From: Collin Smith [mailto:CollinofAlabama@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 8:12 PM
Subject: out like a Lion
Folks,
It was awfully cold Saturday night, but Tom Heisey and I made it up to Skyview for a final peek of the month before the moon rose and the forecasted clouds rolled in. We got to send off January with one last wonder at its dark glories.
I arrived first, about 8:15 PM. Tom showed up about 20 minutes later. I found Comet Machholz high in the sky by Cassiopeia and Perseus. Couldn't resist the Double Cluster so nearby. Then I noticed Ursa Major rising high and picked out the galaxies M81 and M82. A very nice view in the 100mm F/6 refractor. I was looking at Saturn at low power when Tom drove up.
Tom had also brought his big wide field, the 102mm F/5 refractor. But he also brought a 2" diagonal and large eyepiece for binocular sized views. After a quick look at the Comet and Double Clusters again, Tom jumped on M33, the Triangulum galaxy. I got M31/32/110, Andromeda and satellites. Then Tom went after them while I plucked out the Triangulum.
After returning again to M81/82, we looked at the Orion Nebula, M42, and Tom led me on to M78, just above Orion's belt. I went after the Beehive cluster, then found it necessary to look at M35/NGC2158, jeweled M37, spidery M36, and another bundle M38/NGC1907 - all open clusters.  Tom stared at M45, the Pleiades, for some time, and it does indeed merit a good study. Tom also scoured the horizon with his binoculars to see the stars about the Southern Hemisphere's Canopus, the second brightest star in the sky and one we can just catch here in Lubbock in Winter.
Toward the end, we turned toward Canis Major finding M41, M50, Caroline Hershel's NGC 2360 and a bunch of other open clusters in the Big Dog that make perusing it with a wide field scope so rewarding. But like Leo the Lion, the Winter wind was roaring down on us: we were cold, the clouds were coming, and the moon was peaking out through them. It was time to go but well worth the time. Caroline Hershel and Charles Messier must have smiled on us. January 2005, wet as it was, wasn't a complete wash! Hopefully February will be an even better month for astronomy, too.
Ciao amigos,
CDS

-----Original Message-----
From: Collin Smith [mailto:CollinofAlabama@hotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2005 6:58 PM
Subject: quick peek
Folks,
Sorry for the absolute late notice, but I'm heading to Skyview for a VERY quick peek at the stars before the forecasted rain tonight. Join me if you can and call me if you need me.
Ciao amigos,
CDS