Subject:Messier 3 (NGC 5272) Issue:May 2009 Astronomy Now Basic Media:Graphite on white paper Featured Technique:Using stippling to indicate granularity in a globular cluster. Suggested Materials: Strathmore 80# drawing paper HB, 2H and 4H drafting pencils Blending stump White plastic eraser Kneaded eraser (Putty rubber) Clipboard and adjustable red light...
Globular Cluster Category
Click image for larger version. G1, the brightest globular cluster in the local group, is associated with the Andromeda Galaxy nearly 3 million light years away. By itself, it is bright enough to be visible to even modest sized scopes under dark skies. Which is pretty awesome to consider: you...
Observation Notes: This globular cluster was bright and concentrated. The nucleus was not stellar in appearance, but still concentrated. Granularity was barely perceptible at 48X. At 120X, the granularity was still on the subtle side. Only 3 or 4 stars appeared to be flickering in and out. The brightest...
Observation Notes: After touring a trio of Messier galaxies this evening, I settled in for a long look at the beautiful globular cluster, M3. At low power, it appeared as a soft spot on a gray background. At 120X with a bit of averted vision, however, it exploded with...
Observation Notes: I regret not making this observation at a better time of year and from a better location. Scorpius was headed into bad light pollution as seen from my home, and the neighbors were kind enough to shoot on the porch light as soon as I began the...
Click image for larger version. The above sketch is an update to the original to clean it up and update formatting. The original is shown below. Observation Notes: This is a huge and structurally interesting globular cluster. The core is compact and clumpy in places. The outer halo is extensive,...
Observation Notes: This globular had a soft profile with a mottled appearance. Granularity was hard to come by, but it was there. It appeared mainly circular and symmetrical with some faint hints of extensions. Factoids: M9 is one of the closest globular clusters to the galactic center at 5500...
Observation Notes: Granularity resolved nicely on this cluster. The core was not distinct. There was just a subtle brightening toward the center. Overall, it was circular, but some regions in the center seemed to extend north-northeast to south-southwest. It's visual extent looked to be 3.5'. There was some extra...
Observation Notes: This is a big, mottled globular cluster. Averted vision gave it an overall grainy appearance with brighter stars flickering in and out across the surface. The central condensation was there, but not it was not strong. It seemed to form a trianugalr shape with one apex pointing...
Observation Notes: Well, the time seemed about right to redo the sketch of this amazing globular cluster. Visually, the cluster displays curving arcs of stars that give it the appearance of a hanging fern, or even a crawling spider. Stars, faint to bright, were resolved right across the surface....
Observation Notes: This is a large, but unresolved cluster. I didn't pick up any granularity. But hints of mottling suggest that I'm a couple inches of scope aperture shy of seeing some member stars. The core was not strong, and the outer halo faded softly to nothing. I believe...
Observation Notes: This was a large, bright globular. It was hard to find at first, due to its nearness to a number of bright stars. So it didn't stand out so well in the finder. 38X showed a hint of granularity. The southern side of the cluster seemed to...
Observation Notes: M19 was large and loose. Granularity appeared with averted vision. The core, while soft, hand an irregular shape with an arc running northwest to south, and an extension to the east. Factoids: M19 is the most elliptical globular cluster. This may be due to its proximity to...
Click image for larger version. Observation Notes: I was feeling pretty worn out when I made the trip to Anderson Mesa and wasn't sure that I wanted to tackle a monster observation like M22. But I'm glad now that I did. It really called for a lot more detail than...
Observation Notes: At 37X, this globular cluster is small, but still easily visible. I didn't see any granularity at this magnification. The nucleus was circular and tight, but not stellar. At 120X, granularity was still hard to come by. About 7 or 8 stars were blinking in and out...
Observation Notes: This was a rewarding cluster to observe. It was a pleasant sight at 38X, 120X, and 240X. At 120 and 240 X, it began to resolve into stars along the edges. Several were constantly visible, with many more forming a granular splat just east of a bright...
Observation Notes: This is the most eastern of 3 globular clusters I observed at the base of the Sagittaruis teapot on 10/3/04. The others were M69 and M70, and M54 was brighter than both of those, with a sharper, more condensed nucleus. I couldn't resolve any stars, even with...
