| Object: M20 (NGC 6514) | Date: 2018 August 1 |
| Type: Galactic nebula | |
| Constellation: Sagittarius | Time & altitude: 22.10 UT 15º |
| Catalogue data: | Seeing (5 high): 2/5 |
| R.A: 18h 05m | Transparency (5 high): 2/5 |
| Dec: -22º 30 | Telescope: 0.5m f4.1 Dob. |
| Magnitude 9 |
Eyepiece 17mm Ethos x120 8mm Ethos x260 |
| Size (mins) 17 x 12 | Filters: None |
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Notes: Observed an hour after culmination but low altitude even so. Many aircraft contrails are making the sky milky and there’s a lot of turbulence after another sunny day. Now the 3rd‑quarter Moon has risen the extent of the contrails is revealed! The nebulosity is very low surface brightness and in these conditions detecting even the main features is difficult. Three dark lanes converge on an unequal pair of stars from the NE, W and S. The straight NE lane is the longest and best defined and is flanked by lines of stars. The W lane is short and curves to the N. The bright nebulosity to the N is the easiest to see while that to the SW is the hardest to detect. |
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