[Paddy (Patrick)]

Feels so long since I've been able to observe - so much cloud! I feel like I missed most of the wonderful winter observing. Anyway, here is the first of a bunch of notes from a recent good run.

Observation notes 15/8/2014

Telescope 400mm f4.9 tri-dob reflector
Eyepieces 28mm UWAN, 17 mm,13 mm Ethoses, 9 mm Nagler, Paracorr
Navigation: Uranometria, Night Sky Observer’s Guide
p=preceeding (W) f=following (E)

2030 Seeing good, transparency fair.


NGC 6705/Messier 11 OC Scutum
135x Spectacular 11’ squarish splash of hundreds of stars in a busy starfield. Most are of similar magnitude but one bright yellowish one sits just Sf of the centre. An attractive wide pair of stars just to the south of the cluster. Many intricate and intriguing dark lanes and patterns of stars. I love this cluster!


Barnard 104 Dark nebula in Scutum
90x,175x 20’x4’ dark N-S line to N of beta Scu with f facing 5’ hook at S end. Quite a striking sight!


NGC 6694/Messier 26 OC Scutum
175x 12’x8’ cluster of about 30 stars with complex patterns of dark lanes and lines of stars. One line is a very distinctive arc on the p edge of the cluster and looks a bit like the stalk of an apple. F & S edges are bounded by a 1’ thick, right angled dark lane.


NGC 6712 GC Scutum
175x 6’ dia grainy glow with stars just resolvable. No core. Wedge shape points p due presumably to intervening dust/dark lanes. There is also a distinct dark notch in the Sf corner.


Trumpler 34 OC Scutum
135x Faint but striking tight arc of stars and glow, concave S and with strands of stars to both p & f – looks like a stellar omega sign, 8’x4’


NGC 6664 OC in Scutum
135x 14’ p-f x 6’ N-S loose cluster of about 30 stars.