| Name: | Large Magellanic Cloud |
| Type: | Galaxy |
| Messier: | -None |
| NGC: | -None |
| Magnitude: | 3.0 |
| Right Ascention: | 5h30m |
| Declination: | -69 |
| Constellation: | -Dorado |
| Viewing Info: | As the largest galaxy visible from earth (other than the Milky Way) this is an excellent naked eye object, and an incredible binocular object, which spans the 5 degree field of most binoculars. Dozens of nebulas and open clusters within the cloud can be identified with binoculars. With a twelve inch or greater telescope, over 1350 deep sky objects can be observed within the cloud. Because it is so easy to get hopelessly lost inside the cloud, most people just look at the Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070) and give up on the rest. The maps in Uranometria and Millennium are adequate for smallish 4 to 6inch telescopes. For larger telescopes the maps in the Herald Bobroff AstroAtlas are essential, but even then, the absence of bright guide stars makes it tough going. It took me four years to get the hang of navigating the LMC. It does not so much require star hopping, as eyepiece hopping. The Lumicon Deep Sky or Orion Sky glow filters are all that are required to enhance most nebulas (detection is never a problem). The Celestron LPR and Lumicon O111 are good for seeing more detail on some of the brighter nebula, but are not essential. The LMC contains two types of deep sky objects not visible any where else. There are two dozen or so enormous super open clusters, which strike one as "different" in any telescope, their stars are very small, but the clusters are so much bigger and brighter than the distant open clusters observable in our galaxy. Then there are the psuedo-globular clusters. Uranometria and NGC 2000 lists 49 globular clusters within the LMC, but Millennium states that there are only 15, and plots only 13 that I can find. The difference between the two atlases are the psuedo-globulars. To my practised eye, many of them certainly look like real globulars, but they are not, as their stars are reportedly too blue. The main problem with observing the cloud with a telescope, is that one tends to get a sore neck and back, since the telescope is constantly aimed at such a small area. Email address : Renato.Alessio.31272916@navy.gov.au |
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