2024 July 4

Deep Sky Update – June 2024

Callum Potter

We had a nice display of noctilucent clouds on June 25-26 but this was I think the only night that was at all clear. However the sky was still too bright and no stars were easily seen. Weather continues to be poor so no progress on re-covering the poly-tunnel or erecting the observatory. Winds continue to be strong, and our wind-turbine generated more than twice as much electricity than it did in June 2023. Generally things seem quiet on the Deep Sky front but if you come across any interesting news to share please let me know.

Deep Sky Webinar

I have been thinking of holding a Deep Sky Webinar in late September or early October. If you have any ideas about topics you’d like to hear about please let me know. Or if you would like to give a short (or long!) talk I would be pleased to include you.

Deep Sky Section Meeting 2025

And while thinking about meetings, my mind has turned to thinking about the Section Meeting for next year. I really need a local organiser to help with the logistics of a meeting, so if you and/or your local astronomy society would like to host the meeting I would be pleased to hear from you.

June Object of Interest – Minkowski 1-64

I think the June weather thwarted many observers of Minkowski 1-64. Jim Latham reported that he did see in poor skies, but had recorded it better in previous years. Owen Brazel also reported having observed it visually in the past. I tried to image it using a remote telescope, and whilst I did capture it, the image scale was poor and just a small ring was imaged. I am pleased a few members managed to image it, though, so well done to Richard Sargent, Jonathan Elliott and Brian Scott. Here is Jonathon’s shot.

Object of Interest for July

With summer nights still being a bit bright in July, I though a slightly easier target might be in order. So I alighted on the globular cluster NGC 6760 in Aquila. There is just one observation of this in the Members Albums, so counts as under-observed by me. At around 10 arc-minutes in diameter and magnitude 9 it should not be too hard for visual observers even in not the best of skies.

June Picture of the Month

This month I’ve selected Abell 39 by Carl Hansen. Abell 39 is a striking planetary nebula being an almost perfect sphere 1.4 light years in diameter, and has an apparent diameter of 2.9 arc-minutes from here. The central star is 15th magnitude and as slightly off-centre probably due to a small mass ejection.

And Finally

Hopefully weather will improve and certainly the nights will get darker, so good observing!

Clear, dark skies,
Callum