West Lakeshore Drive, field on north-northwest side of Ransom Canyon – August 4, 2007

Scopes:
            Don Fritz: 4” achro 6mm WO SPL, 8.5mm XF, 12mm XF
            Collin Smith: AT80ED 6, 8 & 9mm BO/TMB’s, 20mm TV Plossl, 25mm Antares Elite Plossl

Targets:
            M4
            M80
            Jupiter (8 & 9mm TMBs vs 8.5mm XF, later BO/TMB 6mm)
            M6, Butterfly Cluster
            Nu Scorpii (hmm, wind)
            M13
            M57
            M27
            M8, Lagoon
            M20, Trifid
            Neptune?
            M21
            M17, Swan
            M11, Wild Duck Cluster
            Last Quarter Moon (interesting perspectives)

The wind was too much for tight doubles like Nu Scorpii, and we honestly couldn’t tell much difference between the TMB/BO 8 & 9mm’s and Pentax XF 8.5mm. All produced excellent images. Don’s 6mm WO SPL had a bit of stray light glints in it, but performed quite well on detail on Jupiter’s globe, at least equaling the BO/TMB’s performance. Quite an eyepiece!

Did we see Neptune?

To finish the evening, Don noticed the long shadows the moon cast where previously was complete darkness. A nice new sight with relatively good southern skies. An alternative to the Gott.