Westerlund 2: Here we go again . . .

[Weltevreden SA]

Hi all . . . Thanks to Simmo and Paddy I've been checking in on Westerlund 2 every time I go out. So little appears in the enthusiast forums about this massive young cluster (and ditto its brother Westerlund 1 in Ara) that I have researched and written an article about the cluster and its history, both observational and astrophysical. The article is too long and has too many images to post here. Instead, here is a link to it on Google Drive:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YSJ0A6OTqdrOOPQ8OdxKHxOr3CG-9A7OaUXBOyDdi40/

I think you'll all be pleased to know that I sourced some of the images from IIS's resident astrophotogs, Rolf Dahl Olsen and Rakibul H Syed (niharika). The images on the IIS image forums are so good it's a pity to not choose them over the usual observatory fare.

Thanks again to Simmo and Paddy for introducing me to an object I might otherwise never have known.

I hope you enjoy the article. =Dana in SA

[madbadgalaxyman]

I am really enjoying your new article on Wd2; incisive, creative and compelling. You must have enjoyed researching it and writing it.

We are all beneficiaries of your "cluster obsession";
so thanks for the substantial effort that you put into your detailed articles.

Incidentally, I would like to note that the galaxymap website, which you link to in your article, is the brainchild of IIS member Kevin Jardine, a brilliant person (apparently not an astronomy PhD) who appears to have a professional-level knowledge about HII regions and Galactic Structure. His recent blog entries about the structure of the Milky Way Galaxy are amazingly detailed:
http://galaxymap.org/drupal/?q=blog/1
(I think that Jardine deserves a lot of recognition)

P.S.

(1) I shall comment on the scientific content of your Wd article when I have read it in more detail.
(2) I recently sent my Coalsack article to your yandex email.

[Weltevreden SA]

05/02/2014:

Thanks very much for the tip about Kevin Jardine and SkyMap, Robert. I’ve used it often but wasn’t aware that the originator was an IIS man. I’ll definitely find a way to squeeze in some resource info about him and his website. I intend to draw on IIS imagers’ work in illustrating anything I do. These fellas deserve all the credit we can give.

I’ve looked over your Coalsack material and want to give it a couple of good reads before I comment. I always ready myself for a good read every time I see your byline at the top of an IIS post.

=Dana