My Astronomy Class - M-13 in Hercules

[Ad Astra]

Hi Folks,

Hercules is high in the sky and easy to spot - that means it is time for hunting globulars! Globular clusters can contain up to a million stars, all tightly bound together by mutual gravitation. These clusters tend to form a loose shell or halo around most galaxies - thus they are the most distant thing we can see within our own galaxy.

Try this one out and let us know how you do.

Dan

M-13 Cluster in Hercules.doc

[starman1969]

Very good mention. I only spotted M13 last month, for the first time by my own means. I didn't think it was that hard to find either because it was fairly high up at the time.

I even managed to grab a 'snapshot' of it. Not bad for a newbie astrophotographer.

[Pete Presland]

good call dan, one of the more rewarding deep sky object i think, it certainly has the "wow" factor in most telescopes

[Mansnake]

I saw M13 a couple of weeks back through someones 14" dob at my local society. It was a very nice sight indeed! Can't wait to get my own scope and find it again.

[Spec-Chum]

[jimjam11]

Looks impressive. Will see if I can find it when we get a clear night...

[mikey32shaw]

Will look to find this when or if it ever stops raining! I'm learning quickly that this new hobby makes me despise clouds like never before :-)

[Ad Astra]

We had 80 people out in the Astronomy Stadium (I let the football blokes paint silly stripes all over my field and use it during the day... ). All of us were hunting down the elusive M-13 - and doing a bang up job of it, too. Everyone was able to find this object easily enough, and telescope skills are getting better all the time.

I was using my GLP to show how to hop from Draco to Hercules to Corona Borealis when one kid asks: 'Where's Ursa Major?' When I pointed out that it was mostly behind the hills at our site, I heard a comment come out of the dark: "Drat! Just when I start to learn where things are, the stars move!"

Glad you are enjoying it. Watch for the next lab - "Make a Photo/Map of the Moon!"

Dan

[jimjam11]

My first attempt at it last night:

M13 - 03.10.12 by Jimjam111, on Flickr

Unfortunately clouds kept moving across the sky and the lens kept fogging. I think that caused the stripy artifacts but M13 is clear enough.

Not sure if this is meant to be a naked eye object or not? I definitely couldn't see it...

[swamp thing]

1349242262[/url'>' post='1656891']I was using my GLP to show how to hop from Draco to Hercules to Corona Borealis when one kid asks: 'Where's Ursa Major?' When I pointed out that it was mostly behind the hills at our site, I heard a comment come out of the dark: "Drat! Just when I start to learn where things are, the stars move!"

Dan

that brought a laugh Dan. Brings back a few memories. I can remember thinking that myself.

[Ad Astra]

Quite a nice shot for a first attempt! Congratulations, Nebula. You get an A on this lab from Dr. Barth!

Dan

My first attempt at it last night:

M13 - 03.10.12 by Jimjam111, on Flickr

Unfortunately clouds kept moving across the sky and the lens kept fogging. I think that caused the stripy artifacts but M13 is clear enough.

Not sure if this is meant to be a naked eye object or not? I definitely couldn't see it...

[Ad Astra]

Here is a scan of the M-13 lab as done by one of my high school students. This lad had never used a telescope or binocular before a few weeks ago.

Dan

M-13 Sample.doc

[Spec-Chum]

Better than I could do. I can't even draw a straight line with a ruler...