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Hello astronomy fans! I got out last night for two and a half hours and got a Jupiter observation, (three moons visible), and I think I nailed Asteroid 19 Fortuna, but I'll need one more observation on that to be sure. I spent a good deal of time on Fortuna.
I got another position check on Mars in Cancer and had a quick look at the Orion Nebula. Then I nailed Milichius Pi, a lunar dome with a summit crater for my Lunar II observations. I was going to journal Mare Cognitum, but then I had some high thin clouds cover 90 per cent of the sky, so I packed it up.
It was great to be out!
[quote author=Dean Johnson link=topic=233.msg3561#msg3561 date=1259108697]
Hey Roger, if you ever want to check my journal out to see how I record my observations, you are very welcome to do so.[/quote]
Thanks Dean — I'll be sure to take a look at your journal at the next star party. It sounds like you have some wonderful memories in there!Is there any interest in observing at Eagle Bluff Friday or Saturday?
I only have the CSC for Friday and it looks clear, but iffy Transparency and Seeing.
Do any of you high tech folks have an inkling on Sat. night? I am scheduled to tend bar Friday night, but could get it switched if Fri is better. Otherwise Sat. night would work just fine for me.
Feedback, PLEASE!!!!!!
We probably won't be going either day, but the forecast for Saturday is mostly cloudy. So, Friday would look better to be the better day.
I would like to but have some plans and other items to take care of Friday and dinner plans for Saturday. If I do get to do any imaging it will have to be from my driveway
I'd definitely consider friday, as I have plans Saturday. I'd go to either Eagle Bluff or just Keller WMA, but if it's really cold, I'm not sure if Eagle Bluff would be as appealing.
It looks like Keller WMA, Luka. I can't get out of bartending tonight. Bummer.
I hope the best for all of you folks.
Don't forget the Geminids on Sun/Mon and Mon/Tue nights.
After I got home from work Friday night, I was able to get my binocs out in my back yard and record the position of Mars for its coming retrograde motion.
I bet it would have been a beautiful night to have been out for many hours.
See you Tuesday!
I did get out Friday night and did some imaging but the skies weren't as clear as they appeared. I got a lot of star flicker late in the night trying to image M1 and the temps didn't help matters as they dipped well below zero. Went in to the house around 1am to thaw out. Didn't get any chances to see anything else as all my time was in imaging and fighting the atmospheric conditions.
I did get out to Keller on Fridayl. I just went observing, and did no imaging. I saw 5 Geminids, 2 of them first magnitude. Also at around 11, I saw the remnants of what I think was a bolide/fireball. I saw flickering shadows from directly behind me and by the time I turned around, there seemed to be a 3-4 very small pieces right near the western horizon, greenish blue.
The skies definitely didn't seem great in either transparency or seeing. I did get a look at mars, but didn't see any detail, just an orange blob, though it was only 15 degrees up. I did spend a lot time observing M42, I keepf forgetting that it looks so much better from darker skies. I also enjoyed M81 and M82, and the 3 Auriga clusters. I also brought several binoculars, and was able to see M33 even with the small 7×35's. It didn't look impressive, but was definitely there. Also because the transparency wasn't good, the skyglow from Rochester was pretty severe. I also looked at M1, the Hyades, M78 and M41. I was out there for 2.5 hours; while I dressed pretty warmly, and I was very warm the first hour, by the end of the second, I was getting cold in places, and neither hot tea, nor 5 minutes in the car could keep up my heat requirements.
Merry Christmas to one and all in the RAC!!!
Pray for clear skies. I had to use a pole pruning saw on the birch tree in the back yard and cinch the cluster together with a cargo strap to keep it from snapping from ice buildup. If it goes it'll take out our power. My boy and I also shoveled about 3000 lbs. of snow off our deck above the big day care room. Bah, Humbug.
Hello astronomy fans! I've got another observation on the retrograde motion of Mars. I had one on Jan. 1st as well, but both were from my deck. It is just too cold to go out to the Flatin Farm when it is below zero and there is wind chill.
Mars is big and bright, and indeed moving westard from Leo, back toward M44.
Is anyone interested in getting together on Friday night? It is projected to be clear, but very cold. I would make the Haj to Eagle Bluff, if anyone is interested.
As much as I would like to go out Friday it is way too cold for me at the moment. Bolivia spoiled me with 95 degree weather. May do some imaging Sunday from my driveway.
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