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(IAAC) Obj: M67 - Inst: 8" f/10 SCT on fork



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Observer: Lew Gramer
Your skills: Intermediate (some years)
Date/time of observation: 1998-03-10/11 01:00 UT
Location of site: Medford, MA, USA (Lat 42oN, Elev 5m)
Site classification: Suburban
Sky darkness: 5.1 <Limiting magnitude>
Seeing: 5 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: 8" f/10 SCT on fork
Magnification: 90x, 170x
Filter(s): None
Object(s): M67
Category: Open cluster.
Class: 
Constellation: Cnc
Data: mag 6.9  size 30'
Position: RA 08:50  DEC 11:49
Description:
The ancient open cluster M67 was just a short RA-axis sweep due W of alpha Cnc.
By far the brightest member of the cluster is a very striking mag. 8 yellowish
star near the ENE edge. At 90x the other member stars, all much fainter, seem
to be scattered pretty evenly around a 30' area. Some 50 could be counted with
averted vision. Near the SW corner is a pretty trio of white and orangish mag.
9 stars. Just E of the trio is an intriguing "fuzz patch" - what seemed to be
a multiple star just on the edge of resolution. At 170x, the count of stars in
the slightly oblong cluster went up to 80, with somewhat concentrated in the N.
The little "fuzz patch" SW resolves into a pretty clump of 4 or 5 faint stars,
yet STILL embedded within a further haze: is this more unresolved stars, or a
trick of the eye? At all powers, the cluster is somewhat elongated NE-SW.
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