MARS

   Mars reached opposition on October 13th and is well placed in the late evening sky. This apparition is in fact the best for northern hemisphere observers for some time so it was about time I took a look. On October 26th at 20:05 UT using the 8" SCT at X150 it was immediately apparent the atmospheric seeing conditions were very poor. I could just about make out the small South Polar Cap and some dusky markings across the centre of the disc.

 On October 28th I decided to try imaging Mars with my Phillips webcam which I hadn't used for a very long time. Planetary imaging cameras have improved a lot since webcams were a popular choice but I am not ready for another new camera --yet!  I used the 8"SCT at f30 and tried Sharpcap imaging software for the first time. The quivering disc of the planet was soon located on the webcams small chip and after the usual struggle to focus the image I was ready to go. With the seeing poor again I only recorded about 400 frames of video file and packed the equipment away. Next day I processed the video file in Registax using the "best" 140 frames of the 400 which resulted in the image shown. Well I am pleased with my first attempt at planetary imaging for a long time even if it doesn't compare to what can be achieved these days. I am certainly going to continue imaging Mars this apparition and maybe some of the other planets to.

  For comparison I have downloaded a computer generated image of Mars disc for the same date and time.

#6 A SOUTHERN GEM

 21st September 2020

      Sagittarius' many wonders are usually hidden by buildings from my location but a gap in the houses allows me seek out one or two now and then. NGC 6818 is a Planetary Nebula that lies in the northern part of the constellation and is known as the "Little Gem". Visually at x78 this appears like a well defined out of focus magnitude 8 star. No structure is visible but there is a hint of blue colour.

NGC 6819

 Back up north now to Cygnus with the video camera and 8" SCT.

NGC 6811 Well defined and fairly large Open Cluster in rich field. About 30 bright stars in a circular grouping.

NGC 6819  A smaller more compact Open Cluster the brightest stars of which are formed into two lines. Many fainter stars surround these. Certainly worth having a closer look sometime.

NGC 6866  Slightly larger Open Cluster than 6819 but more sparse and fewer fainter stars. Main group of brighter stars elongated north - south with lesser chains going east- west.

M29

M29 The brightest stars of this Open Cluster form a surprisingly similar pattern to NGC 6819 just observed. However there are far fewer fainter stars and even larger telescopes do not reveal many more. 

#5 Grand Tour Project : 63 down, 437 to go.

     August proved to be a cloudy month with very limited opportunities for observing. However two clear but hazy nights on the 13th and 14th September got the project rolling again with 23 objects observed including some gems. All observed with 8" SCT f3 and Atik Infinity camera.

  M13  Spectacular bright globular cluster in Hercules. Well resolved core with the dark "propeller" feature visible.

M92 Impressive globular cluster with a bright condensed core with extensive halo of faint stars.

NGC 6229 The third globular in Hercules is much smaller than the previous two but has a very bright core. Its outer star lanes are well resolved.

NGC 6210 At the image scale of the camera this small ( 16") planetary nebula appears like a bright star. Only its blue tint gives it away.

Ophiuchus is mostly hidden by the garage but I manage to image three of its brightest globular clusters.

M10 A large globular resolved to core from which loose chains of stars stretch away.

M12 Similar size to M10 but looser and resolved easily to core

M14 Smaller than other two but still impressive. fairly condensed and round. Many faint stars surround core

M57

Over to Lyra now for its two Messier objects.

M57 The haunting Ring Nebula. This was the first deep sky object I viewed through a telescope 40 years ago and I have made the effort to seek it out every year since. The video camera shows how colourful it is with a spectrum from red outer edge through yellow to green on the rings inner edge. The central "star" is also seen on the image.

M56 Globular Cluster. Well resolved to core, fairly loose .

 

South to Vulpecula for another Messier classic.

M27

M27 Planetary Nebula. Large and bright. Red and green colours evident and outer lobes just visible on image.

NGC 6800  Large Open Cluster with a number of prominent stars but not concentrated.

ALBIREO Beta Cygni. One of the best known double stars. Colours more prominent visually but primary star has obvious orange hue.

NGC 6910 Open Cluster Cygnus. A personal favourite of mine. A string of magnitude 9/10 stars between two magnitude 7 yellowish stars. A scattering of fainter stars including a number of doubles complete this pleasing little cluster.

                                                         14th SEPTEMBER 2020

 Another hazy but cloudless night. Again the video camera coupled with the 8" SCT f3.3 performed well in the poor visibility.

  M11

M11 Open Cluster, Scutum.  One of the richest clusters almost like loose globular. Stands out well in rich field.

M26 Open Cluster, Scutum. Similar size to M11 but less rich. Four of the brightest stars make up a kite shape at the centre one of which is a close equal double. A scattering of fainter stars blend into the rich field.

NGC 6631 Open Cluster, Scutum. The centre of this cluster seems to be marked by three orange stars in a triangle but otherwise does not stand out in a rich field. I could not find much information about this cluster, it seems to be a bit neglected. The DSS image does not clearly show its extent but gives its diameter as 6'. 

NGC6781 Planetary Nebula, Aquila. Large ( 100") annular ring, red in colour. Faint star seen at centre but not sure if this a field star. Not seen this one before.

M71  Globular Cluster, Sagitta.  Once thought to be an open cluster but now reclassified as a small, loose globular. Seems to consist of many faint stars of similar magnitude. A number of brighter stars across the face of the cluster I suspect are foreground stars. 

NGC 6891 Planetary Nebula, Delphinus.  Small, at this image scale only its blue colour distinguishes it from the stars.

NGC 6905

NGC 6905 Planetary Nebula, Delphinus. "Blue Flash Nebula" Bright, annular with obvious blue colour. Central "star" or nuclear region very bright relative to nebula. Oval ring has dark areas to north and south.

NGC 6934 Globular Cluster, Delphinus. Small but well resolved. Has intriguing dark areas in the central region.

NGC 6826 Planetary Nebula, Cygnus. The "Blinking Planetary" is the brightest object in the field of view at magnitude 7. Has a magnitude 10 central star but is lost in the over exposed nebula. Blue colour.

NGC 6857

 NGC 6857 HII Nebula, Cygnus. Pleasing red nebula   surrounding relatively bright star. A couple of  small,   fainter, red nebulous areas are in the field of view.

 NGC 6888 HII Nebula, Cygnus.  Very large, red, crescent   shaped nebula in rich star field. Much detail seen but   deserves better viewing conditions.