After nearly two months of zero observing time, I finally managed to get out last night for 90 minutes in the back yard. I had a pair of new UO HD Orthoscopics (9mm and 12mm) to test out. I started around 10:10, before it was really dark, and checked out Alberio and Eta Lyrae. Alberio looked marvelous. The double double split at 133X (9mm) but not at 100X (12mm.) I also checked out M13, M92, and another globular in Hercules that I'd seen before but was written up in the July/August SkyNews (NGC 6229). Compared to the first two, it was a dud, but still wanted to check it out. I also revisited NGC6210, a planetary in Hercules that I checked off my Urban list with my 4.5". It was obviously a planetary in the 10", with a pale blue-green color, but no real detail was visible. I spotted Jupiter low in the east and checked it out. Three bands visible, but the planet itself was swimming from average seeing and a very low altitude. The four moons were spread evenly, 2 on each side. I hunted a couple of globulars in Ophiuchus, but the light pollution was poor, and they were past culmination. I finished up the night with a pair of double stars in Aquila, 11 and 15. 15 had some very nice color contrast, the primary appearing green to me and the secondary a pale yellow. Hopefully it will not be two months before I get to use my telescope again. As the days get shorter, the opportunities will undoubtably increase.
The skies were clear for me, except around 10:30 when an enormous cloud rolled overhead (right after I found M92.) It covered 60% of the sky, but passed completely in about 5 minutes. It was truly incredible how bright the yard became with reflected light. I could easily see colors with no additional illumination. Some day, we'll see the end of this crazy light pollution and Rochester will go from Bortle White/Red to Yellow/Green…