M 79 / NGC 1904

Designation(s)M79 / NGC 1904
Object Type(s)Globular Cluster
Relevant Catalog(s)All (Chron), Messier, NGC
Obs. Lat/Long42° 17', 073° 57'
ConstellationLepus
Date and Time Observed2024-10-04 04:22:00
InstrumentSeestar S50 f5.0-250mm FL
CameraBuilt-in SONY IMX462 Sensor
Image DetailsTotal integration time was 10m. Exposures 10s. Darks subtracted, no flats. .
DescriptionRecorded December 17, 1780: `Nebula without star, situated below Lepus, & on the same parallel as a star of sixth magnitude: seen by M. Méchain on October 26, 1780. M. Messier looked for it on the following December 17: this nebula is beautiful; the center brilliant, the nebulosity a little diffuse." <--> This was an opportunistic capture when I saw that Orion was high in the sky at 4AM and set up the Seestar to capture M70 in Lepus (just below Orion), which had been on my "wish list". A far southerly globular cluster captured at around 20° elevation. Ranking 22 and 23 respectively for brightness and size... it's evident by comparison in the un-cropped Seestar image. The core appears more elongated than most, and is surrounded by a tulip-shaped halo of red(?) giant stars.
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