THE TEXAS STAR PARTY 1998 TELESCOPE OBSERVING CLUB BY JOHN WAGONER AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS RULES AND REGULATIONS Welcome to the Texas Star Party's Telescope Observing Club. The purpose of this club is not to test your observing skills by throwing the toughest objects at you that are hard to see under any conditions, but to give you an opportunity to observe 25 showcase objects under the ideal conditions of these pristine West Texas skies, thus displaying them to their best advantage. That's it. Any size telescope can be used. All observations must be made at the Texas Star Party to qualify. All objects are within range of small to medium sized telescopes, and are available for observation between 10:00PM and 4:00AM any time during the TSP. Small telescope owners should pay close attention to the size and magnitude of the planetaries selected for observation. All objects are listed in Right Ascension order so that you can observe them before they set in the West, or as they rise in the East. Each person completing this list will receive an official Texas Star Party Telescope Observing Club lapel pin. These pins are not sold at the TSP and can only be acquired by completing the program, so wear them proudly. These objects were tested at Ft. Davis, and we are giving you your choice of what 25 objects to observe. There are 25 easy objects for small scopes as well as challenge objects for larger scopes. To receive your pin, turn in your observations to John Wagoner - TSP Observing Chairman any time during the Texas Star Party. If you cannot find me on the field, I will be at the outside door leading into the TSP Meeting Hall each day between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM. If you finish the list the last night of TSP, and I am not available to give you your pin, just mail your observations to me at 1409 Sequoia, Plano, Tx. 75023, and I will see that you get a pin. Good luck and good observing. Now let's get out there and party!!! THE GREAT SOUTHERN SKIES CHALLENGE (choose any 25 objects) CHK Object R.A. DEC Mag Type Size Const Urn SA [ ] NGC 4373 12 25.3 -39 46 11.9 Glxy 3.4'X2.5' Cen 369 21 [ ] IC 3370 12 27.6 -39 20 11.1 Glxy 2.8'X2.4' Cen 369 21 [ ] NGC 4507 12 35.6 -39 55 12.8 Glxy 2.3'X2.0' Cen 369 21 [ ] NGC 4767 12 53.9 -39 43 12.6 Glxy 2.6'X1.4' Cen 369 21 [ ] NGC 4945 13 05.4 -49 28 9.6 Glxy 20'X4.4' Cen 402 21 [ ] NGC 4976 13 08.6 -49 30 11.2 Glxy 6.0'X3.5' Cen 402 21 [ ] NGC 5011 13 12.9 -43 06 12.4 Glxy 2.0'X2.0' Cen 403 21 [ ] NGC 5102 13 22.0 -36 38 9.7 Glxy 9.3'X3.5' Cen 370 21 [ ] NGC 5128 13 25.5 -43 01 7.0 Glxy 18'X14' Cen 403 21 [ ] NGC 5139 13 26.8 -47 29 3.5 GbCl 36.0' Cen 403 21 [ ] NGC 5161 13 29.2 -33 10 12.0 Glxy 5.4'X2.3' Cen 370 21 [ ] NGC 5193 13 31.9 -33 14 12.7 Glxy 1.8'X1.6' Cen 370 21 [ ] NGC 5266 13 43.0 -48 11 12.3 Glxy 3.5'X2.5' Cen 403 21 [ ] NGC 5286 13 46.4 -51 22 7.6 GbCl 9.1' Cen 430 25 [ ] NGC 5365 13 57.9 -43 57 12.2 Glxy 3.1'X2.4' Cen 403 21 [ ] NGC 5460 14 07.6 -48 19 5.6 OpCl 25.0' Cen 404 21 [ ] NGC 5530 14 18.5 -43 24 12.0 Glxy 4.1'X2.2' Lup 404 21 [ ] IC 4406 14 22.4 -44 09 10.3 PNeb 1.7'X0.6' Lup 404 21 [ ] NGC 5643 14 32.7 -44 10 10.9 Glxy 4.6'X4.1' Lup 404 21 [ ] NGC 5824 15 04.0 -33 04 7.8 GbCl 6.2' Lup 373 21 [ ] NGC 5882 15 16.8 -45 39 10.5 PNeb 7.0" Lup 405 21 [ ] NGC 5927 15 28.0 -50 40 8.3 GbCl 12.0' Lup 405 21 [ ] NGC 5946 15 35.5 -50 40 9.6 GbCl 7.1' Nor 405 21 [ ] NGC 5986 15 46.1 -37 47 7.5 GbCl 9.8' Lup 374 21 [ ] NGC 6124 16 25.6 -40 40 5.8 OpCl 40.0' Sco 407 22 [ ] NGC 6139 16 27.7 -38 51 8.9 GbCl 5.5' Sco 375 22 [ ] NGC 6231 16 54.0 -41 48 2.6 OpCl 14.0' Sco 407 22 [ ] Cr316-H12 16 55.5 -40 50 3.4 OpCl 105' Sco 407 22 [ ] NGC 6242 16 55.6 -39 30 6.4 OpCl 9.0' Sco 375 22 [ ] NGC 6268 17 02.4 -39 44 9.5 OpCl 6.0' Sco 376 22 [ ] NGC 6281 17 04.8 -37 54 5.4 OpCl 8.0' Sco 376 22 [ ] NGC 6302 17 13.7 -37 06 9.6 PNeb 83" Sco 376 22 [ ] NGC 6352 17 25.5 -48 25 8.1 GbCl 7.1' Ara 408 22 [ ] NGC 6388 17 36.3 -44 44 6.7 GbCl 8.7' Sco 408 22 [ ] NGC 6441 17 50.2 -37 03 7.2 GbCl 7.8' Sco 377 22 [ ] NGC 6496 17 59.0 -44 16 8.5 GbCl 6.9' Sco 408 22 [ ] NGC 6522 18 03.6 -30 02 8.4 GbCl 5.6' Sgr 377 22 [ ] NGC 6528 18 04.8 -30 03 9.5 GbCl 3.7' Sgr 377 22 [ ] NGC 6541 18 08.0 -43 42 6.1 GbCl 13.0' CrA 409 22 [ ] NGC 6723 18 59.6 -36 38 7.2 GbCl 11.0' Sgr 378 22