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Old 21-04-2013, 06:28 PM
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mental4astro (Alexander)
kids+wife+scopes=happyman

mental4astro is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: sydney, australia
Posts: 5,006
By the way, in 10,000 years next Tuesday, the massive star Eta Carina is expected to blow. This is the very same star that lends its name to the magnificent nebula.

It is currently experiencing a series of precursor eruptions, shedding material in a bipolar bubble shaped cocoon called the Homunculus Nebula. It is visible even in small scopes, with a very distinctive reddish colour, and the tiny bipolar lobes noticeable. A 10" will have no problem making out some of the filament structure within it. The good thing about it is this unique object can be easily hunted from urban areas, and takes high magnification very well. But it is small. This is one object I'd love to sketch some time.
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