messier Just another observation of M103

[Israel Sevilla]

Hi again guys!

Here you have a new object report observed with my dob 18". If you prefer to read it in PDF format in a nice dark mode and with the support of some images that helps me to explain better myself you can check it in the web:

 https://theferretofcomets.com/index.php/en/messier-catalog/

Please take into account those images are pictures not sketches. As you can read in my web they have been gathered from public databases, mainly from telescopes in Palomar Mountain, HST and Calar Alto (Spain). What I have tried (quite successfully, I think) is to reflect how the object shifts with the change of eyepieces. The images can become a composite of several to show a better result. Also I have added a fixed rectangle to show the effect of the apparent field of the eyepiece. I play a little bit with the brightness and contrast to show how your eyepiece field is darker at lower eye pupil, but you lose details in the object. I mean, if you try to find exactly the same picture in the web you are going to fail. It takes a couple of hours (sometimes more) to generate all the pictures to get the better result, plus an extra hour to write down my voice-notes.

Nagler 31mm (70x - 1º 10’ - 6.6mm). The first view of the cluster is quite nice. M103 is in a very rich field of stars, of varying magnitudes, but it clearly stands out from the rest. It is a small open cluster, occupying perhaps a tenth of the eyepiece, with a rather characteristic triangular shape. It is bright and easily resolvable. Despite the small size in this eyepiece several tens of stars are perfectly counted. I highlight a very bright bluish white star at the end of it as well as another fainter reddish star inside. From what I have read they call it the ‘Christmas tree’ cluster. It's a nice allegory although to me it reminds me more of the StarTrek brooch, the one used in the series by touching it to talk to the ship. Maybe I'm too geeky. Regardless of the object that reminds one is a curious cluster because its shape is clearly triangular, with this star standing out at the apex of the triangle. The image is especially beautiful because, despite its diminished size, the punctuality of the stars and their significant magnitude makes them stand out and, certainly, its nickname does it justice because they could be imagined as the spheres of a Christmas tree, shining in the night.

Nagler 22mm (98x - 50’ - 4.7mm).  It is worth a little more magnification to enjoy this curious object a little more. The stars still look tremendously sharp at this low magnification and it is a beautiful image. Unfortunately, though, it doesn't have much more to show other than that quiet, beautiful image of a series of stars forming a triangle, which, at a quick count, I estimate to be about 20 or 30.

Delos 14mm (154x - 28’ - 3mm). I don't spend much more time on it although going up to 14mm has given me a pleasant surprise. As usual the object increases in size incredibly in this jump, occupying almost 50% of the eyepiece. The image is nice although simple, but the surprise has been the star that would form the ‘canopy' or ‘star’ at the top of the Christmas tree. The brightest of all, it has a much fainter companion. It is clearly a rather nice double star because of the contrast in brightness, however I am unable to differentiate the colors between the two. This is Struve 131 and I have to admit I am very bad at double stars, it must have a very obvious color for me to be able to identify their difference. It's something I need to work on more. It's a nice extra gift from the object because it's pretty dull to be honest. You don't need to work very hard to enjoy it, but hey that's also appreciated, of course after a few minutes of looking at it you're already thinking about the next object you want to jump to. And that's what I did.

Ethos 10mm (216x - 27’ - 2.1mm). I didn't want to leave the object without going through the 10mm, it didn't bring me much but looking at 100º of apparent field is a different pleasure and thanks to the different colors and the punctuality of the stars it is a delight to stay a few minutes just contemplating something beautiful. To insist on pointing out something with this eyepiece I emphasize the curved base of the Christmas tree that reminds me of the StarTrek symbol and how beautiful is the contrast of colors of the stars with a deep jet black background.

Clear and dark skies!

Edited December 14, 2022 by Israel Sevilla

[wookie1965]

Those are some great pictures I don't think I have ever looked at this object I must do so as your pictures show it is a wonderfully colourful object. 

[NGC 1502]

Enjoyed your report👍   Whilst viewing M103 there’s a curious open cluster a very short star hop away.

This object is Trumpler 1.  Visually it’s tiny and appears as a line of faint stars. It’s recognisable at low power but looks better at medium and even high power 150-200x.

Definitely worth checking out😊

[Israel Sevilla]

Hi and happy new year!

Sorry for taking so much answering I was quite busy with my family. @NGC 1502 I did not know Trumpler 1 object, quite interesting. Thanks a lot!!!