August 2012
Imaging during July might not have been the best with quite a bit of cloud cover almost on a daily basis; let's hope that August will be better! Globulars rule at the moment and there are many to pick from depending on how difficult you would like it. Anyway, here's a mixed selection (all at high elevation) that should keep you from getting bored.
NGC 6744, 'Milky Way Look-alike': though no one, other than the USS Enterprise crew, has ever seen our galaxy from above or below, it is believed that this galaxy best resembles the Milky Way. It's a spiral (naturally!) at a stone's throw 25 million light years, showing off at magnitude 8.
M11 / NGC 6705, Wild Duck Cluster: this is a dense, compact open cluster having an estimated population of 2900 stars making it ideal for wide field imaging. It's relatively young at about 250 million years old and a mere 6,200 light years distant. Why is it called what it is? Well, if you look closely, it's a triangular collection of stars that is suggestive of the V-formation of ducks in flight. Check it out.
M17 / NGC 6618, Omega Nebula/Checkmark Nebula/Swan Nebula/Lobster Nebula/Horseshoe Nebula: this object, located in Sagittarius, would have to rank as having the most number of common names! It is about 6,000 light years distant and around 15 light years in diameter. The total mass of the nebula is estimated at 800 times that of our Sun. There is an open cluster of 35 hot, young stars in the nebulosity causing the gases of the nebula to shine.
M22 / NGC 6656: is an elliptical Globular Cluster in Sagittarius, near the Galactic Bulge region. It is one of the brightest globulars in the sky.
M4 / NGC 6121: easily seen even with a smallish scope as a fuzzy ball of light. It is one of the easiest globular clusters to find at only a bit over 1° west of Antares, the Heart of the Scorpion, with both objects being visible in a wide field telescope. The stars should resolve well in a 6"+ scope.