Mel20 in Perseus or Collinder 39 as some call it

[celestron8g8]

Just wanted to share this small cluster I imaged one night back October 12, 2004 . This was taken with a Pentax K1000 SLR film camera before I got my first DSLR camera . Lost all my data on this so what little I can try remember is it was Kodak 400 and I believe it was either my Pentax 400mm lens or a Pentax 135mm lens riding piggyback on my scope . That's the only way I could account for somewhat round stars cause I use to manually guide with a crosshair EP way back then . That's unheard of now but for those my age that's been in this hobby as long or longer than me know all about that . I'm sure it was slightly over-exposed reason for not much color in the stars but that is one cluster many over look that is really a beauty to observe and image . Thanks for all those here that make this forum very interesting to be a member of . I see lots' of great images !! Clear Skies all !! 

 

 

[Allinthehead]

Nice job. Guiding on a crosshair? We're spoiled these days.

[celestron8g8]

1 hour ago, Allinthehead said:

Nice job. Guiding on a crosshair? We're spoiled these days.

Yes i have sit at the IR or crosshair EP  many nights doing manual guiding . It does get tiresome but i always felt like i got rewarded . I’ve never had a Go-To mount , i manually P.A. and used strictly charts mistly from Night Watch by Terence Dickinson or printed off star charts from Cartes Du Ceil planitarium program to find things in space . Lots of times i do wish i had a Go-To but funds just wasn’t there for me . I use to know where every Messier object was but I can’t now cause i been out too long . I still know some but not all . One summer me and a friend stayed up all night and found every item between Scorpio and Sagittarius up to M11 . That was a fun night and that’s why i like observing more than imaging . There are many tiny GCs’ in those regions that are great to find and see !! 

[Allinthehead]

That's pretty hard core. You've got me thinking now sometimes i get so wrapped up in getting the data for an image that i forget to take in the night sky. Now I've freed up my 80ed I'll have to get out and take in the sights. I'll be using my go to mount however and perhaps a whisky for the cold. 

[glowingturnip]

On 4/5/2018 at 21:29, celestron8g8 said:

One summer me and a friend stayed up all night and found every item between Scorpio and Sagittarius up to M11 . 

That region is amazing isn't it - even with a pair of bins there's so much to see