Sun - June 17, 2007

Mon - October 30, 2006

Observation Log 10/30/06: Comet SWAN (C2006 M4) #3! Plus my first M13, not at all my first M31

I'd read that Comet SWAN would be impossible to see after last weekend, since the Moon is 62% illuminated, shining at -12.7 magnitude, and it culminates at 6:53PM EST, which is prime viewing time for the setting SWAN before it drops toward the murky horizon. Perhaps it was the 75mph wind storms we've had for the last 24 hours, but the sky was quite clear of haze tonight, and SWAN was an easy target.

I was also fortunate to stumble upon M13, a globular cluster orbiting outside the plane of the Milky Way, which I'd never actually looked for before, but I knew it would be nearby SWAN. Just for fun, since I was already out with my Canon 10x30 IS binoculars, I also had a peek around Cassiopeia, and of course M31, the Andromeda Galaxy. [end]

(Image by Starry Night)

Posted at 07:10 PM     Read More     |

Thu - October 26, 2006

Wed - October 18, 2006

Tue - September 19, 2006

Pluto 2006

Pluto 2006 - 134340

Now we count just eight
Still she'll grace a velvet sky
When Earth is no more


Orbital graph of Pluto is the work of Renu Malhotra, from her book,
Pluto and Charon (University of Arizona Press, 1997)
[end]

Posted at 09:18 AM     Read More     |

Sun - August 13, 2006

Sat - August 12, 2006

Sun - April 30, 2006

Observation Log 4/30/06: Comet Schwassman-Wachman (73P)

My first look was a bit of a disappointment, since my binoculars just didn't collect enough light. So, tonight I got out my Celestron 8i and my 2" Naglers for a better look

Posted at 11:59 PM     Read More     |

Thu - April 20, 2006

Observation Log 4/20/06: Comet Schwassman-Wachman (73P)

It's up there, but if I didn't already know where to look with my Oberwerks 10x70 binos... forget it

Posted at 11:54 PM     Read More     |

Sat - April 1, 2006

Tue - March 28, 2006

Mon - March 27, 2006

Sun - March 5, 2006

Observation Log 3/5/06, 4AM: Found Comet Pojmanski

I didn't plan it this way, but I awoke at 4AM this morning, looked outside and saw a gorgeous, clear sky, and was outside 5 minutes later. Finding Comet Pojmanski (here's another picture) was easy with a quick reference Sky & Telescope's article and to Starry Night. I started with the Canon binoculars, could only see a faint fuzzy, so I went back inside for the Oberwerks binoculars & tripod. The view was pretty much the same, with many more stars visible in the background, but with a slight green tint to the coma. I couldn't discern a tail, even with fully dark-adapted eyes and about 15 minutes dedicated observing to the one object. The Sun did have a noticeable progressive effect on the contrast of the eastern sky as time went on.

Posted at 05:50 AM     Read More     |

Tue - February 28, 2006

Observation Log 2/28/06: I can't believe it, I just watched a SuitSat flyover!

I wrote earlier today about my meticulously geeky plans to try and bag SuitSat. I just got back indoors from the attempt, and I don't believe it, but I did it!

The short story is that the talking laptop was the real key. That, and having practiced the flyover several times using the talking AppleScript and Starry Night with all the labels and lines turned off. Oh, and a bit of damn good luck at just the right time. I used my laptop, my Oberwerks 11x70 binoculars on a cheap tripod, and my Canon 10x30 IS binoculars for quick spotting.

Once I got outside, I couldn't see my first and last guide stars, and Cepheus was lost in the city-glow to the north. I had only left 15 minutes to set up, get my eyes dark adapted, and practice acquiring the target stars. It wasn't enough. I picked a spot with the widest view I could find, which barely included Alpheratz and Pherkad. Algenib at the extreme left, and AIkaid, to my extreme right, were both behind the trees. I got the laptop set up and got down to finding the target stars I could see. I had intended to use the Great Square to find Alpheratz, but the other three stars were behind the trees. Then the laptop told me SuitSat was coming above the horizon, and I had 85 seconds before it passed Algenib. I used the time to try and find Iota Cephei and Alfirk. I was close, but not positive. The laptop said 10 seconds to Algenib. I swung the Oberwerks over to my best candidate for Algenib and waited to hear the marks for entering and exiting the FOV. Nothing. Then the laptop said I had 25 seconds to frame Alpheratz. I realized then that's what I had been looking at all along. I stayed on that star, cheated the FOV down and to the right for a better view, and waited. A moment after the laptop said I should see SuitSat, there it was. It was much dimmer than I expected, perhaps a bit brighter than 6th magnitude at this point, but I immediately noticed that it came in and out of view every five seconds, which matches the suit's spin rate quoted on A. J. Farmer's blog, which also reported the photographic SuitSat observation from Singapore. SuitSat was also traveling faster than I'd thought, and I kept lifting the legs on the cheap tripod as I tried to keep up. I held SuitSat in my Field Of View for about 15 seconds, and lost it somewhere near Iota Andromedae. The laptop said I had 27 seconds to frame Iota Cephei at the top of my FOV. I had to guess again. Thankfully, I had to foresight to add a few informational spoken messages, and at 6:44:00, the laptop said, "SuitSat is directly below Cassiopeia at 30 degrees altitude." That was an easy one, and within 15 seconds I'd reacquired SuitSat, and I held it until it ducked behind the trees, just past Pherkad.

Posted at 06:59 PM     Read More     |

Mon - February 27, 2006