2022-08-16

• Condition: VG7
• Location: Erik’s Ranch: 45.49, -110.70

The first night at Erik’s Ranch! Carly and I are celebrating our 10 year anniversary. Our cabin has a great view of the south, so I should be able to pick off some of those low targets on my list!

9:50PM

• Target: 36 Ophiuchi
• Const: Ophiuchus
• RaDec: 17h15m -26.36
• Type: Star (Double)
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 57x
• Double: AB: 135° or 315°

Image

Found from Θ Ophiuchi. I could hardly split them. Both are very similar in magnitude and I could not tell which was the primary, so I included both possible PA’s. Both are white in color.

10:03PM

• Target: ο Ophiuchi
• Const: Ophiuchus
• RaDec: 17h18m -24.17
• Type: Star (Double)
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 57x
• Double: AB: 350°

Image

Sibling is noticeably less bright. Got a clean split.

10:16PM

• Target: M 6, Butterfly Cluster
• Const: Scorpius
• RaDec: 17h40m -32.13
• Type: Open Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 36x

Image

So cool! Such an evident butterfly shape. My drawing doesn’t come close to doing it justice. Possibly my new favorite.

10:26PM

• Target: M 7, Ptolemy Cluster
• Const: Scorpius
• RaDec: 17h53m -34.49
• Type: Open Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 30x

Image

So vibrant, wasn’t hard to find as it exploded into view in my finder-scope.

10:39

• Target: M 69
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 18h31m -32.21
• Type: Globular Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 36x, AV

Image

Very tiny, AV is required to detect the shape. Seems to be a slightly irregular shape, almost triangular.

10:44PM

• Target: M 70
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 18h43m -32.18
• Type: Globular Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 40x, AV

Image

Smaller and less bright than M69, AV isn’t helping very much.

10:54PM

• Target: M 28
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 18h24m -24.52
• Type: Globular Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 50x, AV

Image

Was able to zoom in on this one a little more. I’m detecting a bit larger of a size, but only the center is brighter, the surrounding area seems to be a more subtle and consistent brightness.

10:59PM

• Target: M 22
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 18h36m -23.54
• Type: Globular Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 59x

Image

Popped in my finder-scope. Very easy to find. Large, and I’m seeing more definition within this cluster than many others with lighter and darker “splotches” of light. AV isn’t necessary but really makes it “pop” with detail more than with most other clusters I’ve seen.

11:10PM

• Target: M 25
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 18h31m -19.14
• Type: Open Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 21x

Image

Neat. A very “clean” looking cluster. Many diverse magnitude stars can be clearly seen.

11:14PM

• Target: M 24, Milky Way Patch
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 18h18m -18.25
• Type: Star Cloud
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 19x

Image

Not as dense as clusters I’ve seen, but maybe that’s why this one is called a “star cloud”. Panning around, I can see that the stars in this area are more closely packed together than the surrounding areas. Best seen at low magnification, too much is lost with even a little zoom.

11:28PM

• Target: M 23
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 17h56m -19.1
• Type: Open Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 33x

Image

Not much of a glow. But rather a bunch of “pin pricks” of light. Neat!

11:43PM

• Target: M 20, Trifid Nebula
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 18h02m -23.2
• Type: Diffuse Nebula
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 28x, AV

Image

Not seeing much “nebulosity”. Can only detect a very little with AV. May need to revisit when I have the proper filters?

• Target: M 21
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 18h04m -22.3
• Type: Open Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 28x, AV

A bit more apparent, but seems like a very small clump of stars. AV is required to make more stars in the midst of the cluster appear.