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Hello astronomy fans. Steve (Stuppo) and I got out for two and a half hours tonight. First off was the Moon. There was awesome Earthshine. Then we noticed that there was a fairly bright (5th mag. star) close by. I told Steve we should keep an eye on that.
Then we went after M1, the Crab Nebula. His finder is correct view and mine is upside down. After describing what it should look like, Steve still had trouble finding it. I looked along the tube and saw that he was in the wrong spot. There are times when you simply have to look along the telescope tube to get in the right place.(Especially on those beautiful, magnificent 8" Orion Dobsonians). He found it pretty quick after that.
Then it was back to the Moon. The Moon did indeed occult Omega Pisicium which we both saw in our respective scopes. We'd have called up Ellenvega and chided her on not being there, since she has seen numerous occultations with us already, but it was really getting cold by then.
We finished with the Orion Nebula, M41 in Canis Major, Jupiter (3 moons) and pulled the pin. It was AGNFA, at least, for January.
I got out a bit too, last night. I tried to do some backyard imaging, and didn't succeed. When collimating my scope, one of the screws came out of it's thread. So I had to take the tube apart to reseat the mirror cell. And by the time I did that, my mount started to make funny grinding noises. I know my mount makes all sorts of noises, but never heard those before. I wonder if some of the lubricant got too cold.
After that fiasco, I did take a look at M42 and Jupiter in my grab and go setup. That was nice. The air was very steady for a few minutes there. M42 was not as great as from a dark site with a large scope, but it was worth seeing.
Hopefully my next attempt will go more smoothly. My last attempt at AP was in March, which has been too long. I do think I have some unprocessed data hiding on my computer though, so I can play with that until the clear, dark night.
There is a nice conjunction between the moon and Jupiter going on. You should head on out and take a look… or look out a window. 🙂
I got out last night – in my backyard – used my binoculars, not my telescope – and it was as pretty a sight as it was REALLLY COLD!!
I looked at it twice, for about 15 minutes each time. The 2d time, about 8:30 to 8:45 I think that it was going to be about as close as they could get to each other. Jupiter showed 3 moons in my 15X70's and there was a faint star about equal to the Galileans in magnitude about halfway between the planet and the Moon. The Moon was waxing gibbous, of course with crater Tycho showing its rays quite nicely, Copernicus in full sunlight and the terminator halfway through Sinus Iridum. Half the floor was lit, half in shadow, but all the Jura mountains shining in the lunar sunrise.
Too bad it was so bloody cold!
Hello astronomy fans! Our next dark sky star party will be this weekend, Feb. 8/9. Dawn told me that they do have stuff going on, but will email me if we can have the parking lights off. :-\
If that is possible, and the weather co-operates, it sounds like a super opportunity to have a star party, because there will be a boatload of kids there. If so, it will be an "Obvious Stuff" night, but wouldn't that be fun? 🙂
Stuppo and I have only gotten out once in January, we may get out tonight. I am Jonesing for some telescope time!
P. S. Stand By RAC. We may see a reappearance of the legendary Duane Deal sometime soon! ;D
Hello astronomy fans! Tomorrow looks pretty good until midnite.
Does anyone want to go to Eagle Bluff? I would love to go if we've got some troops, but I REALLY want to see the Mercury/Mars conjuntion. As far as conjuntions go, it is a very rare event. Remember that Copernicus lamented on his deathbed that he had never seen the planet Mercury.
If we do go to EB, I'm going to set up shop at the last big corner turning east. After the conjunction it's the parking lot.
Any thoughts?
It looks like decent weather until close to midnight, which, unfortunetly, is about the time I get off work. 🙁 So probably no for me.
What weekend is the Messier marathon?
Hello astronomy fans. I can't make Eagle Bluff tonight. I got smacked in the mouth today in the woods. It wasn't a big branch, only half an inch to an inch in diameter. There was pressure on it and it snapped back at me. It ripped the skin off my upper lip. I don't look too good right now. I look like I've got an air compressor hooked up to my lips. I am suprised I didn't loose any teeth.
Local observing only for me tonight if I go. My mouth is really sore, and I've got a bit of a headache.
Steve Remick and I are heading to the Flatin Farm hayfield between 7:00 – 7:30. We should get in a couple of hours anyway. It doesn't look like we'll see the Mercury/Mars conjunction. There are thick low clouds to the west here in SG. I hope someone gets a peek. Maybe APOD will have an image.
I think our first chance at a Messier Marathon will be March 9th. There will be another opportunity at the end of the month. We've got to beat 82 before the Energizer Bunny (Ellenvega) will be satisfied.
I WILL have a cord operated hair dryer for the event. I am sick and tired of having Misty Cloud chase us out of Eagle Bluff. I like her sister Many Stars far better.
Well, it didn't last long, astronomy fans. From 7 to 9 it was terrific, but at 9 p.m. (And this was something that I have very rarely seen) the clouds came in from all 4 points of the compass. Jupiter was the last hurrah. Wild.
We had the French guy, David (pronounced DA-VEED) with us again. The guy is a hoot! He loves astronomy, and is an absolute die hard. He wants to image and he apparently is a very good photographer, even to the point to where he has sold six pictures commercialy. He wants to learn astronomical imaging. I told him "Come on up to the RAC and meet all of you high tech guys". He wants to, but is a Kwik Trip employee and has a tough time getting away.
We looked at Jupiter, the Alpha Persei Association, NGC's 1674 and 1746 in Taurus, the Andromeda Galaxy along with M32 & M110, M41 in Canis Major (we had great discussions on open star clusters) and finished the night off with the Orion Nebula. David asked me "I see those 4 little stars. What are they?" I explained that they were born in the cloud of dust and gas that surrounds them. He was amazed.
I'm glad to be home. My mouth is sore and my fingers are cold. See you Tuesday.
If we did Eagle Bluff for the MM I wonder if there's some way that the security lights won't go on right in the middle of Sagittarius @ 5am.
I talked to Dawn at Eagle Bluff. Saturday night looks good weather wise and we can have the lights off if we wish to use it.
As far as the Messier Marathon goes, there will be a women's group there and Dawn doesn't know yet if the lights can be off. She will talk to them and pass the word later as to whether or not it will work.
Anyone up for Sat. night at EB?
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