| Observer: | Tom Campbell |
| Location: | Somewhere in Southeast Kansas (Long: 95W 12' Lat: 37N 48') |
| Equipment: | Simmons 10x50WA Binoculars |
| Time: | 11:00pm - 11:30pm CDT |
| Transparency: | 9/10 |
| Seeing: | 8/10 |
| Weather: | Temperature in the 70s. There was a gusty breeze. |
CONTINUED FROM PART I...
After grabbing the binoculars, I sat down in a reclining lawn chair I had brought and aimed at the Southern Milky Way region. I hadn't looked at any Messier objects through my binos in a long time, and decided it was time to log a few.
| Star Cloud (M 24) | Sagittarius | Open Cluster | 11:05pm CDT |
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This is a nice bright patch of the Milky Way, with several bright stars resolved. These stars form a cigar or flying saucer shaped asterism. Behind the stars is the fairly bright glow of our galaxy. |
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| M 25 | Sagittarius | Open Cluster | 11:10pm CDT |
| RA: 18 31.6 | Dec: -19 15 | Mag: 4.6 | |
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Located in the same widefield view of M24, this is a nice open cluster. Even through binoculars I could count 8-10 individual members in a fairly tight ball. This is a pretty impressive cluster. |
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| Lagoon/Hourglass (M 8) | Sagittarius | Cluster + Nebula | 11:15pm CDT |
| NGC 6523 | RA: 18 03.8 | Dec: -24 23 | Mag: 5.8 |
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This can easily be seen as an elongated nebulous patch with several stars in it. Through binoculars, it appears as a miniature version of the Star Cloud (M24). |
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| M 21 | Sagittarius | Open Cluster | 11:18pm CDT |
| NGC 6531 | RA: 18 04.6 | Dec: -22 30 | Mag: 5.9 |
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Continuing on up from M8, you get to M20 and M21. Combined with the stars of M20 (Trifid Nebula), M21 looks like an elongated cluster. Several individual stars could be seen in the area, but the Trifid nebulosity was invisible. |
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| M 18 | Sagittarius | Open Cluster | 11:20pm CDT |
| NGC 6613 | RA: 18 19.9 | Dec: -17 08 | Mag: 6.9 |
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A few stars can be seen, along with a little bit of nebulosity. It is difficult to resolve this tight little cluster. |
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| Omega/Swan (M 17) | Sagittarius | Nebula | 11:23pm CDT |
| NGC 6618 | RA: 18 20.8 | Dec: -16 11 | Mag: 6.0 |
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This nebulous patch is pretty obvious. It is mostly circular in shape, except for one edge, which is flattened and much brighter than the surrounding nebula. This is the body of the swan. The head and neck were hidden within the rest of the nebulosity. |
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| Eagle (M 16) | Serpens | Cluster + Nebula | 11:27pm CDT |
| NGC 6611 | RA: 18 18.8 | Dec: -13 47 | Mag: 6.0 |
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This appears as an open cluster with nebulosity behind it. The nebulosity is almost, but not quite round in shape. |
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| Wild Duck (M 11) | Scutum | Open Cluster | 11:30pm CDT |
| NGC 6705 | RA: 18 51.1 | Dec: -06 16 | Mag: 5.8 |
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This open cluster appears as a fuzzy patch with the outer edges just barely starting to resolve. The center appears brighter, giving it the appearance of a globular cluster. |
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Having to work the next morning, we both decided to pack it in for the night and begin the journey home. Despite the winds, this was a pretty productive night. Both of us had fun, and that's what this hobby is all about.