planetary Type II 9mm I recently bought from Sylvain here on IIS was just perfect.
This GC is amazing. Averted vision with this little scope from home reveals SO MANY STARS. But it also allows for faint concentrations of strands of stars to trace out fine patterns, and variations in density. Near the centre there appears to be a void of stars, but it is most likely a chance line-of-sight fluke, but there are very faint stars that occupy this space.
I did have a lot of fun with this one. Most of the time I was pot-marking the page with tiny dots. It extends so far, and with it's location in the sky, its outer edge blends into the surrounding 'noise' of the Milky Way.
Do I dare revisit this Titan with my 17.5"?
, probably.
Object: NGC 5139, Omega Centauri
Scope: 8" f/4 dob.
Gear: 9mm TMB Planetary Type II, 89X
Date: 29 March 2011
Location: Sydney
Conditions: Sydney light polluted skies
Media: white pastel & white charcoal on black paper