wikisky

[glenc]

http://server1.wikisky.org/ is a great place to explore the night sky.
Here are the instructions for using it. http://server1.wikisky.org/get_started?locale=EN

[glenc]

You can use wikisky to make images of interesting objects.
The following link shows 132 images of bright galaxies.
The images nearly all have the same field, 28 arc-minutes by 28 arc-minutes.
A few have a wider field and are marked wide. (eg SMC, M31, LMC, Fornax, M95 group, M65 group, M86 group)
The galaxies are all brighter than magnitude 10.
https://picasaweb.google.com/110048826379679252146/GalaxiesMag10?authkey=Gv1sRgCMzYpr_ v85usfA#

[glenc]

The following link shows 115 wikisky images of Messier and NGC globular clusters. There is a wide angle image of omega Centauri, the remaining 114 images have the same field, 28 arc-minutes by 28 arc-minutes. Seven of these GC are in the LMC.
https://picasaweb.google.com/110048826379679252146/GlobularClusters?authkey=Gv1sRgCOTv 9cm0msHbSQ#

[Little Johnny]

Thanks for posting, Gien a great site to look at.

cheers john

[RobF]

Thanks Glen. I'd been meaning to get into this more to help with pre-session planning. Must learn more.

[glenc]

Thanks Rob and John.
This link is to 86 wikisky images of NGC and IC nebulae. They have a variety of field sizes.
https://picasaweb.google.com/110048826379679252146/NGCNebulae#

You can also search for nebulae by zooming into Nick Risinger's magnificent image of the Milky Way.
http://media.skysurvey.org/openzoom.html

The Photopic Sky Survey is a 5,000 megapixel photograph of the entire night sky stitched together from 37,440 exposures.
http://skysurvey.org/survey/

[glenc]

The following link is to 97 wikisky images of mostly NGC Planetary Nebulae.
All the image fields are 14 by 14 arc-minutes, with one exception, the Helix Nebula NGC 7293.
Two IC PN are also included.
https://picasaweb.google.com/110048826379679252146/NGCPlanetaryNebulae?authkey=Gv1sRgC Jm95-XF98SCggE#

Refr http://server1.wikisky.org/

[glenc]

These are my favourite Open Clusters. The 32 images are from wikisky.org.
They all have a field of 56 arc-minutes except for M24, M44 and M45.
https://picasaweb.google.com/110048826379679252146/OpenClusters?authkey=Gv1sRgCLvS_vCh tI34fQ#

[Judith]

Fantastic information as usual Glen. I'm still plodding my way thru the Messier objects - harder without your 16 inch! But these links will broaden my horizons .... literally!
Hope all is well with you
Judith

[glenc]

Yes thanks Judith. How is the weather at Harrogate?

[glenc]

In his book Southern Gems, Stephen James O'Meara makes a detour beneath the southern skies, presenting a fresh list of 120 deep-sky objects for southern hemisphere stargazers to observe. Showcasing many exceptional objects catalogued by the pioneering observer James Dunlop, known as the 'Messier of the southern skies', all are visible through a 6" telescope.
http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/astronomy/amateur-and-popular-astronomy/deep-sky-companions-southern-gems

Here are wikisky.org images of the 120 objects in Southern Gems.
Most images have fields 56 arc-mins by 56 arc-mins.
Planetary nebulae have fields 28' by 28'.
https://picasaweb.google.com/110048826379679252146/SouthernGems?authkey=Gv1sRgCNmBqrC6 xdOrLw#
Five extra fields are also included.