Overshadowed by its gigantic brethren, the mighty Omega Centauri just 5deg away, the much smaller and fainter NGC 5286 makes a beautiful pairing with a bright (but completely unrelated) K-M class star and because of this, NGC 5286 is one of my favourite globular clusters to look at through a telescope.

Orion Optics UK AG12 F3.8
Starlightxpress SXVF-H694, SX USB CFW, SX OAG unit + FLI Atlas Focuser
LRGB = 40 24 24 24min (bin 1X1) Astronomik filters
-20C chip temp - flats used but no darks
Focal length 1120mm
Image scale 0.84"/pix
Guide Camera: Starlightxpress Loadstar

Comments
Clear, no moon, average seeing, cold (-3degC)

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A small faint planetary nebula can be found near the centre of M22. Planetary nebulae located within globular clusters are very rare.

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Star Cluster NGC 6520 and dark cloud Barnard 86

How many planets must be in this shot....?

Orion Optics AG12 F3.8
Starlightxpress SXVF-H694, SX USB CFW, SX OAG unit + Atlas Focuser
RGB = 30 30 30min (bin 1X1) Astronomik filters
-20C chip temp - no darks and no flats
Focal length 1120mm
Image scale 0.84"/pix
Guide Camera: Starlightxpress Loadstar

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At a distance of 30,000 light years from the Sun, globular cluster NGC 6144 lies well beyond the dusty regions around the star Antares through which its light shines. This places it about three times further away than the more famous globular cluster M4 located nearby. The light from NGC 6144 travels through a lot of intervening dust as well as the yellow coloured nebula around the bright star Antares and this contributes significantly to its beautiful yellow-red colouring.

Orion Optics AG12 F3.8
Starlightxpress SXVF-H694, SX USB CFW, SX OAG unit + Atlas Focuser
LRGB = 200min 35 35 35min = 5hrs total exposure (bin 1X1) Astronomik filters
-20C chip temp, flats used but no dark frames.
Focal length 1120mm
Image scale 0.84"/pix
Guide Camera: Starlightxpress Lodestar

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One of the most beautiful open clusters in the sky, The Jewel Box or Kappa Crucis, is located very near the second brightest star in The Southern Cross (Crux)

Orion Optics AG12 F3.8
Starlightxpress SXVF-H694, SX USB CFW, SX OAG unit + Atlas Focuser
RGB = 20 20 20min (bin 1X1) Astronomik filters
-20C chip temp - no darks and no flats
Focal length 1120mm
Image scale 0.84"/pix
Guide Camera: Starlightxpress Loadstar

Comments
Clear, 2/3 moon, average to poor seeing

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