Hi Brent,
I enjoyed your report and sketches on NGC253 (and crikey- you scribble like a doctor
). Thank you for sharing your report with us. I saw this using Ron's 16", but the weather since has not permitted me my first view of it through my 10".
I'm am so eager to catch this on again. But Andromeda, oh my goodness, how good is that one!
The catalogue name of the Eta Carina Nebula is NGC3372. Type that in and see how you go. Within the nebula, using your 10" scope, you will easily make out the bright star, Eta Carina. Using a 10mm ep (5mm better still), you will easily make out the the homunculus surrounding the star Eta Carina.
I'm yet to aim my 10" at the Tarrantula (only ever tried it in my 6" and it was also very low at that stage), but I saw it through Ron's 16" recently and it was scary!
I will never forget it!