Clusters

M45 - Pleiades

Definately one of the more beautiful and famous clusters. It takes up more than one field of vision even with my 35mm eyepiece. It is actually a good view in the 6x finder scope! I still haven't viewed real nebulosity on the main stars even with the Skyglow filter.
See M45 in SEDS Messier Online Database.

M29 - Open Cluster in Cygnus

This one actually looks a lot like M45 in miniature. A very pretty little cluster and easy to find too.
See M29 in SEDS Messier Online Database.

M34 - Open Cluster in Perseus

Another pretty cluster. This one was easy to spot in the finder so it wasn't hard to find either. This is a 10 second CCD exposure taken on February 4, 1997 using a Celestron PixCel 255 CCD Camera at f/6.3 on the Celestron C5+.
See M34 in SEDS Messier Online Database.

M35 - Open Cluster in Gemini

A very pretty and bright cluster. This one was easy to spot in the finder and often naked eye so it is very easy to find. This is a 3 second CCD exposure taken on February 4, 1997 using a Celestron PixCel 255 CCD Camera at f/6.3 on the Celestron C5+. The image doesn't do the cluster justice since the field of view is so restricted on the TC255 chip.
See M35 in SEDS Messier Online Database.

M36 - Open Cluster in Auriga

This was a very pretty cluster. Also viewed M37 and M38 at the same time, those are both much denser clusters in the same area of Auriga. This is a 10 second CCD exposure taken on February 4, 1997 using a Celestron PixCel 255 CCD Camera at f/6.3 on the Celestron C5+.
See M36 in SEDS Messier Online Database.

M39 - Open Cluster in Cygnus

This one was a bit harder to locate and I had to use relative positions off of Deneb to locate it. I find that using the setting circles relative is better than trying to get set-up perfectly at the start of an observing session.

M44 - Beehive Cluster

This is another big cluster that is almost better in the view finder than in the scope itself, use your widest angle and lowest magnification eyepiece.

M67 - Open Cluster in Cancer

This was a much smaller cluster that had some nebulostiy in the center where I couldn't resolve stars all the way.

M50 - Open Cluster in Monoceros

Again, a smaller cluster that had some nebulosity in the central area.

M53 - Globular Cluster in Coma Berenices

A globular cluster of pretty good size and brightness. Was very clear up to 125x with some stars barely resolved. Viwed at 36-125x, best was 83x. The image was taken on April 3, 1997 at f/10 using 15 - 10 second snapshots.

M41 - Open Cluster in Canis Major

Very pretty cluster just south of Sirius. I had to view it in and out of tree branches since I have such a high horizon here.

M13 - Hercules Cluster

Now this thing was impressive. This was one of the few deep-sky objects I'd seen as a kid with my old reflector so you know its easy to find. Viewed from 36-125x with 62x probably giving the best overall view. It was huge at 125x, almost filled up my view. Stars resolved easily in the cluster. It was great to see a big, bright object like this after spending 3 consecutive mornings freezing and straining to get all the Messier galaxies in the Coma-Virgo area.

M92 - Globular Cluster in Hercules

Again a pretty cluster, easy to star-hop from M13 and visible in my finder. A smaller version of M13 really, pretty up to 125x, best at 62x.

M5 - Globular Cluster in Serpens

This is a pretty big globular cluster, easy to locate and a pretty big object. Viewed up to 83x.

M10 & M12 - Globular Clusters in Ophiuchus

This is a pair of globulars only a small bit apart, though not in the same field of view as the drawing might suggest. The description of "two blue snowballs" fits them pretty well in the finder. M10 is on the left in the above drawing. Both had considerable detail and were viewed up to 83x.

M56 - Globular Cluster in Lyra

A much smaller globular but pretty easy to find thanks to an easy star hop from Beta Cygnus. The image was taken on 09/24/97 and is a set of 20 - 10 second exposures at f/6.3.

M79 - Globular Cluster in Lepus

Another smaller and fainter globular, I needed a dark site to get this one. Viewed up to 83x.

M3 - Globular Cluster in Canes Venatici

A globular cluster of pretty good size and brightness. Was very clear up to 125x with some stars barely resolved. Viwed at 36-125x, best was 83x. The image was taken on April 3, 1997 at f/10 using 15 - 10 second snapshots.

M14 - Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus

One of the many globulars in the Ophiuchus/Scorpius area. The image was taken on June 8, 1997 at f/6.3 using 20 - 10 second snapshots.

M26 - Open Cluster in Scutum

The image was taken on June 8, 1997 at f/6.3 using 20 - 10 second snapshots.

M11 - Wild Duck Cluster in Scutum

A bright cluster that I think I only got part of in the image. The image was taken on June 8, 1997 at f/6.3 using 20 - 10 second snapshots.

M15 - Globular Cluster in Pegasus

A bright globular, shot at f/6.3 using 20 - 10 second exposures on 09/22/97. The image was processed with an unsharp masking filter to clean up the center a bit.