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Old 18-09-2011, 03:16 PM
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Paddy (Patrick)
Canis Minor

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Observations 19/8/11

I've only just got around to typing out some notes from last month. Here is installment #1, some clusters around Sagittarius and the Sagittarius star cloud.

Telescope 400mm f4.9 tri-dob reflector
Eyepieces 28mm UWAN, 17,13,9 mm Naglers, Paracorr
Navigation: Night Sky Observer’s Guide (NSOG) and Uranometria

2145

Seeing good transparency poor due to high altitude moisture

NGC 6717 GC in Sagittarius

175X A small disc of haze overwhelmed somewhat by the glare of Nu2 Sagittariae. Some stars (about 10) resolved but it’s not clear if these are cluster members or foreground stars. Hard to gauge size due to the glare of the bright star. A star at the centre of the GC obscures any possible core.

Palomar 8 GC in Sagittarius

175X At mag. 10 Pal 8 is a relatively easy find. A roughly circular haze about 4’ across with no central core. Some stars on the verge of resolution. It is hard to tell how disrupted the GC may be due to the busy sky around it.

NGC 6517 GC in Ophiuchus

175X An easy hop from Nu Oph, this is a very concentrated small GC with grainy texture of stars on the verge of resolution, looks about 4’ dia. Has very marked core

NGC 6539 in Serpens Cauda

175X A much looser and larger GC than nearby 6517 but less distinct. Still somewhat concentrated with no resolved stars. Looks about 5’ dia. Slightly irregular shape.

NGC 6613/Messier 18 OC in Sagittarius

175X About 20 fairly bright members of similar colour in about 10’. Well demarcated from the surrounding field. One small triangular asterism in the centre catches my eye.

NGC 6596 OC in Sagittarius

175X Just near M18 and in a very busy star field, this is a N-S oval with a gap in the eastern edge. 10’x5’. To the west is another line of stars. Looks to have about 50 members. Not well demarcated against the background.

Messier 24 Sagittarius Star Cloud/NGC 6603 OC/Barnard 92/93/107/Collinder 469

90X A spectacular spread of stars and intriguing asterisms, beautiful to browse at low power. At the eastern end is OC NGC 6603, a very beautiful concentration of faint stars which has a N-S s-shaped concentration of stars in the centre. Near to 6603 is a clump of small bright stars and a close pair. Dark nebulae Barnard 92 and 93 easily fit in the same FOV, 92 being somewhat smaller and denser with only one star visible in its centre. Barnard 93 is croissant shaped, convex west, about 40’x15’. B92 is shaped a bit like a rounded triangle with the base to the west, 30’x20’. An interesting knot of stars lies between NGC 6603 and Barnard 93 – this is Collinder 469 with a small kite shaped asterism in the centre. C469 is about ˝ the size of NGC 6603. To the east, Barnard 107 is larger and less distinct than its 2 neighbours. To the west of B92 are a number of delightful asterisms including a long snaking line of stars to the north and west. Another big series of arcs with about 100 stars looks like a miniature Eridanus wending its way through the rich star field. Stunning!
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Old 22-09-2011, 01:55 PM
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orestis
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Great observations Paddy,

It is a great time of the year for cluster both globular and open like.

M24 is simply magnificent,the dark lanes you mention sound fascinating.

Clear skies
Orestis
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Old 23-09-2011, 02:14 AM
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pgc hunter
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Agree with the M24 sentiments... awesome cruising this area and NGC 6603 is a very nice bonus plus there's a few planetaries in the immediate area,.. but the Great Sagittarius Starcloud is without comparison....it is literally like a gigantic tenuous nebula with "millions" of sugar crystals superimposed when viewed at low power.
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