M 13 (NGC 6205) Great Hercules Globular Cluster
Last night I setup my 155mm AstroPhysics refracting telescope on the deck of my house to
test the Losmandy G-11 mount and a new Kendrick battery pack. I had used the G-11 mount
and the same Kendrick battery for over 20 years – both were not as they were when they were
new. I had the motor drives replaced and a complete cleaning of the mount gears on the
telescope mount and I replaced the old battery which was having difficulties maintain a charge
after 20 years of use. The sky was not pretty last night, but it rarely is from my suburban home.
Magnitude 4 stars were struggling to be seen at the zenith. I had not planned on doing any
serious observing – just to make sure the upgrades were working well. It did not take me long
to see that the mount and battery were as good as new so I swung the scope towards the
Great Hercules Cluster before I put the equipment away -- in seconds all else was forgotten,
the mount and battery and even the telescope. As it has done so many times before the ball of
a half million suns in the eyepiece mesmerized me. I have many drawings of M13 most from
darker skies and larger telescopes, but I ended up spending a little time drawing the light that
took over 23,000 years to reach my eye. Deck of House, Howard County, Maryland.
test the Losmandy G-11 mount and a new Kendrick battery pack. I had used the G-11 mount
and the same Kendrick battery for over 20 years – both were not as they were when they were
new. I had the motor drives replaced and a complete cleaning of the mount gears on the
telescope mount and I replaced the old battery which was having difficulties maintain a charge
after 20 years of use. The sky was not pretty last night, but it rarely is from my suburban home.
Magnitude 4 stars were struggling to be seen at the zenith. I had not planned on doing any
serious observing – just to make sure the upgrades were working well. It did not take me long
to see that the mount and battery were as good as new so I swung the scope towards the
Great Hercules Cluster before I put the equipment away -- in seconds all else was forgotten,
the mount and battery and even the telescope. As it has done so many times before the ball of
a half million suns in the eyepiece mesmerized me. I have many drawings of M13 most from
darker skies and larger telescopes, but I ended up spending a little time drawing the light that
took over 23,000 years to reach my eye. Deck of House, Howard County, Maryland.