M55, Observing Report, ST-80

My first target last night was:

M55 (RA 19hr 40.0min, Dec. minus 30deg 58min)

The observation was made from a rural backyard in the northwestern USA
(latitude greater than 45 north) with an ST-80 achromat. The
telescope, painted red by its owner and named "Little Red Riding
Scope" was mounted on a homemade alt-az mount.

This globular was easy in the ST-80 at any magnification. I ended up
using a 6mm eyepiece -- a magnification of about 60x for most of my
observation and sketch. M55 was relatively large and bright.

Overall shape was difficult to accurately discern since the outermost
regions of the globular appeared to blend into the background sky.
Nevertheless, M55 appeared to be roughly circular in outline. The
southern portion of M55 seemed to be a little brighter than other
parts of the cluster.

M55 appeared to have a somewhat mottled appearance; but no stars were
positively resolved within the cluster. At times I suspected a star
on the north edge of M55; but its existance was far from certain.

Sketcher
To sketch is to see.

Nice post. I caught it recently in an ST80 and an Astroscan on a very
transparent evening in northeast U.S.

Large, ghost like, impressive.

Larry Stedman
Vestal