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Rob,<BR>
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Fabulous mid latitude images. I have actually wanted to see Centaurus A more than the cluster. I like David, would just like to glimpse the cluster. I have a site about 12 miles from my house that may allow me to see Omega Centauri from my +35° latitude. If Saturday night is good I am planning to "attempt" to observe the cluster and perform a sketch of the object with the horizon.<BR>
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Maybe Dr. Don Olive will get us a picture from a robotic scope located in Australia...maybe today or this weekend? <BR>
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Rob, to pick these objects off the ground with your scope in a horizontal position and get this type of image is quite extraordinary. These are southern hemisphere objects, lets not forget. <BR>
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A friend and local observer from NC, Frank Barrett of Celestial Wonders has some excellent images of both these objects. They were taken from the Winter Star Party in Florida. See his website.<BR>
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I really missed my opportunity a few years back when my wife and I took a vacation to Cancun Mexico. At that time I had an excellent travel scope. It was a Meade ETX-90 with superb optics, (made in the Irvine California plant) not China. I had every available option. I also had the airline carrying case. Both of these objects were in excellent position for a early morning view. I could just never get used to the plastic on this scope, however I am very sorry that I sold this scope. What was I thinking? <BR>
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I plan on using my Vixen 4-inch refractor this Saturday night if the weather permits.<BR>
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Rob, hope your wife is doing well...<BR>
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Observer from North Carolina, and best regards to all, Roger Ivester <BR>
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<BR> <BR><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> <BR> <BR><FONT face=Verdana><EM><STRONG> I</STRONG> can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God. Abraham Lincoln</EM></FONT><BR><BR><BR><BR> <BR>> Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:54:55 -0700<BR>> From: scopegeek@gmail.com<BR>> To: lvas@lvlug.org<BR>> Subject: Re: [Lvas] Desert observing tips / Anybody up for observing this week?<BR>> <BR>> Here's the single frame 14-second integrations of the Omega Centauri <BR>> Cluster and Centauri A that David mentioned. I captured these with my <BR>> Mallincam from Death Valley during our Star Party there this past <BR>> February. Because it was so low on the horizon, the images aren't as <BR>> sharp as I would have liked. I've reduced the size of the jpg files for <BR>> easier email handling of the files. The higher resolution jpgs are a <BR>> little better, but at least these images show you what can be captured <BR>> with a special low-light video (NTSC) camera.<BR>> <BR>> Rob<BR>> <BR>> Jonathan Kade wrote:<BR>> > For what it's worth, we got a little too sick of the Strip yesterday<BR>> > evening (didn't take that long ;) and decided to try visiting Mount<BR>> > Charleston. We found a decently protected parking area near a<BR>> > trailhead and set up. (On the way up, Diane was somewhat shocked when<BR>> > we found the youth correctional facility next to the hilltop<BR>> > campground!) We spent some time with the UMa/CnV galaxies and with<BR>> > assorted Messier and other open clusters, but then identified the top<BR>> > of Centaurus and looked for it.<BR>> ><BR>> > I'm 95% sure we found Centaurus A - a large bright patch with visible<BR>> > dark lane - but it was extremely low contrast. Much better in 15x70s<BR>> > than in the 66mm telescope, too. Based on where it was, we knew Om<BR>> > Cent was behind a ridge in the mountain, so we broke down the<BR>> > equipment to call it a night.<BR>> ><BR>> > But coming down the mountainside, we realized we could see much more<BR>> > of the body of Centaurus, so we stopped at the next pulloff and got<BR>> > out the binoculars. We caught Om Cent just over a ridge, right near<BR>> > the meridian. There was just enough time to pull out the telescope<BR>> > and set up. The cluster was blobby and stars didn't really resolve,<BR>> > but it was stunning nonetheless - especially with the mountain ridge<BR>> > right below it in the field of view!<BR>> ><BR>> > Comparing it to M13, which was just across the sky from it, it was<BR>> > hard not to be struck by how badly the great globs of the north<BR>> > compare to the great southern ones. We still haven't seen 47 Tucanae,<BR>> > but maybe someday...<BR>> ><BR>> > Jonathan<BR>> > _______________________________________________<BR>> > Sent via the Lvas mailing list Lvas@lvlug.org<BR>> > Set options or unsubscribe at http://lvlug.org/mailman/listinfo/lvas<BR>> > The LVAS discussion list is hosted courtesy of LasVegas.Net<BR>> ><BR>> > <BR>> <BR><br /><hr />Rediscover HotmailŪ: Get e-mail storage that grows with you. <a href='http://windowslive.com/RediscoverHotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Rediscover_Storage2_042009' target='_new'>Check it out.</a></body>
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