Fremont Peak 14 July 2007

by Sean McCauliff

The seeing was ok. The view at 211x was steady most of the time. The protective fog that cloaks the bottom of the peak decided to stay offshore this time. To the East where some clouds, but they stayed there. The air was mostly dry otherwise.

About a year ago I joined the AL with the intent of doing the AL- globular list. The past few times I've either forgotten my 1.25 adapter, the seeing was poor, I was lazy about taking notes, or just taking in the eye candy. Being full with summer eye candy from last month; I was ready to relax and take a leisurely stroll around the sky hopefully looking at globulars.

But before going on to globs there was a comet to see. Part of the reason looking at comets is interesting to me is because each observation is a unique experience. Unlike the most unchanging deep sky a comet is not going to be the same again.

mu Bootes - Wide split at 61x. The brighter star seems slightly blue.

Iota Bootes - Brighter seems very white while the simmer one seems slightly yellow.

Kappa Bootes - No colors noted. This is in the same 61x field as Iota.

Comet C/2006 VZ13 Linear - Located in Bootes. At 61x there seems to be a well defined edge towards the NW and more open ended on the other edges. At 112x a stellar core, with another 5' of bright coma and another layer which adds about another 5' of diameter.

Never having taken a good look at Ophiuchus I decided to start there. Part of the AL glob club requires the estimation of the concentration class of the globular. This ranges from 1-12. One being highly concentrated and 12 being highly diffuse.

M12 - 211x Many stars are resolved well into the core of the globular. Stars seems evenly distributed. Towards the south there appears to be a chain of stars leaving the globular which then splits east and west. My estimate for concentration class is 8, but it's actually 9.

M10 - 211x - Stars seems evenly resolved in the cluster. A section in the NW is only resolved with averted vision. Estimated concentration class 7 (actually 7).

M14 - 211x - Seems well concentrated with few stars escaping from the cluster. Few stars in the core are resolved. Estimated concentration class 2 (actually 8)

ngc 6366- Hard to detect at low power. At 211x, with averted vision 3-6 stars can be resolved. Mostly a uniform glow with a slightly brighter portion in one corner. Estimated concentration 10 ( actual 11).

ngc 6517 - 211x Bracketed by an L of mag 10-11 stars. Small, 2-3' diameter. Definate brighter core. No stars resolved. Estimated concentration 6 (actual 4).

ngc 6539 (Serpens Clauda) - 212x - Closest *s are mag 12-13. Very dim. Seems 5'. No stars resolved. fairly uniform brightness tapering off slightly. Estimated concentration 7 (actual 10)

Sean