M13 / The Hercules Cluster was observed on three occasions over a period of 2 months, each with increased magnification and therefore increasing details.
 Constellation: Hercules Type: Globular Cluster Magnitude: 5.7 Distance: 25.1 kly Size: 16.6' |
Observation #1: Jerry and I were in the backyard playing with this new scope. After alignment and finding other objects, I used the go-to feature to find M13 but of course it was way off! Using 2-eye vision through the dual-circle reticule finder scope, I slewed to where I thought M13 was located. Close. It was in the upper right quadrant of the 25mm eyepiece FOV. There was a bright star above it, a semi-circle of stars in the left FOV and a shallow triangle of stars with one star either being a double or just close enough to the cluster that it blurred. |
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Observation #2: Quite a different view as short while later and with a different eyepiece! Interesting to see the crescent of stars adjacent to the DSO that were seen earlier this evening under less magnification. The core could be seen; it was dense and at this magnification its perimeter was less dense. |
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Observation #3: Beautiful cluster filling the eyepiece. Too many stars to accurately sketch. |