Date: Friday, September 14/15, 2007

Location: Bandelier National Park, New Mexico

Observer: Collin Smith

Equipment: Astronomy Technologies 80mm ED scope, 25mm Antares Elite Plossl, 15mm Televue Plossl, UO Klee 2.8x Barlow (attempted using 6mm BO/TMB and Pentax XF 12mm)

Conditions: partly cloudy, clearing and back to partly cloudy with some wind

We’d spent the day climbing into the cliff dwellings at Bandelier National Monument, set up the tent, but the mosquitoes were swarming at dusk. So as the sun set, Neetu and I headed into Los Alamos for dinner. We returned rather late, with a cooler evening, dark skies, and no insects about. Neetu had eaten too much hot and spicy food, so she headed for the tent to get some shut-eye. I set up the AT80ED and looked at these with my Antares Elite 25mm Plossl, except where noted:
Pleiades, M45
Double Cluster, NGC 884/869
split Σ3053 in Cassiopeia (two blue stars) with Klee 2.8x Barlow http://www.perezmedia.net/beltofvenus/archives/images/2006/img2006072003_Struve3053.jpg
M31/32/110
split Almach in Andromeda (with Klee) http://www.perezmedia.net/beltofvenus/archives/images/2006/img2006072007_GammaAndr.jpg
M33
M11 very low in west (tried XF 12mm & gave up), best with TV 15mm Plossl
M57 TV 15mm Plossl (wide angle with AEP 25mm)
tried ε Lyrae with 6mm BO/TMB, but no luck. Skies not steady enough
Albireo
M27, Dumbell Nebula
split Gamma Delphinus with Klee http://www.perezmedia.net/beltofvenus/archives/000471.html
M15 in Andromeda, TV 15mm Plossl
While waiting on Mars to arise out of from a tree, I checked out …
Mu Cephei (Herschel’s Garnet Star) with the TV 15mm (orange sí, baby!)
Delta Cephei (binary white-yellow & blue) 41 arcsecond separation via the TV 15
Mars in TV 15mm & AEP 25 with Klee (orange, not distinct features)
M1 in TV 15mm

The encroaching clouds, wind, late hour (2 AM, MST), and general tired feeling in my bones compelled me to head for the tent. I highly recommend Bandelier National Monument (http://www.nps.gov/band/index.htm) for hiking, anthropological study, nature retreat and astronomy. Quite a treat only 45 miles northwest of Santa Fe.