Activity – Macastronomer – Rochester Astronomy Club

Macastronomer started the topic Contemplating heading to Eagle Bluff tonight/tomorrow? in the forum Star Parties 9 months ago

Anybody up for Eagle Bluff?

Tonight it looks like it will clear up before it gets dark and the lot is available. Tomorrow it look like it will cloud up at midnight, but they have an astronomy hike planned and I’d like to have scopes there for the hikers to look through when they get done.

I’m trying to see if there is any interest and I’ll post…[Read more]

Macastronomer replied to the topic 2025 Observing in the forum General Discussion 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Nicely done. I’ve read up on Siril, not familiar with StarNet++.

Keep’em coming! I’d love to see more.

Macastronomer started the topic Messier Marathon March! Eagle Bluff March 28th or 29th in the forum Star Parties 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Eagle Bluff is available for March 28th and 29th. Hopefully we’ll get a clear sky and this beautiful weather will be blessing us with a GNFA!

Macastronomer started the topic Eagle Bluff is a go! in the forum Star Parties 10 months, 3 weeks ago

Eagle Bluff is available tonight and the sky looks pretty good.

I can’t be there (family stuff). I am looking forward to being there the end of March for a Messier Marathon though.

If anybody wants to go to Eagle Bluff tonight, please post for others. I’m hoping somebody gets out there. A clear sky is a terrible thing to waste.

e-mail or tex…[Read more]

Macastronomer started the topic February 28th (or March 1st) 2025 Eagle Bluff is confirmed! in the forum Star Parties 10 months, 4 weeks ago

Eagle Bluff for this weekend is a go.

As I said, Saturday is looking better than Friday at this point. I’ll keep my eye on it.

Duane

Macastronomer replied to the topic Messier Marathon in the forum RAC Events 10 months, 4 weeks ago

I agree. Spring Grove Pop anyone?

It will be a GNfA (Glorious Night for Astronomy)!

This one’s for you Dean! Miss you buddy!

Duane

Macastronomer started the topic Forum Issues in the forum General Discussion 10 months, 4 weeks ago

The Forum pages were falling apart on me. I had a heck of a time trying to get the StarParty page to load properly to post a Eagle Bluff star party update.

Macastronomer started the topic February 28th-29th, 2025 Eagle Bluff in the forum Star Parties 10 months, 4 weeks ago

I’m awaiting confirmation that Eagle Bluff is available to the RAC for tomorrow and Saturday.

Tomorrow is not looking good as clouds go, but Saturday is potentially a GNfA (Glorious Night for Astronomy)!

I will post throughout the day as I find out more.

Happy Observing!

Duane

Macastronomer replied to the topic January 31st Eagle Bluff parking lot is available in the forum Star Parties 10 months, 4 weeks ago

I’m awaiting confirmation that Eagle Bluff is available to the RAC for tomorrow and Saturday.

Tomorrow is not looking good as clouds go, but Saturday is potentially a GNfA (Glorious Night for Astronomy)!

I will post throughout the day as I find out more.

Happy Observing!

Duane

Macastronomer replied to the topic Observing tonight? in the forum General Discussion 11 months, 1 week ago

Friday is looking decent before until 1AM. I’m going to be at a retreat (bringing my scope to show a bunch of kids Jupiter) so I won’t be around. But, I wanted to give a heads up that I think the first half of Friday night will be a glorious (half) night for astronomy! cleardarksky

It will also be about 8° out there. If you go out, keep warm!

Duane

Macastronomer started the topic January 31st Eagle Bluff parking lot is available in the forum Star Parties 11 months, 4 weeks ago

The parking lot is available both Friday and Saturday (January 31st, 2025) at Eagle Bluff.

I may or may not attend. Sky-wise, tonight looks okay, Thursday looks even better except for some wisps around midnight—then the transparency gets bad Friday evening and eventually clouds start to roll in around 2-3AM. Saturday looks like a wash t…[Read more]

Macastronomer started the topic January 31st Eagle Bluff in the forum Star Parties 11 months, 4 weeks ago

I reached out to Eagle Bluff, but I just found out our contact is out of the office. I’m awaiting a response after leaving a message.

It is the New Moon this Friday. I’m not sure I can make it. Cloud-wise is also iffy. Currently it says clear all day Friday with clouds rolling in by 3AM on Saturday and transparency not good after 3PM on Friday. I…[Read more]

Macastronomer started the topic Messier Marathon in the forum RAC Events 12 months ago

Who all is up for a Messier Marathon on March 28th or 29th? If the sky is clear, and Eagle Bluff is available… I would like to get it on the calendar.

If Eagle Bluff isn’t available, is there another location that would work? We’d need some pretty good horizons.

Duane

Macastronomer started the topic Miscellaneous Astronomy Related Topics in the forum General Discussion 12 months ago

How cool is this?

https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=84378

Macastronomer replied to the topic 2024 Observing in the forum General Discussion 1 year, 2 months ago

Nice one, Bob.

I hope that sungrazer survives its trip around the Sun. If it does we’ll have another comet to focus on before the end of the year.

Macastronomer replied to the topic 2024 Observing in the forum General Discussion 1 year, 3 months ago

The comet was barely visible last night. I was wondering if it had faded that much or was it this thing’s fault?

This was a few shots, a couple exposed for the Moon and a couple exposed for the silhouetted land.

Macastronomer replied to the topic 2024 Observing in the forum General Discussion 1 year, 3 months ago

Nice. Keep ’em comin’. :). The last shots I took last night was 8 shots with my iPhone. I stacked those tonight, aligned and stacked them, corrected the horizon, and stretched the image with curves to get this.

Macastronomer replied to the topic 2024 Observing in the forum General Discussion 1 year, 3 months ago

So glad to see several of you out there tonight.

I processed my first comet images from tonight (Oct 15th 2024) and got a surprise. M5 is up and to the right of the comet! In this image you can also make out the other tail (pointing forward). I’m so glad I got out!

Macastronomer replied to the topic 2024 Observing in the forum General Discussion 1 year, 3 months ago

Thank you Bob, for spotting it first. Once you directed my eyes to the right spot I could see it. Before that it was invisible.

Macastronomer replied to the topic 2024 Observing in the forum General Discussion 1 year, 3 months ago

Nicely done, Josef. We were at Root River Park. It’s a dim naked eye comet, but longer exposures can pull it out nicely. Here’s a vertical image with it a bit higher up in the sky.

C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS
2024-Oct-12 194mm 2sec f22 ISO3200

C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS 2024-Oct-12 194mm 2sec f22 ISO3200

@macastronomer