[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Hi all,

As some of you are aware Gary Kopff and I gave a talk and photographic odyssey of out trip to the 2007 Texas Star Party and other points of astronomical interest in the USA.

During that talk I mentioned that at 2007 TSP I was fortunate enough to observe M51 through Larry Mitchell's 36" Obsession. I also mentioned that it was probably my most memorable visual telescopic observation ever, of any target in the sky. Gary agreed with me on this.

As most members may not have been fortunate enough to observe more Northern Hemisphere targets, I will add a couple of my most memorable Southern Sky observations:-

1) NGC 3242 Ghost of Jupiter, planetary nebula in Hydra. VM 8.2. 18"/F4.5 Obsession at Coonabarabran 525X magnification with a 10mm Pentax XW and 2.5X TV Powermate, unfiltered. A night of excellent seeing and transparancy contributed to an absolutely stunning view of this wonderful PN. The Central Star and the inner shell were beautifully defined in a photograph like visual image. It looks just like an "eye" looking back at you.

2) Murrell 1, Planetary Nebula in ARA (on Norma border) VM 16.8. 25"/F5 Obsession at Coonabarabran 185X magnification with a 17mm Nagler and a DGM Optics NPB filter. Whilst this is an extremely UNIMPRESSIVE target visually, because of its dimness and difficulty to observe, even in a 25" telescope, it was a memorable observation because there is some significance in visually observing a target that has recently been discovered by one of your observing buddies. This target is almost beyond the reach of a 20" telescope. I think Andrew Murrell with his supercharged retinas, is one of the few people on the planet that could see this in a 20" telescope.

3) NGC 3372 Eta Carina Nebula Complex. Emission Nebula and other targets in Carina. VM 3.0. 18"/F4.5 Obsession at Coonabarabran 68X magnification with a 31mm Nagler and DGM Optics NPB filter. This view was the same night as my memorable observation of NGC 3242, under superb conditions. I have observed this target hundreds of times in just about every size and type of telescope known to man and this was my most memorable view of one of the most remarkable regions of our galaxy. I subsequently changed eyepieces and removed the filter. I cranked the power up to 750X with a 7mm Pentax XW in the 2.5X TV powermate, unfiltered, for one of my most memorable views of the Homunculus Nebula within the Eta Carina complex.

4) Observing the Eta Carina Nebula complex through Paul Shoppis 13"/F5 Binocular Telescope at Kulnurra. 127X magnification using a "pair" of 13mm Nagler T6's. The view of this target through a high quality binocular telescope is something etched in my mind forever. I will never forget it. A binoviewer just isn't the same. I truly thought I was Captain James T Kirk flying the USS Enterprise straight up the middle of the dust lanes.

I am curious what some of the most memorable VISUAL DEEP SKY OBSERVATIONS you have been fortunate enough to make, might be.

Cheers,
John B