Globular Cluster Challenge
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Observing Challenge
Your challenge is to observe at least 12 of the globular clusters on the object list.
The list of Observing Challenge clusters is located here.
For all fourteen images on 6/29/2022:
Location: NRAO Green Bank WV Campground as part of this years StarQuest
(38.431040,-79.822480)
Seeing: 8/10
Transparency: 9/10
Scope: Apogee 80mm f/6.1
Mount: SkyWatcher AZ Gti on a wedge
Camera: ASI 385MC
Filter(s): Baader Semi-APO, Baader UV/IR blocking
Control for telescope and camera: ASIAir Pro
#images/target: 20
Exposure: 15 seconds (unguided)
Stacking: MaximDL 5
Post work: ASI Studio
Field Size: 49.7 x 28.2 arcmin
Field Radius: 0.476 deg
Pixel scale: 1.54 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: Up is -97.2 degrees E of N
Observing Requirements
All observations must be made no earlier than July 1, 2022.
All observations must be done before the end of September 30, 2022.
All observations must be submitted before the end of October 31, 2022.
Observations done before this challenge may NOT be included. However, these observations may be used as part of other observing program requirements as long as all required details are included.
Observations may be done Visually or with Imaging.
Observations may be Manually or with Go-To Telescopes.
Remote Telescopes are allowed.
This information must be included with each observation:
Index Number and name of the object. The observations should be submitted in order of the Index Number.
Date and Time (either Universal Time or Local Time).
Seeing and Transparency (for more information, check out the definitions located here).
Latitude and Longitude (fractional degrees or degrees, minutes, and seconds).
Instrument used, eyepiece, and magnification. Camera used (if one is used).
Brief description. This is a description of what you saw, it is NOT what we include as comments on the object list.
A sketch (if done visually) or an image (if done through imaging) of the object.
I originally had planned to use my ASIAir Pro's live stacking but for some reason it failed to work. Images were taken, but not stacked or even ignored. Live stacking caused frequent crashes in the system. I resorted to a walk to calm down, complained to two other ASIAir users, and then decided to use Autorun to see if the night could be salvaged. To my surprise, Autorun worked flawlessly for the entire run. The temperature dropped into the mid-40s by 11 pm so I crawled into my minivan and wrapped up in blankets. By midnight I was too tired to continue and there was a very heavy, dripping dew so I closed up for the evening.
All images were taken long after a thin crescent moon had set.
Note: I'm very red/green color blind. The image colors look fine to me but people with normal vision may disagree.
Associated Outreach Activities:
I've posted the challenge to the groups.io StLAstro group announcing the challenge.
I've announced and encouraged doing the challenge to the Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri at the June meeting. (Note: I am not a member)
I talked to a group of ten interns at the Green Bank Radio Telescope site about globular cluster while it was getting dark enough to image. All the interns were Physics/Astronomy majors. Most had not heard of Harlow Shapley and his globular cluster work or the Shapley-Sawyer Concentration Class.
Number: 1
Object: NGC 6171
Const: Oph
RA: 16 32 32
Dec: -13 03 13
Mag: 8.2
Size: 10.0’
AL Notes:M107: discovered in 1782 by Pierre Mechain.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 10:37 pm EDT
Number: 2
Object: NGC 6218
Const: Oph
RA: 16 47 14
Dec: -01 56 52
Mag: 7.1
Size: 14.5’
AL Notes:M12: discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier. With binoculars, it looks like a double cluster with M10.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 10:42 pm EDT
Number: 3
Object: NGC 6254
Const: Oph
RA: 16 57 09
Dec: -04 15 58
Mag: 6.9
Size: 15.1’
AL Notes:M10: discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier. With binoculars, it looks like a double cluster with M12.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 10:31 pm EDT
Number: 4
Object: NGC 6266
Const: Oph
RA: 17 01 13
Dec: -30 06 44
Mag: 6.7
Size: 14.1’
AL Notes:M62: discovered in 1771 by Charles Messier.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 11:00 pm EDT
Number: 5
Object: NGC 6273
Const: Oph
RA: 17 02 38
Dec: -26 16 05
Mag: 6.8
Size: 13.5’
AL Notes:M19: discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 11:05 pm EDT
Number: 6
Object: NGC 6284
Const: Oph
RA: 17 04 29
Dec: -24 45 53
Mag: 8.9
Size: 5.6’
AL Notes:Discovered in 1784 by William Herschel.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 11:09 pm EDT
Number: 7
Object: NGC 6287
Const: Oph
RA: 17 05 09
Dec: -22 42 29
Mag: 9.3
Size: 5.1’
AL Notes:Discovered in 1784 by William Herschel.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 11:15 pm EDT
Number: 8
Object: NGC 6293
Const: Oph
RA: 17 10 10
Dec: -26 34 54
Mag: 8.2
Size: 7.9’
AL Notes:Discovered in 1885 by Lewis Swift. Its distance is not known. Just north of dark nebula B59.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 11:20 pm EDT
Number: 9
Object: NGC 6304
Const: Oph
RA: 17 14 32
Dec: -29 27 44
Mag: 8.4
Size: 6.8’
AL Notes:Discovered in 1786 by William Herschel.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 11:25 pm EDT
Number: 10
Object: NGC 6316
Const: Oph
RA: 17 16 37
Dec: -28 08 24
Mag: 8.8
Size: 4.9’
AL Notes:Discovered in 1784 by William Herschel.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 11:29 pm EDT
Number: 11
Object: NGC 6333
Const: Oph
RA: 17 19 12
Dec: -18 30 59
Mag: 8
Size: 9.3’
AL Notes:M9: discovered in 1783 by William Herschel. Abuts dark nebula B59.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 11:34 pm EDT
Number: 12
Object: NGC 6342
Const: Oph
RA: 17 21 10
Dec: -19 35 14
Mag: 9.8
Size: 3.0’
AL Notes:Discovered in 1786 by William Herschel.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 11:39 pm EDT
Number: 13
Object: NGC 6356
Const: Oph
RA: 17 23 35
Dec: -17 48 47
Mag: 8.4
Size: 7.2’
AL Notes:Discovered in 1784 by William Herschel.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 11:57 pm EDT
Number: 32
Object: NGC 6656
Const: Sgr
RA: 18 36 24
Dec: -23 54 12
Mag: 5.9
Size: 24.0’
AL Notes:M22: discovered in 1665 by Abraham Ihle.
Date: 6/29/2022
Time: 11:52 pm EDT
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