NGC 457 - Binocular View - 26 January 2012

[65Cap]

I've recently started to do some drawing at the eyepiece again, after a long period away from observing. I made an attempt to draw the field of view centered on the open cluster NGC 457, in Cassiopeia, as seen using a 25x100 binocular. The sketch shows stars down to approximately magnitude +10.

It's not as accurate as I would have liked, but I'd forgotten how rewarding it is to attempt plotting the eyepiece view. I spent about 45 minutes studying and recording the position of the stars, and found it quite a challenging task. Looking back on these afterwards also seems a great way of recalling the observation session.

Light pollution severely hampers viewing from my location, so I can't see all of the detail that truly dark skies would reveal, but the binocular view of the night sky never fails to impress me.

[Simms]

Never heard it called the `Skiing Cluster` - then again it does go by a few different names - I usually refer to it as the `Owl Cluster`... Good observation - can clearly see the shape of the `owl` in there.

[DarkerSky]

That is a superb view of the Owl Cluster. Nice one.

It's great that you've started observing & sketching again. I know what you mean when you talk about it being rewarding. I tend to get lost in time when I sketch - and with open clusters its always the challenge of trying to replicate the angles you see in the eyepiece. It's just a brilliant way to observe and enjoy the universe.

[65Cap]

Thanks very much for the kind words of encouragement. I'm going to have a go at sketching the view of the Owl Cluster through my scope at the next opportunity, to see how much more detail can be revealed.

Best wishes,

Jeff.

[DarkerSky]

Look forward to seeing it Jeff

[Zul]

Nice

[Qualia]

Cracking image, Jeff. Really nicely done. I appreciate just how hard it is to capture clusters - let alone with the wide field of binos - but the effort has paid off in dividends. Thank you for sharing and please notify me when you post up more. It would be a shame to miss such beautiful work.

[ghostdance]

Superb. Yet again, seeing beautiful sketching like yours makes me feel I have to learn this dark art. Also, I now *have* to put this delightful cluster on my must-see shortlist!

[mariosi]

Just great!

Thank you for sharing

Marios