akarsh
April 7th, 2024, 07:20 AM
NGC 5139 = Omega Centauri = GCL 24
Globular Cluster in Centaurus
RA: 13 26 47
Dec: -47 28 51
Mag: 5.3
Size: 55 arcmin
Well, this week I'm escaping from trying to write a good OOTW. You can guess why: tomorrow is the much awaited total solar eclipse in America! I also decided against trading spots with others, because as far as I know 6 of the 12 OOTW writers are within 500 miles (800 km) of me, either trying to travel to the eclipse, or lounging with family on the eclipse line, or trying to organize eclipse events, or frustratingly refreshing the weather forecast to figure out where to go or what to do. I have an 8 hour drive ahead of me. Maybe I'll come back and do some more research on Omega Centauri and fill in some details here, but I didn't want to break the OOTW thread.
Can you believe that Omega Centuari has not been featured as a OOTW? Omega Centauri is the biggest globular cluster in our galaxy. Surprisingly, Wikipedia says that it was first identified as being non-stellar by Edmund Halley in 1677. However, it looks fuzzy to my eye very prominently every time I've seen it. Omega Centauri is thought to be the disrupted core of a dwarf galaxy and may harbor an intermediate-mass black hole at its center.
I can remember two observations of this object that are etched in my memory. Even through the light-polluted skies of a then much smaller Bangalore, India, I was able to clearly see this as a fuzzy spot from my rooftop with the naked eye on transparent nights. My most mindblowing experience was when I first pointed my 17.5" telescope at it. Back then, nobody I knew owned such a big telescope, so my friends and I had only lived through the vicarious experience of US amateurs, especially one Mr. Gottlieb. We were absolutely amazed by the burst of stars that covered the entire eyepiece, a view that never fails to impress folks even today at star parties in south India. Coming to Texas, this is one of the star objects of Texas Star Party, as amateurs living in northern USA find this to be the highlight of their trips to the lower latitudes of Texas during the summer months. But Californians need not despair, I've enjoyed views of this object from my local observing site where it is not too high above the horizon. Yet, it is so bright that it is visible to the naked eye that low.
If you've never made a trip to the more southern latitudes needed to view this object, it should be on your calendar sometime. In that case,
GIVE IT A GO AND LET US KNOW!
Clear Skies
Akarsh
Globular Cluster in Centaurus
RA: 13 26 47
Dec: -47 28 51
Mag: 5.3
Size: 55 arcmin
Well, this week I'm escaping from trying to write a good OOTW. You can guess why: tomorrow is the much awaited total solar eclipse in America! I also decided against trading spots with others, because as far as I know 6 of the 12 OOTW writers are within 500 miles (800 km) of me, either trying to travel to the eclipse, or lounging with family on the eclipse line, or trying to organize eclipse events, or frustratingly refreshing the weather forecast to figure out where to go or what to do. I have an 8 hour drive ahead of me. Maybe I'll come back and do some more research on Omega Centauri and fill in some details here, but I didn't want to break the OOTW thread.
Can you believe that Omega Centuari has not been featured as a OOTW? Omega Centauri is the biggest globular cluster in our galaxy. Surprisingly, Wikipedia says that it was first identified as being non-stellar by Edmund Halley in 1677. However, it looks fuzzy to my eye very prominently every time I've seen it. Omega Centauri is thought to be the disrupted core of a dwarf galaxy and may harbor an intermediate-mass black hole at its center.
I can remember two observations of this object that are etched in my memory. Even through the light-polluted skies of a then much smaller Bangalore, India, I was able to clearly see this as a fuzzy spot from my rooftop with the naked eye on transparent nights. My most mindblowing experience was when I first pointed my 17.5" telescope at it. Back then, nobody I knew owned such a big telescope, so my friends and I had only lived through the vicarious experience of US amateurs, especially one Mr. Gottlieb. We were absolutely amazed by the burst of stars that covered the entire eyepiece, a view that never fails to impress folks even today at star parties in south India. Coming to Texas, this is one of the star objects of Texas Star Party, as amateurs living in northern USA find this to be the highlight of their trips to the lower latitudes of Texas during the summer months. But Californians need not despair, I've enjoyed views of this object from my local observing site where it is not too high above the horizon. Yet, it is so bright that it is visible to the naked eye that low.
If you've never made a trip to the more southern latitudes needed to view this object, it should be on your calendar sometime. In that case,
GIVE IT A GO AND LET US KNOW!
Clear Skies
Akarsh