The participating members of the RAC had an absolutely INCREDIBLE night at Eagle Bluff July 3/4!! Randy got there first, me second, the Mr. Gorp group of Chris, Julie, sons Adam and Joe next and Capt. Kirk at 1 a.m.
The summer sky was gorgeous! Excellent seeing and transparency, a little dew, but not bad. We saw Saturn with Titan, Rhea, Enceladus, Iapetus and Hyperion. Gamma Virginis was still barely visible in a low power FOV.
Antares and M4, M80, M51 and NGC 5195, those two fine double stars in eastern Lyra that Capt. Kirk and Ellenvega nailed, (Vega and Altair in Randy's scope were both blinding and beautiful), M5, M22, M24, Collinder 399 the Coathanger, M16, M8 the Lagoon and M20 the Trifid (best look I've EVER had of that!) Zeta Aquarius, Gamma Andromeda, Beta Andromeda and NGC 404, the Andromeda Galaxy, M27, M57, NGC 7331 and the Deerlick group of galaxies, M11 the Wild Duck cluster, a dozen (at least!) satellites, including 3 in two minutes, Jupiter rises at 2:03 a.m., lots of meteors, mostly faint, but one very nice mag. 2 through Draco and Ursa Minor at 3:01 a.m. and we finished the night with the Helix Nebula (NGC7293) and (durmroll, please……)
PLUTO at 3:30 a.m.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to Randy, another one off the astronomical bucket list!
What a night! A Glorious Night For Astronomy!