49. NGC 1904 (M79) – RA 05 24 11
Observation Details
Location: Tucson, AZ (32.4364° N, 110.9096° W)
Date and Time: 2025-01-12, 19:00 – 22:30 MDT
Sky conditions: Seeing – Average, Transparency – Mag 5, Bortle 4
Instrument: Apertura 90, .8 reducer – effective focal length 432mm, native FL 5540mm
Mount: Advanced VX
Eyepiece: N/A (Imaging)
Reticle Device: N/A
Imaging Equipment: Asi2600MC-Air, Idas Nbz-II Nebula Booster, EAF, On axis guiding
Image type and sensor: CMOS, Sony IMX571 APS-C 23.5×15.7mm
Image capture details: M79 – 60s x 60, gain 100; Bias – exp: 1.0ms x 30, gain 100, bin 1; Flats – 250ms x 30, gain 100, bin 1
Software: ASIDeepStack, Photoshop, PixInsight
Shapley–Sawyer Class: V
This target was imaged under a 99% illuminated moon.
51. NGC 2419 (Caldwell 25) – RA 07 38 08
Observation Details
Location: Decatur, GA (33.7748° N, 84.2963° W)
Date and Time: 2025-02-017, 20:28 – 22:29 EDT
Sky conditions: Seeing – Average, Transparency – Mag 3, Bortle 8
Instrument: Apertura 60mm FPL-53 Doublet APO Refractor @ f/6 (native) – Aperture: 60mm, Focal Length: 360mm
Mount: Celestron Advanced VX
Eyepiece: N/A (Imaging)
Reticle Device: N/A
Imaging Equipment: ZWO ASI224MC, UV/IR cut filter, Apertura 32mm guide scope, ASI174MM-mini guide camera
Image type and sensor: ZWO ASI 224MC – CMOS, IMX224 1/3″ sensor
Image capture details: 120 minute integration, 60x120s, Gain – 100, Flats – 18, Darks – 15, Bias – 15
Software: PixInsight, Photoshop
Shapley–Sawyer Class: VII
64. NGC 5024 (M53) – RA 13 12 55
Observation Details
Location: Decatur, GA (33.7748° N, 84.2963° W)
Date: 2025-05-14
Sky conditions: Seeing – Below Average, Transparency – Mag 2, Bortle 8, Passing clouds
Instrument: SeeStar S50, Equatorial mode
Image capture details: 288x10s subs, 48 minute integration
Software: SeeStar app, PixInsight
Shapley–Sawyer Class: V
67. NGC 5272 (M3) – RA 13 42 11
Observation Details
Location: Tuscon, AZ
Date: 2025-05-27
Sky conditions: Seeing – Good, Transparency – Mag 5, Bortle 4
Instrument: Askar 120 APO, 2600 MC Air, Antlia RGB
Image capture details: 120x30s subs, 1 hour integration
Software: ASIDeepStack, PixInsight, Photoshop
Shapley–Sawyer Class: VI
77. NGC 5904 (M5) – RA 15 18 33
Observation Details
Location: Tuscon, AZ
Date: 2025-05-27
Sky conditions: Seeing – Good, Transparency – Mag 5, Bortle 4
Instrument: Askar 120 APO, 2600 MC Air, Antlia RGB
Image capture details: 120x30s subs, 1 hour integration
Software: ASIDeepStack, PixInsight, Photoshop
Shapley–Sawyer Class: V
85. NGC 6121 (M4) – RA 16 23 36
Observation Details
Location: Decatur, GA (33.7748° N, 84.2963° W)
Date: 2025-07-28
Sky conditions: Seeing – Good, Transparency – Mag 2, Bortle 8
Instrument: SeeStar S50, Equatorial mode
Image capture details: 172x30s subs, 1 hour 26 minute integration
Software: ASIDeepStack, PixInsight, Photoshop
Shapley–Sawyer Class: IX
90. NGC 6171 (M107) – RA 16 32 32
Observation Details
Location: Decatur, GA (33.7748° N, 84.2963° W)
Date: 2025-07-28
Sky conditions: Seeing – Good, Transparency – Mag 2, Bortle 8
Instrument: Seestar S50 – Equatorial mode; C8, Optolong L-eNhance Filter, 0.63x SCT Corrector, ASI533MC Pro
Image capture details: Seestar – 88x30s subs, 44 minute integration; C8 – 60x60s subs, 1 hour integration. Total – 1 hour 44 minute integration
Software: ASIDeepStack, PixInsight, Photoshop
Shapley–Sawyer Class: X
92. NGC 6205 (M13 – The Hercules Cluster) – RA 16 41 41
Observation Details
