Quote:
Originally Posted by mental4astro
Here's some items you might like to pin. Having the same 11X70 binos, I looked over these targets this April new Moon. They will all be visible from urban areas, but explode when viewed from a dark site.
* Area between Eta Carina and the Southern Cross. There are literally dozens of open clusters and nebulae here mingled with the amazing patchwork of varying glow from the Milky Way. Two prize targets are Eta Carina and the giant cluster NGC 3532, and intertwined between these is a lacy network of dark nebulosity that permeates through the entire Milky Way
* Jewel Box and the Coal Sack. The Coal Sack is a huge blob of dark gas and dust that sits between the Southern Cross and the Pointers, absorbing the brilliant background glow. In binos, the boundary of the Coal Sack is a startling cache of stars not affected by the dark inkiness. Then the Jewel Box stamps its authority of light over darkness with its brilliance. The contrast is beautiful.
* Now pan the binos up to Omega Centauri. Take your time here as Omega has a surprise in store - it resolves into a tight ball of thousands of tiny stars in 70mm binos. A very steady hand is needed or a tripod to mount the binos. Surrounding Omega is the background mottling and dark nebulous fibres of the Milky Way. Aim a little higher and you'll be able to spy out the galaxy Centaurus A with its two lobes. But Cent. A requires a dark sky to see.
* East to Scorpius and the Table of Scorpius. This is a collection of some five OCs and nebulosity that a large scope can't fit the entire true size of this field in an EP. The Table reaches from Zeta Scorpii to Mu Scorpii. Both stars that form Zeta S. are some of the most massive stars in the Milky Way, and are part of the S. OB1 Association (OB1 Associations are to do with super massive stars, and in their "group" are all related). The clusters in the Table vary in size, brightness, density and colour. At a dark site, you'll notice a curious arrangement of stars that forms the shape of and anchor. Surrounding this whole complex are beautiful dark nebulae structures.
* Last teaser is another giant open cluster, M7. Take a little time here under a dark sky and some beautifully intricate stellar and dark nebulae structures become visible, including a superb long and very dark ribbon that licks an edge of M7. Superb stuff.
Happy viewing.
Mental.
PS, below is a sketch I did of the area of Eta Carina and NGC 3532 using my 11X70 binos from my home in Sydney. The view from a dark sky is almost terrifyingly complex to sketch, but I'm mad enough to have a go.
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Mental, that is an awesome sketch. Well done