Wild Duck Soup

[661-pete]

...well, not exactly, 'soup' is what I wanted to avoid (some M11s that I've seen, appear rather swamped with field stars) so I gave it a very modest 12x1 minute at prime focus, processed in ImagesPLus. There was light hazy cloud drifting across the field of view, which may not have been a bad thing in itself.

In fact after about three years in the hobby it's the first time I've had a go at M11, despite it being such an obvious target in midsummer, which is when I do most of my stuff. Almost naked eye (it would be if it weren't in such a dense bit of MW), very easy in binoculars if one is away from LP.

[blinky]

Thats very nice. It's easy to pick out the blue stars in the cluster . Dont know why it's called the 'wild duck cluster' though

[661-pete]

Dont know why it's called the 'wild duck cluster' though

Visually (but not so obviously, photographically) it's supposed to resemble a fan-shaped flock of flying birds. Not so sure I can see that myself. I can't resolve it beyond a fuzzy with the (10x50) binoculars, but then my eyes are not up to it: can anyone else?

[barkis]

A very lovely cluster is M11. As it sits in the Scutum clouds, visually the whole area is a mass of stellar diamonds. That's how I used to see it in my 12" Newtonian.

M11's Shape was described by an Admiral Smyth as somewhat resembling a flight of wild ducks. The Messier Image was taken by John Mallas He concurred with that description, when he observed the cluster through his 4" refractor.

Ron.

[RobH]

Beautifully resolved image Pete.

Cheers

Rob