[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Hi all,

The last few Challenge's has been object type specific, maybe a mixed kettle again?

I've got four nominations for this month.

Naked Eye: Like a couple of Corona's during a night's viewing? There are a few constellations that have Northern and Southern counter parts, including Pisces and Piscis Austrinus, Triangulum and Triangulum Australe, and this month's nomination- Corona Australis and Corona Borealis. These a both relatively compact constellations with obvious 'ring' of stars forming the Regal Crowns. Nice thing here is they are fairly close to each other, allowing for direct comparison between the tightness and prominence of the component stars.

Easy Target, with plenty of juice for those who like a challenge: M8 and M20 double in Sagittarius. M8 (the Lagoon Nebula) and M20 (The Trifid Nebula) offer all scope sizes plenty to seek out. M8 is a big nebula with an associated open cluster, is so bright to be a naked eye object too. In a small scope it has a distinct 'hour glass' appearance, and larger scopes can attempt to hunt down its many Bok Globuals. M8 is very close to M20, and serves as a contrast. Even relatively small scopes can make out the 'cris-cross' dark pattern that traverses it.

Challenging fair: NGC 4038 & NGC 4039, The Antennae, in Corvus. These are a pair of tidally interacting galaxies of which the former has an arm quite distinctly 'pull out open' as these galaxies interact gravitationally.

Any other suggestions?

Mental.