The Wild Ducks of Scutum

4 -5 July 2018, 23:30 – 01:00 BST

Another look at Saturn but (as on previous nights leading up to this), the seeing wasn’t good enough to justify setting up an imaging run. The moons were easier to see at 133x.

Epsilon Lyrae resolved much easier than the previous session - though this time, due to the seeing, the clearest separation came at 133x.

A quick first look at the Double Cluster and the Andromeda Galaxy, rising out of the northeast. The former looked spectacular at 50x, despite some obstruction from intervening foliage.

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) showed a very bright core with a condensed, stellar nucleus. Too big for fov even at 50x. Lots of field stars superimposed over the galaxy; dark cut-off from dust lane clearly seen; M31 and M110 also showed up well. Outer environs of M31 not well seen due to sky brightness; dust lane aside, it was very hard to tell where the galaxy ended and space began, so to speak.

NGC 7000, North America Nebula in Cygnus
Scanned this region at 50x. Couldn’t be sure of seeing the nebula, but the richness of stars in this region was remarkable. Will revisit on a darker night.

M11 (the Wild Duck Cluster) in Scutum
The undoubted highlight of the night. Extremely rich, compact fan-shaped cluster at 50x. Switching to 133x showed the stars arranged in roughly half a dozen clumps separated by dark lanes – giving it a “fractured” appearance. Prominent 8th magnitude star at apex of fan; lots more stars revealed with averted vision. Better than any photo – has to be seen to be believed.