Finally!

Observing Report 07/14/03 (cont'd)
Equipment: Heep ('umble 4.5" DS Newtonian on EQ mount, 900mm, f/8), 16x50 bino's
Eyepeices: 20mm, 10mm, 6.7mm Meade Plossls
Location: Newmarket, Ont. (approx. 44n, 79w)
Time: 0230 - 0400 UT
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The afternoon sky was peppered with thunderheads, so I figured observing was out of the question last night. But I stepped outside at about 0130 UT and found that the sky was perfectly clear (srendipity!), Arcturus and Spica were already visible, and grabbed Heep to set outside to cool.

Started observing in earnest at 0230. Sky was still somewhat light. Seeing was not terrific either, the atmosphere seemed somewhat thick and soupy. My targets were M3 and M5 (my personal Waterloo's). Once again, I was able to get M3 in the binoculars, but not the scope.

But I was determined this time. I would point the scope, sighting along the tube to be sure I was in the right area, then move the scope along the RA axis slightly. If I was unable to find the object, I reversed direction. Then I would resight the scope, moving it along the declination axis, and repeat the procedure.

Finally, I spotted it just at the corner of the field of view, next to about an 8th mag. star. By my estimate, it would have been roughly 0300 UT or so. It was a roundish patch of light in the 20mm (45X). The 10mm showed some graininess in the center, but I was unable to resolve the stars near the edge. I think darker skies and better seeing would have resolved several outer stars, because even with the 6.7mm, the cluster's centre was still quite bright, and there was a faint, grainy light around it.

So far, my experience with globulars has been a bit of a dissapointment. The only one I've seen so far that will resolve at all is M13. But I took a grim satisfaction in finally catching up with my elusive quarry. My first thoughts were "Now I've got you, you SOB. You're mine."

I made another attempt at M5, but only a half-hearted one. I was happy enough to have bagged M3, so I wandered over to Cygnus, one of my favourite summer constellations. By this time, though, the moon was up and hampered things considerably. Nonetheless, Albireo was (as always) a beautiful sight. From Albireo, I pointed the scope south, and was able, with a little searching, to find M27. (Another first!) It revealed very little of its dumbbell shape, it was more like a rectangle with rounded edges, and rather faint (due to the affliction of the moon), but enormous in comparison to M57, another planetary in the same general area.

I packed it in after that. Heep got two notches on his tripod leg last night, from light-bathed suburban skies, under a nearly full moon. I crawled off to bed completely satisfied.

Clear nights ... dark sites,
Darren

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Yeah, 4.5" is at the threshold for resolving globs, although from dark skies and with high magnification you should be able to get a little resolution on more than just M13. You're fairly far north, so M22 might be a little low in the murk, but it's a doozy, better than M13 if you're far enough south. Of course, if you go *much* further south (Australia, say), you're in globular heaven.

M4 (in Scorpius - easy to find, but also far south) and M71 (in Saggita - easy to find, and high up in the sky for you) are quite a bit fainter than the globs you're talking about, but are "loose" and resolve pretty quickly if the sky is dark enough. Give 'em a try sometime.

Sounds like you're having fun, though!

Darren
It is disappointing to try and resolves globulars with smaller aperture. When I got my NS8GPS I figured I could see everything with this thing. Alas no! I can see the object but cannot always resolve the center and outer edge stars most of the time, especially small clusters.

Then I bought the 15" DOB. The 1st time I just panned around Sagitarius I was dumbfounded by the shear number of clusters all over the place! I could see the points of light in the globs and I could find another one it seemed each time I moved the scope a little.

It was then that I realized what friends had been saying all along was true. You can see the objects but you can't see the details without aperture.

So I think you are doing great with a 4.5"! :^) Good work! Keep it up and you will see many nice things.

Hello there Darren,

Try more magnfication on M13, say 150x-200x and remember to use averted vision. You might be pleasantly surprised. Also, dark skies (without the moon ;-) makes a big difference in resolving M13.

Ron B[ee]

Darren,
By all means try M22 in Sagittarius; it's
about 50% bigger and easier to resolve than
M13. Even from latitude 49.5 N (Vancouver BC)
it's an easy, impressive object on a dark clear
night. Also try M5 in Serpens, M92 in Hercules
as globulars that are nearly as easy to resolve
as M13.

To get M5, use the stars in the constellation Serpens. Sight on the easy star 24 aSer, then move down two jumps to the star 34 Ser. Once you are centered on 34Ser turn your Right Assencion dial 32' RA west. You will be right on top of M5. If you have even roughly north polar alligned, and by this I mean pointing your scope by sighting over the top of the tube, M5 should end up in the fov of any low power eyepiece.

edz