2022-08-17

• Condition: E7
• Location: Erik's Ranch: 45.49, -110.70

10:37PM

• Target: M 16, Eagle Nebula Cluster[1]
• Const: Serpens
• RaDec: 18h18m -13°47
• Type: Nebula with Open Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 33x
• Image: ../images/2022-8-17_M16.jpg[2]

Found from γ Scuti (took a while to find Scutum, since it was buried in the strip of the milky way). A neat collection of stars that seems to have a glow "behind" it.

=> [1] M 16, Eagle Nebula Cluster (ID) | [2] ../images/2022-8-17_M16.jpg

10:41PM

• Target: M 17, Swan Nebula[1]
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 18h20m -16°11
• Type: Diffuse Nebula
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 44x
• Image: ../images/2022-8-17_M17.jpg[2]

I could see the glow in the finder-scope. The shape does resemble a swan and it appears upside down (from my perspective). AV really helps with the shape.

=> [1] M 17, Swan Nebula (ID) | [2] ../images/2022-8-17_M17.jpg

10:46PM

• Target: M 18[1]
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 18h19m -17°8
• Type: Open Cluster[2]
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 19x
• Image: ../images/2022-8-17_M18.jpg[3]

More of a view of tightly packed stars than any detection of a "glow". Kind of hard to determine that it "is" a cluster of stars.

=> [1] M 18 (ID) | [2] Open Cluster (ID) | [3] ../images/2022-8-17_M18.jpg

10:50PM

• Target: M 8, Lagoon Nebula[1]
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 18h03m -24°23
• Type: Diffuse Nebula
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 33x
• Image: ../images/2022-8-17_M8.jpg[2]

Lots going on here! I see nebulous blue "glow". I see a star cluster in it's midst, and it seems to be guarded on all sides by pairs of brighter stars. AV helps with the definition of the shape and glow.

=> [1] M 8, Lagoon Nebula (ID) | [2] ../images/2022-8-17_M8.jpg

11:09PM

• Target: M 54[1]
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 18h55m -30°29
• Type: Globular Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 36x, AV
• Image: ../images/2022-8-17_M54.jpg[2]

So tiny, I almost missed it. Without AV, it looks like a single star with a larger than normal "airy disc". With AV, the "airy disc" becomes pockmarked with speckles of bright light. Small, but cool.

=> [1] M 54 (ID) | [2] ../images/2022-8-17_M54.jpg

11:15PM

• Target: M 55[1]
• Const: Sagittarius
• RaDec: 19h40m -30°58
• Type: Globular Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 40x, AV
• Image: ../images/2022-8-17_M55.jpg[2]

Found by RA'ing from M54. Bigger than M54, but still dim. AV doesn't reveal much of the shape, but does reveal more detail within the glow.

=> [1] M 55 (ID) | [2] ../images/2022-8-17_M55.jpg