Tag Archives: deep-sky observing

Op Pad na M4

Posted on by March 19, 2020

–deur Serena Ingamells–
M4-Dieter WillaschM4_M19_M62_M80_Finder_ChartDie identifikasie van my eerste diepruimvoorwerp het tydens ʼn besondere bustoer na Sutherland plaasgevind. Ek was omring deur OOG-vriende wat die NGC (New General Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars) en Messier-nommers vir brekfis eet, maar vir my was alles nog vreemd en verborge.

Mens moet nogal murg in jou pype hê om Sutherland in die winter te besoek. Dis bibberend koud en daar kan sneeu wees maar as die weer mooi is kry mens ʼn kristalhelder naghemel en die voorreg om die Scorpius-skatte van nader te bekyk. Op die eerste aand is teleskope opgestel en ons het probeer om rigting onder die magdom sterre te kry. Ek het begin rondtrippel van koue en opwinding. Die wonder van die uitspansel was oorweldigend. Met Antares as fokuspunt het ek stadig met my verkyker (10×42) die veld verken ….

En daar, net 1.3 grade wes van Antares, was M4 (ook bekend as NGC 6121). Nie een van die grooste bolvormige sterswems nie maar een van die naastes -7,200 ligjare. Die komeetjagter, Messier, was die eerste persoon om op 8 Mei 1764 individuele sterre in die swerm uit te pluis. William Herschel kon slegs 20 jaar later met een van sy groot teleskope die sterre in al die bolvormige sterswerms op Messier se lys uitken. Met ʼn skitterskaal van 5.6 kan dit onder ideale omstandighede met die blote oog gesien word, maar met die hulp van ʼn teleskoop kan ʼn sentrale staafstruktuur met magnitude 11 sterre geïdentifiseer word. As dit nie vir die donker wolke van sterrematerie was nie sou M4 op meer mense se top tien lys verskyn. Weens die absorpsie van lig deur ons atmosfeer vertoon M4 effe oranje/bruin. Dit bevat 43 veranderlike sterre en die eerste millisekonde pulsar (1821-24) wat in 1987 ontdek is. Dis 10 keer vinniger as die pulsar in die Krap (M1). Om die storie te voltooi moet ek byvoeg dat ʼn tweede millisekonde pulsar is dieselfde jaar in M28 gevind is.

Deur die jare het M4 meer juwele onthul: In Augustus 1995 het die Hubble-teleskoop ʼn foto van ʼn witdwerg afgeneem, een van die oudste sterre in die Heelal. In Julie 2003 is ʼn planeet met ʼn massa 2½ keer die van Jupiter ontdek. Daar word gereken dat dit so oud soos M4 is, wat deesdae op 13 duisend miljoen (miljard) jaar beraam word – amper drie keer die ouderdom van ons sonnestelsel.

Wees versigtig wanneer julle M4 Google – julle kan tussen sportmotors of vuurwapens beland. Die ware M4 is geregtig op applous, groot applous. Dis maklik om te vind en nou die tyd om die juweel van nader te bekyk.

Die foto van M4 is deur Dieter Willasch, ʼn goeie vriend van OOG, op 5 April 2011 vanaf IAS Hakosplaas in Namibië geneem.

Journey of Self Discovery

 Aug 2010

What’s it all about, Alfie?  Where are you going, Billie?
I am at the age where most people start paying more attention to life’s more serious issues. Those with faith issues revert to “Never on a Sunday”, pursue all kinds of weird religions or join a church choir if the issue is not that great. Those with health issues join gyms, Arthur Murray, do the Camino de Santiago and then need knee replacements afterwards or buy exercise bikes to use in the comfort of their own homes.Many who ask the really big questions try to find the answer in all the above mentioned plus try tricky love affairs, get divorced or remarry but all to no avail and become depressed.
Will we ever know where we have come from and where we are going?
By doing Astronomy , I have embarked on an amazing journey of self discovery. I often dreamed of far away places and suffered jet lag to fulfill some of those dreams.
A few years ago I started dreaming of seriously far away places – places even further than the Moon. One evening I took my binoculars, which I had always only used during the day, and looked up at the Milky Way. I should have found a more practical way to observe the magnificent sight. Lying back on a recliner or folded blanket instead of arching my neck all night would have prevented a seriously stiff neck the following morning but all was worthwhile.
I was hooked  and got my first 4 inch Newtonian telescope. I sought out the brightest stars and hey! I found a really big one with  two little stars on either side of it – all lined up in  neat row.  I was looking at Jupiter and could actually see horizontal bands across the planet.The little stars on either side were four of Jupiter’s moons. I was looking at a place about 778,570,000km away, experiencing heart palpitations but no jet lag!
Soon I realized that I would need a more sophisticated vehicle. I desperately needed to travel even further. I needed to reach the Hollywood of the Universe 1500 light years away called M42, a birthplace of stars in a very huge cloud of extremely hot gas and dust particles.My Bushnell 8 inch Dobsonian took me there on 16 March 2007 and ever since the two of us have been exploring the night skies. To really appreciate what I was witnessing, I took to sketching the objects which I feel deserve this extra effort instead of just jotting down a bunch of facts or clicking a camera shutter. Nellie has a big sister now, a 12 inch Dobsonian named Stella.
Sometimes I feel the necessity to put my Astronomy observations and sketches to the test and submit my work for scrutiny by experts. Receiving my first merit certificate was fantastic and cause for excited celebration.
Being part of an Astronomy group provides a lot of fun. The camaraderie is great and the friendships are precious. Introducing people to the night sky and sharing my enthusiasm also gives me great satisfaction but most of all I cherish the hours I spend alone with my telescope under a star filled sky, far away from city lights.This is when I get to know myself best, where I come from and where I am going.