Messier/type:M 11 / open cluster
mag/dia/dist:5.8 / 14' / 5,600 ly
constellation:Scutum
date/time/place:Jun 16,01 / 24:00 / bangkok
trans'y/seeing/l-poll:good / good / low
telescope:newtonian 4.5", f 8.8
eyepieces/power:25mm / 40x
sky atlas page:9
Start star hopping from tea pot's handle stars 34, 38, 27 & 40 (in Sagittarius). Star 38-->star 27-->point to star 22 'Kaus Borealis' the tea pot lid. Hop to star 13, 15 & 16-->three stars mag6 in M24-->a star mag5 near M17. Then hop to star gamma in Scutum-->double star in IC1287-->then hop to star alpha, delta & epsilon-->hop to beta. [M26 locates between delta & epsilon, but I couldn't identify its location as it sink in sky glow.] Center at beta, a star mag6 nearby help pointing to M11, M11 couldn't see in finder scope. At eyepiece 100x (image better than 40x) M11 appeared as nebulosity with few bright stars. As I checked with REDSHIFT III, the bright star at center is triple stars mag8.47 distance 418 ly, then it is foreground star. Also, two bright stars at upper in my sketch are foreground ones at mag9.1 & 9.4; distance 1,087 & 1,754 ly respectively.
Refer to text: The wild duck cluster (look like fan-shaped of flying wild ducks) 200 stars detached, high concentration, very bright & large, extend 22 ly, age 220 million years. Home
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1