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💾 Archived View for koyu.space › mrael2_obsv › sessions › 2018 › 2018-03-17.gmi captured on 2023-11-04 at 12:16:58. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content

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Date: 2018-03-17

Time: 7:50 PM - 8:20 PM

Seeing: II or III at horizon

Transparency: 7

Object: Venus

Venus looks great in the western sky. It is near mercury.

Object: Mercury

In this, the best evening apparition of Mercury in 2018, I have been pleased to see the planet with the naked eye for several evenings. Tonight is the first time in a long time that I view it in the telescope, and it is a roiling mess with lots of atmospheric turbulence low on the horizon. As well, there is red and purple fringing at opposite ends of the planet, but when the image settles a bit, I can detect a slightly gibbous phase.

I'll hope to see a crescent phase in a day or two or three if the sky is clear.

Time: 8:40 PM

Seeing: I

Transparency: 7

Object: M41

This is a lovely open cluster with radial arm patterns apparent. There are two pinpoint orange stars at the center and a bright star at cluster's edge. Very nice at 42x.

Time: 8:50 PM

Object: M79

This diminutive globular cluster is dim at 42x but much more pleasant at 84x. It is fuzzy with no stars resolved and is clearer with averted vision. Nice for a small one.

Time: 9:00 PM

Object: M50

This open cluster is sparse and uninspiring. Viewed at 42x, there is a minor suggestion of a tentacle pattern.

Time: 9:20 PM

Object: M52

Here is another sparse open cluster that is dim at 42x (and small) with greater interest at 84x. It sits in the center of a triangle of stars, one of which is surrounded by a very faint nebulosity, which is given on the map as NGC 7635.

The nebulosity was faint at 84x but definitely visible. Small, it might be better seen at higher magnification, but I'm not sure it would be worth pursuing with my 254 mm reflector.

Time: 9:40 PM

Object: M103

This open cluster at 84x is bright and scattered with relatively few stars.

NGC 457 at 84x is interesting as usual.

Time: 9:55 PM

Seeing: I

Transparency: 7

Object: Double Cluster (NGC 884 and NGC 869)

This pair of open clusters filled the viewfinder at 42x. A pinpoint orange star marked a center point between the clusters, and NGC 884 had a striking half-circle of pinpoint stars at its own center. Quite nice.

Object: Stock 2

Near the Double Cluster, Stock 2 is the largest open cluster I've seen to date. Filling the eyepiece at 42x, the grouping is vast, spread out widely, and composed of hundreds of consistently spaced stars. Quite interesting!

Time: 10:15 PM

M31 was quite fuzzy very low on the northwest horizon at 42x.

M42 was spectacular at 84x. Great night after months of being away.