Open Cluster

[rene-gedaly]

Can I really recommend this one so far? Reqs are 125 OCs, all of which you have to classify per Trumpler, and 50 of which you must sketch. When I took a break on this one, I really started making progress on the Herschels which seemed a breeze by comparison. But I may continue anyway since I've done Globular. We'll see.

49 observed, classified; 25 of those sketched; 76 more observations and 25 more sketches.

[rene-gedaly]

Did decide to return to this list. Sketched eight more last night. Since I'm also working the Asterism list, I'm seeing little asterisms in almost every OC I view. Makes sketching easier.

[rene-gedaly]

Since changing my observing locale, I'm able to get a lot more observing done in bits and pieces. Closing in on the OC list.

[rene-gedaly]

And closer...(still time consuming). 58 more to observe, 14 of those to sketch. Possible to complete this before 2020 but the weather needs to hold and need to observe 3 weeks out of 4 Okay, 1st quarter 2020.

UPDATE: No one else working on this, huh? Well, me neither. Recently found I was closer to finishing Urban Observing. Bye for now.

[rene-gedaly]

Woe is me. I've got to trash this list. Was getting it ready to send to Doug McCormick, our ALCor, and things just didn't make sense. One of the requirements is to classify each cluster by Trumpler designation. What I assigned wasn't remotely matching what's published. Then I looked at the Reqs and Rules again and found that it's strongly encouraged to observe using the same instrument and power:

Because the goal of this program is to have the observer see the differences in the
clusters, it is highly recommended that the same telescope and similar power be used for
all of the clusters. By doing this, it will ensure that the differences that are seen are
cluster differences and not power differences.

Okay, that's why my Trumpler assignments were so off so often. Sheesh.

I really like open clusters. I have a lot of them on the HAS Texas 45. So, I'm going to chalk this up as a learning experience and start over. Some time in the future. (Actually, depending on how double star goes, OC season is coming up again.)

Hmm. But what to replace it with? I've thought I was close to getting my tenth list done for over a year now. Oh, my.

[jesse-roberts]

I started the Open Cluster program at the Eldorado Star Party in 2018. The issue I ran into (with my 6 inch Mak-Newt reflector and 8 inch SCT) was simply confirming that the star field I was looking at was the target cluster I was SUPPOSED to be looking at! I was scanning with the 6 inch and then switching over to the 8 inch after I had made positive (??) identification with the 6 inch. Then came the sketching, recording, etc. It was all so time intensive that I put it aside and haven't re-started since....