[Lvas] This Weekend

Sun Jun 21 08:19:33 PDT 2009

Guys,

Last night was better for me here at Kaibab Lodge, but definitely not 
anywhere near perfect.  I still had to look around some clouds and it 
was also quite breezy.  I couldn't get consecutive image captures 
because the wind was strong enough to rock the scope with the Mallincam 
on it.  After showing about 20 people some of the night sky wonders 
earlier in the evening, I was able to view M-13.  Unfortunately, since 
it was at the zenith, I couldn't use the the LX200 with its Alt/Az 
mount.  At zenith, the optical path with extension tube and Mallincam is 
too long to go between the arms of the scope to point straight up.  So, 
I had to use only the ST120, but reduced the focal reduction to get a 
larger image.  Next week at Great Basin, I'll take the focal reduction 
completely off and go with the tube's normal f/5.0.  Now to what I saw.

Even with the less than ideal conditions I was able to see the 
propeller.  The two blades extending into the cluster were obviously 
more prominent, but the one extending outward was definitely there, just 
not as long in length as the other two.  My core was still somewhat 
washed out, so next week I'll turn the gain down even more.  I'm 
somewhat embarrassed to send a representative image since with the wind 
the focus is horrible.  But, it will give you an idea of what I saw on 
those moments when the wind let up just for a brief moment.

For the first time, I was able to observe color in the stars not 
contained in the core.  I saw yellow and blueish/purple stars that you 
will see in the representative image.  You should also notice another 
dark lane on the lower side of the image, opposite the propeller blades 
that extend into the core.  At times, it looked like the "T" that Tele 
Vue uses in their logo.  In the image, it looks like a wide bar with a 
significant bump left of center.  I hope my images next week will show 
this feature more clearly.  There are chains of stars extending from the 
cluster that suggest M13 may have had a more spiral structure in it's 
past.  Without any supporting research, the image suggests the cluster 
had a counterclockwise spiral.  I'm sure it's undergone significant 
change in it's 13-billion year life.

Well, until I hopefully observe the cluster under better conditions next 
week, I'll reserve any more observational comments until then.

Although I could see M2 and M27, I didn't attempt to capture any images 
because of the observing conditions.  The earlier evening crowd oohed 
and ahhed at M27 as I explained what they were seeing.  We could see the 
obvious dumbbell shape, but we could also see where the nebulous cloud 
attempts to completely the circle/sphere and we could see the central 
star.  I didn't go back to it later in the night, so I don't have any 
detailed observations to share at this time.  I'll attempt both of these 
objects again next week.

Well, that's it for now.  Talk to you guys later.

Rob

roger ivester wrote:
> LVAS all,
>  
> I have been reading the reports of observing conditions in the Las 
> Vegas area and have also been talking with my son concerning. I hope 
> your observing conditions improve tonight.
>  
> The conditions last night here in Boiling Springs, North Carolina were 
> very good for this season, and from my backyard.
>  
> On the seeing scale, is was perfect, a 10 on a scale of 10. The 
> transparency was lacking due to all the moisture in the air. The naked 
> eye limiting magnitude was near 5.0 as compared to a 6.00 on a good 
> winter night.
>  
> I did have a problem with tube currents with my 10-inch on occasion 
> due to the warm temperature's which hovered near 75°, even well after 
> midnight. It would follow right along the top of the tube. I do not 
> have a mirror cooling fan.
>  
> I was able to observe the cluster at 266x ... incredible resolution, 
> but no propeller. I can see it in my mind as I write this. The cluster 
> almost filled my fov using a 12mm UO Konig and a 2.8x UO Klee barlow 
> for a magnification of 266x with a 0.24° field...only 14 arc minutes.
>  
> Individual stars were in the hundreds, all with brilliant resolution, 
> with tentacles of stars streaming out from the edge of the cluster.  
>  
> I observed M-13 for well over two hours.
>  
> The propeller was difficult and could glimpse only on occasion at 200x 
> using averted vision. I could only see the two lanes going into the 
> cluster, and not the one pointing toward the side...but could not hold 
> them constantly.
>  
> I would have to class the propeller as one of the "more" difficult 
> observational items that I have encountered in over 30 years 
> of viewing. This sentence applies mostly to my 10-inch as it was much 
> easier through a friends 12-inch.
>  
> Normally it can be difficult to observe the double double in Lyra at 
> full aperture. With the superb seeing I did not have to reduce the 
> effective aperture by using an off-axis mask.
>  
> At 200x they looked like four ping-pong balls. A sight to behold.
>  
> I now have a sketch of M-13 and the propeller using both a 12-inch and 
> a 10-inch.
>  
> No observing tonight as the clouds moved in shortly before sunset.
>  
> Roger
>  
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> /*    *The moon and stars to govern the night.....   Psalm 136:9/
>
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>
>  
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> From: rayworth1969 at hotmail.com
> To: lvas at lvlug.org
> Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:56:19 -0500
> Subject: Re: [Lvas] This Weekend
>
> All,
>  
> Well, guess we can pretty much kiss off this weekend. I held out hope, 
> but I was just outside and not only is it partly cloudy, but the wind 
> is howling.
>  
> Guess I have to wait until next month, now.
>  
> I hope Rob is having a better time up at the lodge.
>  
> Fred
>  
>
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