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A wonderful sight!
In over forty years of observing I've only ever seen it definately, like I mean stand out, on two occasions.
The first was during a caravaning trip to Hawker, SA in the early 80's and the second on one of those perfect nights at Heathcote, Vic a few years ago.
I'm reading a great book on EE Barnard " The immortal fire within" where he describes the first time he saw it in 1883....." 20' in diameter, roundish, resembling a patch of dense haze or fog, pretty even in light, ill defined borders, very dense by averted vision, dimming the clouds (of stars) over which it passed...I should say the object was as noticable as the milky way near Orion"
It was originally sighted by the Jesuit priest Esprit Pezenas in 1731
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