Observing tonight?

[Macastronomer]

Nicely done. The toughest part of the lunar for me was a particular phase when it ended up being cloudy, every month! That was a pain and it took a while to get those final things logged.

I tried Taki's and then I tried the Tri-Atlas too (A and B. I don't have a C printed out). Neither one did it for me but I think that's because I'm just not used to them?they just plain look different. I ended up using the couple stars that are in my S&T Pocket Atlas and found a simple way to put that object in the field. It worked well once we realized what the heck we were looking for.

I got out last night and shot Jupiter for the first time this year. Io was behind Jupiter, the GRS front and center, Europa closest, Ganymede farther out and Callisto is not in the frame (way off screen to the left). I should have flipped this vertical, but that's how it looks through the scope. 2000 frames taken, stacked about 120.

Duane

[Randy H]

Very nice considering how poor it looks in our evening hours!

[sregener]

[quote author=macastronomer link=topic=233.msg1992#msg1992 date=1216066493]
I ended up using the couple stars that are in my S&T Pocket Atlas and found a simple way to put that object in the field. It worked well once we realized what the heck we were looking for.[/quote]

The Pocket Atlas has all the H400 objects.  I was suggesting free alternatives for catching those few that aren't on Sky Atlas 2000.

[Macastronomer]

Gotcha. I need to use it a bit and see if I can get used to it. It has a different look and feel. I think they'll be good after I've used them a bit. I also want to print out part of set C and check it out. The Taki's doesn't have asterism lines, that's annoying.

I have a Uranometria set, which I need to get used to as well. I like it, but it also doesn't have asterism lines.

I really like the pocket atlas. It is a great value. I haven't used it much for H400 yet though.

Duane

[Dean Johnson]

I agree with Randy. That is a good pic of Jupiter considering how "thick" the atmosphere has been lately. I really like how the diameters of the Galilean moons are apparent in the picture.

I am going to have to get the Sky&Telescope atlas. There are two more star clusters in Casseopia (NGC 136 and 481) that aren't listed. If it comes up with more non-listings, I'm going to write them and suggest they take the "Delux" off the title! 😉

[Jeff Newland]

Dean was that 481 or 381 in Cassiopeia?  NGC 481 appears to be a galaxy in Cetus.  NGC 381 is a cluster in Cas and on H400 list. 
And, 381 and 136 are both in the Sky and Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas in chart 1.  Yep, you're going to have to get it.  🙂

And, ditto, great pic Duane!

Jeff

[Jeff Newland]

Dean,  In case you don't have it and don't already have enough bookmarks… 
here is a link for H400:  http://www.ngcic.org/DSS/dss_H400.asp

It's part of the NGC/IC project:  http://www.ngcic.org/

A lot of stuff there related to NGC/IC objects.

Jeff

[Dean Johnson]

Thanks Jeff. Yep you're right, it was NGC 381. I'm going after the rest of the Fall Group and some globulars in Ophiuchus during the next dark sky period. If I get what I'm going after, that would put me up around 175 for the Herschel 400.

Thanks for the links, too!

[Dean Johnson]

Hello astronomy fans! I made it out to my favorite spot after an eight night hiatus. I got my last observation of Saturn in until it passes superior conjuntion. It is simply too low and murky to get anything but a look at the rings and Titan. The rings appear to be getting quite flat.

Jupiter, on the other hand was very special. Three Galileans, all west of the planet looked great and it appeared that the inner one was closing. No shadow transit or GRS, but as the night wore on, the starfield in Sagittarius that Jupiter sits in became very apparent. Absolutely beautiful! 8)

I nailed three globulars in Ophiuchus for my Herschel hunt before the Moon came up. The best one was NGC 6293. That one has some resolution of the stars and sits in a pretty starfield.

When the Moon came up, I viewed it in binoculars and noted its position relative to where I was at. I have to do that again in a month during the same phase and see how much it changes position on the horizom for the Lunar II program. Should be fun! 🙂

[sregener]

I was out this morning for about a half hour getting a few of those pesky western objects off my list.  Now at 98, and have to wait for new Moon to catch the remaining two (40 hrs and 72 hrs old).  The frustrating thing is that I've seen them at least twice since I started the list, but failed to note the date and time each time!

[Dean Johnson]

Scott, you are very close!

You are going to like Steve Nathan, the Lunar 100 program chair. I sent him my observations, and he got my certificate and pin back IN A WEEK!

It will be pretty cool to see you get your Lunar 100 certificate. Very  8)

[Dean Johnson]

Hello astronomy fans! I got out there last night for five hours. It was a beautiful night, warm, not too buggy, a little breeze, and an absolutely clear sky all the way down to the southern horizon. If the Star B-Q can happen, I hope the sky will be like last nights.

Jupiter showed all four moons in a pretty eastern Sagittarius starfield, but no shadow transit action.

I used Epsilon Lyra to test the seeing and transparency and I could split them at 80X easy. You know its going to be a good night when that happens.

I found NGC 6826 "the Blinking Planetary" in Cygnus. I had been after this one for a long time and finally bagged it. It was a tough star hop, but well worth it. It has a pretty blue color like Uranus and actually does "blink" when you look at it using direct and averted vision. It's a pretty little thing.

I also picked up globulars NGC 6342 and 6355 in Ophiuchus. 6355 is a GHOST! Only the ability to star hop to exactly the right spot helped me find this one. It's the first Herschel object I've found where it is necessary to move the scope a little bit to pick up the photons in your eye. A very challenging object.

I observed and drew the Montes Jura feature for the Lunar II program. Those mountains overlooking the Bay of Rainbows are one of my favorite lunar features.

I also got nice looks at M57, M24, M6, M7, M8, M20, M31 and the Perseus Double Cluster. AGNFA! 🙂

[Macastronomer]

Jeff and I (and for some time, a bunch of scouts) hit a few objects too.

I also went for a few Herschel objects?two clusters and the planetary nebula in Altair. Then I went for 7006 in Delphinus and couldn't find it. I'll have to try for it again.

Jupiter was nice. Black spots in the northern belts and a nice division in the southern belt making it look darker on the edges and lighter in the middle (horizontal). The moons were (from the most distant first) Callisto, Europa and Io on one side and Ganymede on the other. All of them spread out away from the planet. Nice splay for the scouts to see.

They also looked at Albireo, M31 and 32, and M13. Later when we were down to three of us, we also looked at M3, M5, M17, M22 M27 and M57. I'm sure I'm forgetting some stuff…

When the Moon started coming up, we took a peek at that too.

It was AGNFA 🙂

Duane

[Jeff Newland]

Yes, Gamehaven was very nice last night.  Milky Way was evident.  After the scouts, was looking a bit in Scorpius and Sagittarius. 
Picked up some new ones for me, M80, M19, M6, M7, M28, M22, M8.  Saw Andromeda, M31, for the first time in my scope.

The Rochester light dome was quite evident, was sort of like the Sun was never setting, but didn't really bother too much, plenty of other places to look.  Also, there was the light dome from the airport, then a little farther south, has to be Stewartville.  Again, not the biggest bother.  Moon appeared a bit before 12:30 and then we had light to the NE and getting surrounded.  🙂

Jeff

[Dean Johnson]

Jeff and Duane:

Very good to hear of your observations. I have also tried to find NGC 7006 and have been stifled.Like the Rolling Stones say, "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you get what you need!"

Keep looking up!

[Author]

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