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skysurfer
07-02-2016, 10:11 PM
Within two weeks I go to South Africa (ZA) for 4 weeks in the Western Cape with my girlfriend. It will be a holiday but also an astro holiday due to the excellent climate and abundant clear skies in Western Cape.
It is the fourth time I go, but now I want to be a bit more prepared. I'll bring my ED 110mm scope purchased last year (http://skysurfer.eu/AP110.php), Canon EOS 6, filters (incl brand new Astronomik EOS XL Halpha clipin), etc.
I'll do visual astronomy too, but mainly astrophotos.

I already have booked for the upcoming Leeuwenboschfontein weekend (http://elfastronomy.com/2015/12/16/leeuwenboschfontein-astronomy-weekend-11-december-2015/) in the weekend starting March 4.

The following targets I have in mind:

* Pencil Nebula NGC 2736
* Full Halpha and composite Halpha and full color of Eta Carinae, Running Chicken. Horsehead, Rosette and Lagoon / Trifid
* A difficult target: Simeis 147 (Sh 2-240) a large but very faint Halpha supernova remainder in northern Taurus. I'll use the Canon 200/2.8L as the ED110 has, even with reducer a too narrow field for this full 3 degrees object.

Does somebody have tips and suggestions ?

mental4astro
11-02-2016, 08:17 AM
Hey Skysurfer!

You might like to consider the globular cluster NGC 2808 in Carina - big sucker for a GC. Omega Centauri if you haven't had a go at it too.

There is the Dark Dodad in Musca - it has some very soft extensions, one end of which loops around another GC. All on top of a bright Milky Way background. Makes for a very lovely composition.

The boundary between the Coal Sack and the Southern Cross next to Mimosa. It is has dramatic dark molecular clouds that swirl and obscure, soft extensions, several star clusters, colour, light and dark, and a brilliant Milky Way backdrop. Not the whole Southern Cross, or the whole Coal Sack. Just this junction between the two next to Mimosa. Presents a similar set of technical challenges as the Dark Doodad to bring out those soft extensions.

Had a go at Centaurus A? M83 has bright H alpha regions in it.

There is also the Vela supernova remnant, or any one of its sections, of which the Pencil Nebula is one. BIG sucker the whole thing! 8deg across.

Some suggestions :)

Mental.