Many Moons – 19 March 2008

location: Tomball, TX
time: 830pm-1030pm
cloud cover: 0%
transparency: 100%
seeing: avg (3/5) to poor (2/5)
darkness: city sky glow, full moon
wind: 5-10mph nnw
humidity: 30% up to 50%
temperature: 59F-53F
dewpoint: 31F-39F

M42 in 25mm. Less nebulosity discernible than normal presumably due to full moon.

Observed iota cancri; color of primary (reddish) not as distinct as nights past.

No detail visible in Mars.

Saturn’s moons best in 25mm. Titan and Rhea clear, Tethys and Dione occasionally obscured by bad seeing, Iapetus a challenge, often obscured.

Waxing full moon very bright. First time to attempt identification of features. ID’d Tycho, Copernicus, Kepler, Aristarchus, and Mare Crisium.

 

Zeke’s Place – March 08, 2008

Location: Tomball
Temperature: upper 40’s
Clouds: none
Seeing: average (3/5)
Transparency: good (4/5)
Instrument: 8″ SCT

First night to observe from Zeke’s place. The sky is slightly darker than home and the area has wider overhead field of view than home.

Observed Saturn in 25mm, several moons visible. Titan, Rhea, and Iapetus were clear. Dione sometimes faded out with bad seeing. Tethys was occasionally visible but quite faint just above and to the left of the rings. Both Dione and Tethys were easier in the 15mm, which developed a smudge.

Also visited a few double stars. Iota cancri was splendid contrast of red and blue.

We observed m42 and discussed the process of star formation within nebulae.

Zeke wanted to see Mars. The “dark” patch of Syrtis Major was visible — an area of just slightly diminished brightness compared with the rest of the planet.

Open Clusters, Doubles, & Saturn – March 04, 2008

temp: 53F-46F
humidity: 37%-70%
transparency: 4/5 – 5/5
seeing: average 3/5

Attempted M1 (Crab Nebula) with 25mm, 32mm, 10mm, could not discern any nebulosity
using 25mm
M35 – dozens of stars, many bright – bow shape in center
M36 – moderately bright cluster, some linear patterns
M37 – faint cluster, few lines, bright center star
M38 – odd abstract bilateral symmetry of four rays (two short, two long), center star

M41 – behind a tree
M42 – observed to test dark adaptation of my eyes after failing to see M1. region is impressive as a cluster

M46 – wide cluster in 32mm, celestron controller indicated nebula in field of view, but I could not discern any
M47 – several bright stars, prominent lines, one tight pair of similar magnitude
M48 – dozens of similar magnitude stars, no prominent lines, many “wide” pairs
M50 – sparse cluster, wide magnitude range
M67 – dim cluster with pleasing random arrangement

Rigel – companion much fainter, 9.5″ separation
lambda orionis – similar magnitude companion 4″ separation, very close in 10mm but distinct during moments of good seeing
sirius – could not discern companion

Saturn was bright, Titan clear. Dione was dim but distinct. Rhea was very faint, disappearing at times with poorer seeing.