Observation Notes: The 48X view showed a large star cluster. It didn't have a tight core. It was actually very loose. Granularity was apparent across its wide face. The brightest areas seemed to be the NW, but not strongly so. Overall it is dim. The 120X view shows granularity...
Observation Notes: Although it was hard taking my eyes off Alberio, I managed to find M56. The globular looked soft and round at 48X. I used the 25 mm, 10 mm, and 10 mm + 2X Barlow to view it. The 25 mm (48 X) just started to show...
Observation Notes: M62 was in horrible light pollution. It showed granularity without too much trouble. The core was strongly condensed and seemed to rest toward the south end of the cluster rather than centered. After a bit of research, it turns out that M62 is noted for an off-center...
Observation Notes: This small globular cluster showed as a fuzzy circular patch at 37X. The 120X magnification showed a hint of 2 or 3 stars across the surface of the cluster. The brightness curve was soft with an obvious central concentration. The brightest neighboring star is to the NW....
Observation Notes: This is one of 3 globular clusters I observed at the base of the Sagittaruis teapot on 10/3/04. (The others were M69 and M54. M70 appeared as a small globular cluster with a soft distribution of luminosity, with a distinct but soft core. The 120X view seemed...
Observation Notes: Through the 25 mm eyepiece, this globular cluster was dim and small, but still remarkably grainy. It was also elongated. In the 10 mm eyepiece a number of stars showed at the edges and a few across the face. The shape was irregular, and seemed to make...
Observation Notes: I had a heck of a time finding this, by drawing a bead off Epsilon Aquarii. It was a dim small globular. I wasn't able to resolve it at 37X or 120X. Luminosity rises softly across its face. Factoids: At 53,000 light years distant, M72 is one...
Observation Notes: This observation was cursed! I tried observing it 3 nights prior and spent 15 minutes gandering, switching eyepieces and seeing if I could resolve it and discern any asymmetry. Before I could pick up my sketch sheet and record it, the view faded to nothing as clouds...
Observation Notes: This globular cluster appeared circular and about 2.5' in diameter. It was condensed toward the center, but not strongly. There may be a slight elongation north-northwest to south-southeast. There were a few orange and yellow stars in the field. Seeing wasn't great, but at 240X, I could...
Observation Notes: This was a small, dim globular cluster--at least in the horrible conditions I was viewing: low in the sky, in an areas of heavy light pollution, and bad seeing to top it off. I couldn't see any granularity, or aberration in shape. It just appeared soft and...
Observation Notes: I didn't realize how nice this globular cluster would look. It stood up well to magnification, with stars resolving across the face of the cluster. It appeared noticeably elliptical in its outer reaches, pointing southwest to northeast. The core was soft but robust. It seemed that the...
Observation Notes: Right after viewing M5, this was definitely a shift to the other end of the globular spectrum. I didn't resolve any member stars, although once or twice I saw what looked like a star flicker into view near the north-center core region. The brightness was very soft...
Observation Notes Any opportunity to head closer to Earth's midsection is likely to get a Northern Hemisphere amateur astronomer salivating at the possibilities. The awesome trip we took to the Caribbean last month brought us down to 19 degrees North Latitude. That's 16 degrees further south than Flagstaff, and...
Click the image for a larger version. Observation Notes: NGC 5824 was one of the bright objects that Eric Graff had proposed observing in the southern sky. It was a beautiful globular. Through Eric's scope, I thought I could detect some granularity in it. But when I made the observation...
Observation Notes: I could not resolve stars or even a vague sense of graininess in this globular. It did have a lumpy, mottled appearance. Averted vision showed an extended halo about 2 arc minutes in diameter. The brighter core region was somewhat rectangular with extensions running toward the northwest....
Sketch of NGC 6712 and Arrow Asterism - 37.5XClick image for larger version. Sketch of NGC 6712 - 120X and 240XClick image for larger version. Observation Notes: This fascinating globular cluster lies in a rich Milky Way field. Through 15 x 70 binoculars, it can be seen as a faintly...
Sketch of NGC 7006Click image for larger version. Observation Notes: NGC 7006 appeared as a small, soft, symmetrical disc, moderately condensed. I estimated Shapley class IV and a bit more than 1 arc minute in diameter. I was unable to resolve it or detect any asymmetry. Sketch/DSS Photo Comparison of...
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