[Paddy (Patrick)]

Here are some notes from a great night's viewing.

Thanks for looking.

Telescope 400mm f4.9 tri-dob reflector
Eyepieces 28mm UWAN, 17,13,9 mm Naglers, Paracorr
Maps: Night Sky Observer’s Guide (NSOG)

Seeing and transparency excellent - 1/5 & 7/7 respectively

2130

NGC 6302 PN in Scorpius “the Bug nebula”
Type 6 Mag 9.6v RA 17 13.7 Dec – 37 06

250X Bright E-W streak about 3 times as long as wide. Bright distinct slightly oval shaped core longer in the N-S axis, the arm projecting to the west is longer and thinner than the eastern. Dark motley patches are visible along the length of the PN. OIII filter shows the more contrast between the dark and light patches along the nebula, in the eastern portion, there is a large dark blob enclosed by thin arms of nebula. 500X OIII the oval shaped core is more obvious and there is a stronger impression of pincer like areas of haze enclosing the darker blob in the eastern limb. The view at 500X is better without the OIII and a thin dark band is seen to the west of the core. And it does look like a bug.

NGC 6337 PN in Scorpius
Type 4 Mag 12.3v RA 17 22.3 DEC –38 29

250X Beautiful round, distinct ring with slightly pale area inside the bright thin outer ring. A star just inside the NE edge of the ring and another at the SW edge. Looks brighter and the ring fatter with averted vision. I have the impression of little sparkles of brightness in the ring itself. OIII filter makes the nebula more distinct and brighter patches in the ring on the SW side are more obvious. Stands up to 500X quite well, appearing like a cosmic bubble floating across the sky.

NGC 6809/Messier 55 GC in Sagittarius
ClassAC XI Mag 6.4v dia 19.0’ RA 19h 40.0m Dec –30 58


135X Large and bright GC, looks about 10’ across, loose halo without distinct core. Many resolvable stars in swirls across the grainy, textured halo. To the NW is a curve of 5 resolvable stars, convex to NW with a parallel matching curve of stars on the SE side of the halo. Gradual decrease in brightness of the halo to the edge.

NGC 6723 GC in Sagittarius
Class VII Mag 7.2v Dia 11’ RA 18h 59.6m Dec –36 38

135X More compact then M55 bit still quite bright, many resolvable stars, but the whole thing looks fainter and more distant than M55. A convex-northe arc of stars across the centre of the GC, more central concentration than M55, but not a distinct core. A thin tail of haze trails off the SE. Looks good at 175X but not much to add to the description.

NGC 6726/7 Emission nebulae NGC 6729 variable nebula in Corona Australis.

A very fuzzy patch of sky – looking as if I’ve breathed on my eyepiece. Two bright stars each surrounded by haze, no sense of edge to these nebulae. Then brighter is the SW star. To the SE is variable nebula NGC 6729, much smaller and comet shaped, heading NW towards 6723 with a small star in the tail.

At 80X the Corona Australis Dark Nebula Bernes 157 looks quite stunning.

IC 1297 PN in Corona Australis
Mag 0.7v RA 19h17.4m Dec –39 37

250X A small bluish disc with no central star. Brightens with OIII and it appears somewhat stippled. 500X does not improve the view as it is larger but less clear.

The batteries in my tape recorder are clearly going flat as my voice gets faster and higher pitched and quite incomprehensible on replay. The evening remained clear for quite a while and I had a long and enjoyable observing session, minus notes.