M92 (NGC 6341), 2010 07 14
Sketch created scopeside with white photocopy paper, #2 pencil and black marker.
2010 July 14, 0532UT-0622UT
NGC 6341, M92 Constellation Hercules, ~25,000 LY away
Globular Cluster, Class IV, 011.2’, m6.4v, 17h17.1m +43°08’
Luminosity 150,000 suns, diameter 80 light years
PCW Memorial Observatory, Ohio USA – Erika Rix
16” Zhumell, 13mm Ethos, 138x magnification
H: >90%, Temp: 19.3°C
Johann Bode discovered this globular cluster in 1777. Charles Messier added it to his catalog 1781. Reading about this cluster in my NSOG vol. 2, it’s interesting to find that this cluster is only about 60% luminosity of the globular cluster M13 found in the keystone of Hercules. The stars lack the abundance of iron and other elements heavier than H and He, which means that it most likely would have been formed before those heavier elements were introduced into our Galaxy. Even though globular clusters are the oldies of our Galaxy, the deficiency of a rich iron and heavy elements makes M92 even older by globular cluster standards.
M92 appeared almost elongated and irregular with a very dense bright core and resolved abundance of stars that spread as it reached outward.
Here is a stunning image of M92, taken by Daniel Bramich (ING) and Nik Szymanek. http://www.ing.iac.es/PR/science/m92_high.html
PCW Memorial Observatory - Erika Rix 