From: Collin Smith [mailto:CollinofAlabama@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2006 6:31 PM
Subject: Observation Report 23-April-2006

I made it out to Skyview around 9:15.  It was beginning to get dark, and noticed one car there -- Whitney Livingston.  Don called me to say he was under the weather, so the 80mm small scope shoot-out was foregone.  I set up my 6" F/6 dob on the western pier, unloaded my gear, and we went to it.  Whitney had brought a nice pair of binoculars.  The sky had had upper atmospheric clouds all day and we found that this didn't change throughout the night.  Sometimes whole huge sections of sky were shrouded with only peaks through them.  Still, it was nice to be under the stars and we didn't waste time.
The sky was still a bit bright in the west, but we decided to go after M42 while it was still relatively high in the sky.  I put in my 2" SuperView to start things off, since my scope hadn't cooled off.  It was a bit cool that evening, though not too bad and, mercifully, without wind.  Although the Trapezium was evident, even at the ultra-low power 20X view in the big eyepiece, the nebulosity was all washed out by the dusk sunlight.
Whitney and I talked about "the Quad" star clusters M35-M38 inclusive, so we attacked M35 first.  Again, still a bit washed out with the sky more light gray than deep blue yet.  M37 was stunning.  It was getting darker and I absolutely love this cluster.  At low power, this cluster reminds me of a king with his attendants, as there is a bright red giant at the center with what seems like a hundred light blue smaller stars surrounding their stellar king.
On to M36, the Starfish cluster.  We both agreed that it was indeed starfishy.  By the time we put M38 in the eyepiece, it was quite dark and the bonus cluster NGC 1907 was evident.  This was so cool looking we decided to try M35 again, and sure enough, we saw the companion NGC 2158 this next time with a dark sky.
Next, while we were in Gemini, I wanted to uncover NGC 2392, the Eskimo Nebula.  Patrice seems to be the Eskimo finder extraordinaire.  This planetary nebula has always been a real bear for me to put in the eyepiece for some reason.  I've been using the most excellent "The Observer's Sky Atlas" by E. Karkoschka.  This little pocket guide to the stars is indispensable.  Using it, and working patiently, I plucked out the Eskimo Nebula in record time for me, at least.  Here, Whitney and I revved up the power with the 11mm TV Plossl for an 83 power view.
I put the TeleVue 20mm Plossl into the focuser and quickly placed Mars into the eyepiece but there was only a slightly gibbous orange disk with almost no detail.  I asked Whitney if she wanted to see the featureless disk, but with her binoculars in hand, she declined and it was off to Saturn.
We were both awestruck, as usual, by Saturn, especially in the 11mm TeleVue.  A fantastic amount of detail with banding on the globe, several moons, the Cassini Division, the Crepe Ring, and the planet's shadow against the back side of the rings blew us away.
From here on I used the 20mm TeleVue Plossl and we looked at ...
M44                  (Cnc)
NGC 2903             (Leo)
M105 & NGC 3384      (Leo)
M95 & M96            (Leo)
M65 & M66 & NGC 3628 (Leo)
M51                  (UMa)
M101                 (UMa)
M81 & M82            (UMa)
M13                  (Her)
M92                  (Her)
M3                   (CVn)
Jupiter
M44, the Beehive, though a fuzzy fluff in the sky looked very much like a series of triangles, a form of geometric celestial art.  In the future, when going after the Leonid galaxies M105 & NGC 3384, I'll have to pay more attention to try and see NGC 3389 also.  Jupiter was dramatic and beautiful, as usual, and, of course, required the 11mm Plossl revealing, again, stunning detail.
It was getting late and the winds began to take a chilling bite out of tired Whitney and me.  The skies clouded up more and leaving became an easier decision.  Whitney caught several Lyrids (I did see one).  We forgot to look for the comet, but another evening for that.  We had a good night and lived to look again.
Hope others were able to make it outside the last few days.  It will be interesting to hear about the Texas Star Party in Fort Davis from Curt.
Ciao amigos,
CDS

From: Collin Smith [mailto:CollinofAlabama@cox.net]
Sent: Saturday, April 22, 2006 2:04 PM
Subject: Sunday night at the Gott
Folks,
Although I would have preferred star gazing tonight, the forecasts persuade me to invite everyone out on Sunday night, alas, a 'School Night'.  But a clear evening under the stars is about as good a way to end the weekend as I'm aware of.
So, tomorrow night, grab your gear if available, but come on out regardless for a night under the West Texas skies at the Gott Observatory, a.k.a., Skyview.  There are the usual suspects: Saturn, Jupiter, Coma-Virgo galaxy cluster -- and some uncommon treats:  the Lyrid meteor shower's peak and Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, currently in Coma Berenices (about magnitude 6.2)  The comet will continue to brighten and should become an easy naked eye target at month's end in Hercules.  So head north Sunday night if you want to do something REALLY heavenly this Sunday.  Celebrate Shakespeare's birthday in the stellar way befitting that great master of our common tongue :-p
Hope to see everyone under the heavens tomorrow night,
CDS