Muscateer

[Trevorw]

Target: NGC4372

Camera: Canon 350d modified

Exposure Capture: DLSR Focus

Scope: SV80ED

Mount: EQ6 Pro

Exposure Setting: Prime focus, ISO800 ICNR off Daylight WB

Exposures: 20 x 90s 13/03/09

Seeing: Average although 90% Gibbous moon

Guiding: Orion Starshoot Autoguider using PHD, although alignment was out

Focus: DSLR Focus

Stacking: DSS, 10 darks, 5 flats applied

Processing: PS7

Info: Situated in the Musca

RA: 12:25:45.4

Dec: -72:39:33

Distance from Sun: 18.9 kly

Distance from Galactic Center: 23.2 kly

Apparent Diameter: 18.6 arc min

Brightness: 7.24 mag vis

:

Discovered by James Dunlop on April 30, 1826.

Globular cluster NGC 4372 was discovered by James Dunlop on April 30, 1826, and cataloged as Dunlop 67.

NGC 4372, a southern globular cluster of very low metallicity and very low central concentration, was chosen for a CCD photometric search for short-period binaries and SX Phe variables. We report the discovery of 19 variable stars with well-determined light curves and periods. Eight of these belong to the SX Phe class, and eight are contact binaries. All the SX Phe variables are concentrated towards the centre of the cluster and are blue stragglers, while contact binaries occupy various locations in the cluster colour-magnitude diagram. Half of the SX Phe stars pulsate in the fundamental mode, and the other half probably pulsate in the first overtone. An eclipsing variable that is either a short-period detached main-sequence binary or a cataclysmic binary is discovered

[Taff]

Hi Trevor'Nice write up great capture.Mark

[JCJC]

Trevor, great image, very detailed write up.

Jordan

[Sam]

Excellent image Trevor - looks like a dark nebula above it too?

[Tim]

It's a nice cluster, but the dark cloud has caught my attention too. Where is it from, any idea? Is it attached to a bright nebula somewhere along the line?

Cheers

TJ

[Trevorw]

The dark nebular above the cluster too the left is called

The Dark Doodad

attached is an image by Credit & Copyright: Andrey Oreshko

to show it in detail

[centroid]

Nice capture Trevor, and a very informative write-up to go with it.

Thanks for 'posting'.

I look forward to seeing those 'southern delights' again, when I get back over to WA again, later this year.

Dave

[Tim]

ah yes, the famous Dark Doodad!!

[Trevorw]

Thanks for all the positive feedback much appreciated

Cheers

[Tim]

Just another note to say that the way Trevor has presented his image, with the exposure details, camera setting etc is really appreciated, especially by those who are new to imaging.

It would be great if we could all (I know, me too ) spend just a couple of minutes more providing that info with the pictures please. Now that SGL is the most popular astronomy site in the UK and getting busier by the day, i'm sure it would be much appreciated by the newcomers if they can see at a glance what sort of settings they will need to use, and what results they can expect.

Thanks Trevor for the excellent post, looking forward to many more from you!

Cheers

TJ