Sketch of NGC 6572 (The Blue Racquetball)
Click image for larger version.
Observation Notes:
NGC 6572 is a bright and colorful planetary nebula. At low power, it was nearly stellar, and strong blue-green in color. At 240X, it was slightly elongated at a PA of about 165 degrees (NNW-SSE). Although the Ultrablock filter increased contrast a bit, the nebula’s brightness made it unnecessary. I couldn’t detect the central star, even at 600X. The seeing could have been better (as usual), but during better moments, an uneven form emerged. I switched back and forth between the Pentax XW10 + 2X Barlow (240X) and 4 mm Orthoscopic (300X) to examine it further. The elongated core gave way to a rhomboid shape which gradually revealed the impression of fat swirls at the nebula’s north and south ends. The drawing below diagrams how the structure progressively unfolded.
Gradually revealed structure of NGC 6572
Sketch/NOAO Photo Comparison of NGC 6572
© Bruce Bodner/Adam Block/NOAO/AURA/NSF
| Subject | NGC 6572 |
| Other Desig. | AG+06 2201; BD+06 3649; EM* CDS 964; GC 4390; GCRV 10650; h 2000; HD 166802; IRAS 18096+0650; JCMTSE J181206.2+065114; JCMTSF J181206.2+065114; 2MASX J18120627+0651129; NSV 24329; NVSS J181206+065112; PK 34+11.1; PLX 4174.00; PN ARO 7; PN G034.6+11.8; PN VV 159; PN VV’ 370; PPM 165362; RAFGL 5206S; SCM 192; WB 1809+0650; Blue Racquetball |
| Classification | Planetary Nebula (2a) |
| Position* | Ophiuchus: [18 12 06.365 +06 51 13.01] |
| Size | 16″ x 13″ |
| Brightness* | 8.1 vMag; 9.0 bMag |
| Date/Time | SEP 07, 2010, 12:10 AM MST (SEP 07, 2010, 0710 UT) |
| Observing Loc. | Home – Flagstaff, Arizona, USA |
| Instrument | SkyQuest XT8 (8 inch f/5.9 Dobsonian) |
| Eyepieces/Mag. | Pentax XW10 + 2X Barlow (240X); UO 4 mm Orthoscopic (300X) |
| Conditions | clear |
| Seeing | 5/10 Pickering |
| Transparency | SQM 20.3 |
| *Sources | SIMBAD; NOAO; NGC/IC Project |
Jeremy,
I really enjoy your drawings and am learning from them. Thank you. One question, did you mean to say UO 4mm, not 5mm?
Thank you again for sharing your work,
Mike
Mike, you’re absolutely right, that should say 4 mm for the UO eyepiece. Thanks for noticing that! Just need to fix the sketch details and re-upload the image…