Lost in Messier 37

[JackCooke]

'A diamond sunburst', 'sparkling gold dust', 'a solitary pool of subtle beauty'.

In my 4inch refractor Messier 37 is all these things. It was one of the first objects that really hooked me on stargazing. 

But I found it almost impossible to draw! Too many stars with more fading in and out the longer I looked. I struggled to keep my bearings.

The cluster is peppered with red giants but only the central star really showed colour to me - a pale garnet red.

It took several attempts over several weeks to complete the sketch. Usually a clear night in a month of bad weather has me trying to see as many objects as possible before the clouds roll in. It took an effort to ignore the rest of the night sky and keep coming back to M37. The faint mist of unresolved stars in the 'legs' jumped out after sustained viewing. 

'Gaze at it well and long' says Webb. Well, I did. And it was worth it.

(Field of view is approximately 1.5 degrees. Drawn on white paper with pencil and blending stump then inverted in photoshop)

[Sunshine]

wonderful sketch really, at first i thought it was a pic!

[Ruud]

Hi Jack, that's a lovely sketch. Thanks!

I too have a Genesis. I find it's just great for clusters.

[JackCooke]

10 hours ago, Sunshine said:

wonderful sketch really, at first i thought it was a pic!

Thank you!

It's definitely an object where the eyepiece view competes with photographs.

[JackCooke]

10 hours ago, Ruud said:

Hi Jack, that's a lovely sketch. Thanks!

I too have a Genesis. I find it's just great for clusters.

Thanks Ruud. 

The Genesis is so easy to set up and use. 30years old and still going strong!

[Stu]

Lovely sketch Jack! I had a look at Skysafari, and sure enough, there is that lovely red giant standing out in the centre. You've captured it really well!

I'm another Genesis owner, on my third now and this one is definitely the best.

[JackCooke]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Lovely sketch Jack! I had a look at Skysafari, and sure enough, there is that lovely red giant standing out in the centre. You've captured it really well!

I'm another Genesis owner, on my third now and this one is definitely the best.

Thanks Stu! I'm sure a bigger scope would show colour in other stars in the cluster. 

The Genesis is definitely a keeper - what happened to your first two?! Maybe one of them is mine ?

[Stu]

53 minutes ago, JackCooke said:

Thanks Stu! I'm sure a bigger scope would show colour in other stars in the cluster. 

The Genesis is definitely a keeper - what happened to your first two?! Maybe one of them is mine ?

Yes, perhaps that would be the case. I noticed that there is a very blue star in there too which would be good to pick out.

I sold the others on because I needed the cash at the time. I did enjoy them though which is why I got another when the opportunity arose.

[mark81]

Wonderful sketch, great shading around the centre - I must try and check this one out.  .. sort of looks like a strawberry...

[JackCooke]

1 hour ago, mark81 said:

Wonderful sketch, great shading around the centre - I must try and check this one out.  .. sort of looks like a strawberry...

Giant celestial strawberries!

Thanks Mark - its definitely worth a look and well placed at the moment. 

[mariosi]

Vary good sketch of M37!

Marios

[JackCooke]

Thank you Marios