Barnard 85
Observation Details
Location: Decatur, GA (33.7748° N, 84.2963° W)
Date: 2025-08-07
Time:
Sky conditions: Seeing – Good, Transparency – Mag 3, Bortle 7
Instrument: Seestar S50, Equatorial mode
Image capture details: 226x30s subs, 1 hour 52.5 minute integration
Software: ASIDeepStack, PixInsight, Photoshop
Opacity Estimate:
Description:
Barnard 86
Observation Details
Location: Buckeye, AZ (33.3705° N, -112.5836° W)
Date: 2026-08-16
Time: 22:09 – 22:44 MST
Sky conditions: Seeing – Good, Transparency – Mag 5, Bortle 5
Instrument: C8, .4x reducer, UV/IR Cut filter, ASI533MC Pro
Image capture details: 30x60s subs, 30 minute integration
Software: PixInsight, Photoshop
Opacity Estimate:
Description:
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.