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Old 15-05-2011, 08:32 AM
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mental4astro (Alexander)
kids+wife+scopes=happyman

mental4astro is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: sydney, australia
Posts: 5,005
Nice selection there, Suzy.

New comers to astro should note that the galaxy M83 is also just visible in binoculars from urban areas. Not all urban areas, alas, but if you can see the Eta Carina nebula naked eye, you'll be able to nab M83 in binos in 50mm and over in size.

I'd like to add one object here, please. I pinned it to Stu's thread for May, so, if you are feeling brave:

Quasar 3C273, in Virgo. This is the brightest quasar visible to amateur size scopes at around magnitude 13.8, meaning that you'll need a 12" scope or over. While in a scope it only appears stellar-like, the challenge here lies in identifying the quasar from the surrounding star field, which also lacks any outstandingly bright stars to assist in star hoping. Cool! This one is real "beat your chest" stuff. Some intrepid IIS members have also managed to photograph this tiny speck of light.

Quasars are some of the most distant, and brightest objects in the Universe. Quasar 3C273 is some 3 billion light years away, at this distance the brightest known galaxy would appear at magnitude 19!
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