Location: Buckeye, AZ (33.3705° N, -112.5836° W)
Date: 2026-06-14
Sky conditions: Seeing – Good, Transparency – Mag 5, Bortle 5
Instrument: Celestron C8, 0.63x reducer, L-Quad Enhance, ASI533MC Pro
Image capture details: 386x30s subs, 3 hour 13 minute integration
Software: ASIDeepStack, PixInsight, Photoshop
Shapley–Sawyer Class: V
106. NGC 6341 (M92) – RA 17 17 07
Observation Details
Location: Decatur, GA (33.7748° N, 84.2963° W)
Date: 2025-07-04
Sky conditions: Seeing – Good, Transparency – Mag 3, Bortle 7
Instrument: C8, Optolong L-eNhance Filter, 0.63x SCT Corrector, ASI533MC Pro
Image capture details: 150x60s subs, 2 hour 30 minute integration
Software: ASIDeepStack, PixInsight, Photoshop
Shapley–Sawyer Class: IV
185. NGC 7078 (M15 – Great Pegasus Cluster) – RA 21 29 58
Observation Details
Location: Decatur, GA (33.7748° N, 84.2963° W)
Date: 2025-09-20
Sky conditions: Seeing – Good, Transparency – Mag 3, Bortle 8
Instrument: Seestar S50, Equatorial mode
Image capture details: 762x10s subs, 2 hour 7 minute integration
Software: ASIDeepStack, PixInsight, Photoshop
Shapley–Sawyer Class: IV
186. NGC 7089 (M2) – RA 21 33 29
Observation Details
Location: Decatur, GA (33.7748° N, 84.2963° W)
Date: 2025-10-01
Sky conditions: Seeing – Good, Transparency – Mag 3, Bortle 8
Instrument: Seestar S50, Equatorial mode
Image capture details: 105 minute integration, 30s subs
Software: PixInsight, Photoshop
Shapley–Sawyer Class: II
187. NGC 7099 (M30) – RA 21 40 22
Observation Details
Location: Decatur, GA (33.7748° N, 84.2963° W)
Date: 2025-10-12
Sky conditions: Seeing – Good, Transparency – Mag 3, Bortle 8
Instrument: Seestar S50, Equatorial mode
Image capture details: 52 minute integration, 30s subs
Software: PixInsight, Photoshop
Shapley–Sawyer Class: V
Project Objectives
The goal of this Observing Program is for you to observe or image and compare the structures of globular clusters, and to that end, you can use manual (finder scopes and star hopping techniques), digital setting circles or any other computer-aided Go-To systems. Remote telescopes are allowed.
Observers select a minimum of any 50 globular clusters from the list of 190 cataloged in the Guide. This allows for the customization of an observing list suitable to the individual observer’s interests, skies, and equipment.
However, this program is more than just observing 50 globular clusters and recording your observations. This program requires both visual and imaging observers to determine the Shapley-Sawyer concentration class of each globular cluster observed. The Guide explains this classification system and provides reference images of globular clusters and their concentration classes, along with an explanation of how to determine the concentration class of each globular you observe by using these images.
Visual observers are required to include one (1) Challenge Object in their 50 objects. Challenge Objects are listed and explained in the Guide. Observers must also record in their log a written description of every globular cluster they view.
Imaging observers are required to include three (3) Challenge Objects in their 50 objects. Challenge Objects are listed and explained in the Guide. Read the section below on submitting images instead of written descriptions in your log. Imagers may not exceed 5 submissions of non-Milky Way population globular clusters (M31, M110, M33) as part of the 50 total.