Equipment: 10" F/5 Dobsonian
Location: 10 minutes from downtown Vancouver, BC
Goal: Find M53, a Magnitude 7.7 globular cluster
I live in an apartment building, and the most convenient observing spot
is in a courtyard behind it. This location is far from ideal, since
along with the copious general and local light pollution, I can only
see about 1/3 of the sky. This is due to the proximity of the courtyard
to the 6-storey building I live in, and its L shape that blocks the
southern and western horizons. Despite these challenges, I make do and
I've been surprised at what I *can* find in the night sky. I aim to
prove that observing many deep sky objects is indeed possible in the
city.