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NGC 4590
Bennett 51, Messier 68
ESO506-SC030, GCL-20
RA 12:39:27
Dec
-26°44.5'
Globular cluster
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In the Philosophical Transactions, 1814,
William Herschel described it as "a beautiful cluster of stars, extremely
rich, and so compressed that most of the stars are blended together; it is near
3' broad and about 4' long, but chiefly round, and there are very few scattered
stars about. This oval cluster is also approaching to the globular form, and the
central compression is carried to a high degree. The insulation is likewise so
far advanced that it admits of an accurate description of the contour. The
clusters of this class are beautiful, but can hardly be seen to any advantage
without a 20 feet telescope." In the Philosophical Transactions, 1818,
William Herschel wrote: "1786, 1789, 1790, 20 feet telescope. A cluster of
very compressed small stars, about 3' broad and 4' long. The stars are so
compressed, that most of them are blended together."
h: "globular, irregularly round, gbM,
diam in RA = 12..15 seconds. All clearly resolved into stars 12th mag; very
loose and ragged at the borders."
Hartung notes: "Faint outliers may be
detected with 10.5cm. It is very rich, broadly concentrated to a central region
about 2' across and the outlying stars show evidence of a spiral pattern 5' - 6'
across. 15cm resolves this cluster clearly though faintly."
Houston includes this globular in his Hydra
Hysteria. He calls it "beautiful" and notes that "individual
stars should be easily visible in a 6-inch scope." In 1972 he called it one
of two globulars worth-while looking up in Hydra (the other being NGC 5694). He
notes that it shines at 8th mag: "since its stars are 12th mag and fainter,
a large scope is needed to discern them. Visually, M68 appears about 3' in
diameter. Observing with a 6-inch refractor, Smyth described this globular as
oval, pale and mottled."
Donald J. Ware: "This rather bright
globular cluster is about 8-10' in diameter and is very compact, showing a
bright, granulated core and many stars resolved around its edges."
Steve Coe (1992, The Deep-Sky Observer, Webb
Society, Issue 1) observing with a 17.5-inch f/4.5 at 100x notes: "pB,
rich, compressed, seen in finder. Resolved at all powers. 'Kidney-shaped' with
streamers on one side. About 50 stars resolved at 165x. Many stars at the
limit of the 17.5-inch, averted vision makes it grow. At 300x the core has
about 10 stars resolved and the central area is very grainy. Entire cluster
looks like a garden sprinkler, with eF stars seen as a set of curved chains that
exit the main body and swirl around."
Sentinel 13" 8/10-- bright,
large, extremely rich, extrememly compressed, bright middle, irregularly round,
stars 13th mag and less. Easy in 11X80, very comet-like in finder. 330X--20
stars resolved, several nice chains, curved edges are ragged at high power.
Tom Lorenzin: "8M; 9' diameter; well
resolved into glitter of 13M stars; 33' to SW lies bright DBL ST ADS 8612."
10x50: "faint, small,
round glow. Almost stellar core. Near a rather bright star." (suburban
skies) [DC] |
