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Steve and I got out for a few hours last night. Venus is still not thrilling, but getting slightly higher. Saturn was its usual beautiful self, but getting lower every night. We saw Titan and one other of the 'amateur moons'.
Then we looked at M39 in Cygnus and M23 in Sagittarius. Shortly thereafter the Moon rose and Mare Crisium was almost all in shadow. Fun to see Moonrise. The corn down at the Flatin Farm has grown noticably since the StarBQ.
I really like my (almost) new van. It beats the heck out of hauling my gear around in the pickup. ;D
I was out last night at our local neighborhood park in Rochester to continue working the bugs out of my home made star stracker. Tried to photograph M31 at about 10 pm. Note to self… kind of important to charge camera batteries before going out to do a long exposure session. Also important to focus the lens before starting the exposure. :-[Will try again tonight.
What are the plans for this weekend? Any chance of going to Eagle Bluff? Dean, Randy, I did end up buying a laser collimator from Orion, and would love to try it out this weekend.
Anyone else have thoughts about gazing this weekend?I'll check on the availability of EB tomorrow. I'd definately like to go, and even if it is humid, I've got a blow dryer and extension cord.
What about which night? Fri or Sat. Sat works best for Steve and Ellenvega. I'm good for either night. The seeing and transparency are a little iffy for tomorrow, but that can change.
Post as to which night is best, I'll post again after I talk to EB tomorrow.
Friday night would be best for me, but I have some flexibility.
Based on the forecast, we should probably flip a coin 😀Based on this morning's forecasts from NWS out of Lacrosse, intellicast.com, and ClearSky, it would appear that tonight may be the better of the 2 nights of this weekend…
Dean, any word on EB availability?Hello astronomy fans!
Eagle Bluff is available all weekend. Tonight does seem like the best night. I am ready, willing and able, and will be there by 8 p.m. at the latest.
Last night David Coset and I were out at the Flatin Farm for 5 hours. Since it was so humid, I kept my telescope low to the southern horizon in Sagittarius and we "climbed the ladder" of looking at objects in the southern Milky Way. There was a nice breeze from the south that kept my glass from fogging up.
I found them and David looked at them while I read the pertinant info about them from Burnham's Celestial Handbook. It was really fun. It was the first night that I took the time to read about them while we were looking at the various globulars, diffuse nebula and open star clusters. I realized that I was finally savoring what I was looking at. In the years past, I was so busy ripping through the observing lists that I didn't read about them until I got home into my library.
I find that I am teaching now instead of learning. It's great, but I still need to learn. Time is the issue.
No matter, David, "Da-VEED" in Francois" is a hoot! He is fun, talented and brainy, just like the RAC!
Count me in as well for tonight.
I may also bring a friend of mine who is even more of a newbie than I am, if that's possible.Moonrise is 1am.
I have a thing I need to attend tonight that should be done by 8:30, so if it is I might try to "Kirk it" down to EB late.(Dean can explain what 'kirking' is)
HAH!!
Randy you rascal.
"Kirking" is having someone show up COMPLETELY unexpectedly.
I'll be at EB by 8 p.m.
Do we have access to the facilities (for the out-door challenged)?
We'll have our usual contingent — looking forward to it.
AstroMom was having a field day. She loves her new Pocket Sky Atlas. Getting excited about finding one start cluster and then bouncing to the next nebula.
I must be getting more familiar with the sky as I found my elusive M51-Whirlpool galaxy easier, then up to M101 (just up from M51). And then . . . .
Beautiful lightening show all night down by Decorah, IA. For 8 (when we go there) until about 3, it was continuous lightening. Not a problem viewing but great show. Started clouding up (storm broke up about 3-3:30) and then it was watching the moon and Saturn running in and out among the clouds.
Also love our new laser pointer from Z-Bolt: Duet Emerald. $68+SH, instantaneous on/off and a continuous on switch. excellent holster case, and a set of batteries. Very ruggedly built. We're very happy.
AGNFA!!
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