From: Collin Smith [mailto:CollinofAlabama@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2006 7:07 PM
Subject: Observation Report for 08 May 2006
I got there about 10 minutes late, around 9:40. Louie Raney walked up just as I
started to unload and helped grab some gear. As I just set up and put Mizar in
the eyepiece, Whitney walked up and, man! was I glad. It's always good to have
some new blood showing up consistently. This was a good sign, indeed. We all
looked at Mizar through the 6" F/6 dob and the Meade Series 5000 26mm Plossl. A
nice clean split at 35 power. This was the general view we looked at most
everything this evening.
The moon was spectacular, but required a lunar filter. We proved this by simply
shining the unfiltered light onto my hand. BRIGHT. Around this time a guy in
the park came up with three dogs in tow. He looked at the moon while I held the
leashes to two dogs. We all enjoyed the moon and then I went after M3. The
pretty globular was a bit dull due to the light gray hue of the sky (no filter
for the entire heavens I'm afraid), but the view was still nice. I noticed some
resolution at the edges that made for a pleasant
sugar-crystals-on-the-dark-table appearance.
Whitney tried in vain to pull out M35 from the foot of Castor, and I tried as
well, but the low cluster would not be resolved. C'est la vie. We turned to
much higher Saturn, though, and this was more fruitful. Around this time Neetu
showed up and the neighbor with dogs kept moving (the dogs had seen enough and
were getting bored). Everyone enjoyed Saturn. Even at a mere 35 power,
Saturn's beautiful rings were quite visible, not to mention several moons.
Quite a sight. I determined to use higher power, and just before removing the
26mm Meade, Jerry Dwyer showed up. With my new Burgess Optical/TMB Planetary
9mm eyepiece, we revved things up to a 101 power. This was a bit much for the
night, with all the moon's glare and the wafting air currents. At one point,
Whitney, Louie and I all noticed a current of warm air settle on us. These
conditions made 100x a bit difficult. Still, if one sat on the stool and was
patient, an excellent view would crystallize in front of you and the Cassini
division, Crepe Ring and planetary banding on the globe would be revealed.
I sure wish we would've had better seeing, cause I wanted to try out my new 5mm
BO/TMB. But with the 9mm stressing things so, I felt certain the 5mm's 182.4
power was not an option.
By this time, Whitney and I resolved to find the Keystone and M13 -- not the
easiest task as it was just rising out of the eastern muck and the moon wasn't
helping any. Whitney found it, though, and I was off to M13. Personally, I
thought M3 was better, no doubt due to its superior position in the sky at
observation time. M3 wasn't far off the zenith, but M13 was still quite low in
the east. Still, it was discernable as a globular.
Since we were in the neighborhood, I pulled out my map from skyhound and we
rather easily found Segment B of Comet 73P. We studied the comet then went
after Jupiter. Jupiter was nice, for the given conditions. I put in a 12mm WA
eyepiece I have for a nice look at the King of Planets. All four Galilean moons
beamed back at us, along with the equatorial bands.
Since Jerry had come late, we went back to the moon again for another look. I
also hit the moon up with the 12mm eyepiece for a 76 power view. It was indeed
beautiful. The shadows on the terminator were spectacular, as we watched the
sun rise on a southern crater at the top portion of my Newtonian's eyepiece.
Jerry, satisfied, said goodnight. We put the scope on the Comet again, then
tried Rasalgethi to no avail (too low). About this time, the sprinklers started
going off fairly near us. Protective of my baby, I rushed the tube to the car,
then hurriedly gathered up the base, stool, other folding items, papers, etc.
Although we were all getting tired anyway and probably wouldn't have had the
time or energy to pursue the items in the article, I'm looking forward to trying
the double stars found here ...
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1388 But that's what some night
this weekend is for, right?
Lucky to have my thick winter blue jeans on, the mosquitoes stayed away from me
for the most part. I smacked a big one on the back of my arm, but noticed that
Louie and Whitney, both in shorts, were swatting at their legs quite a bit. We
wish Louis success as he pursues his education at New Mexico State. And we can
all look forward to more nights under the stars as the weather warms up.
Ciao astro-amigos,
CDS
From: Collin Smith [mailto:CollinofAlabama@cox.net]
Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 7:55 PM
Subject: Star Party Hardy
People,
Tonight at 9:30, I'm going to be at south side of Tech Terrace Park, here ...
Please come if you can. The Comet P73 is nearby ...
http://www.skyhound.com/sh/comets/73P.gif
the moon is just past First Quarter and should offer some nice views, and I was
thinking to pursue the objects of this article ...
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1388
So come join me if you can. This is sure to be a nice evening after such a
lovely day!
CDS
