WOO! Will take the sting off another likely Cubs loss.

Spent all last night again trying for collimation. <sigh> It can't be this hard...

A bientôt!
p

I don't think it's gonna happen kids.

But...

I can be convinced for a Sunday evening session!

Let's see how it looks at 5pm this evening.

Agreed. Good call, Joseph.

Probably can't make it tomorrow as we have tix to see Eleventh Dream Day at The Hideout, but I'll be there in spirit.

Thanks for trying.

Alright...

I know I cancelled it, but the sky is absolutely clear and I'm heading out to the Adler site with a fellow Chicago Astronomer.

If you read this in time, you are free to join in.

- The skies clear for two Chicago Astronomers....

I had resigned that there would be no astronomy this evening - considering Clear Sky Clock and weather maps said we would be socked in with cloud cover. So I spent some time in the garage, messing around with new filters, (more on this later).

Every once in awhile, I would go out and look skyward, and although did see some blue sky, it most certainly be "sucker holes", and would soon close up. But, as it got darker and around 7:30 pm - I was amazed to see the thin crescent Moon and Venus...and no clouds!

Dang!




I took some quick shots, enjoying the sights...and feeling bad that I called off the session, started to set up my C5 SCT, but stopped. The promise of a clear sky evening was too tempting and I called Chicago Astronomer Bill to see what he thought about an impromptu session. He too checked the weather sources, and they say cloud cover....but they skies were clear. There were clouds hugging the western horizon, but I wasn't sure if the blanket would be heading our way.

We agreed to make good use of this unexpected opportunity and shoot over quickly to the Adler site for some Saturn imaging.

Rushing to pack the C11 equipment into the car, I was trying to beat any incoming clouds and make it a wasted trip. When I got to the area, there was a concert going on at Northerly island and cars were being turned away en masse. But, The Chicago Astronomer was granted access, (of course), and off we went to set up. Police stopped by to see what we were doing, and as a former member of the CPD, (seems like a lifetime ago), we were in like Flint and with rock star parking. The Officers enjoyed the views a lot and want to bring their kids along when we have more sessions..... ;D




The skies were holding out nicely, although it was a it windy, preventing any serious astro-imaging - the OTA was just shaking too much with the breeze - I did manage to capture some half decent Saturn pics...




A private event was being held at the Adler as well, and people from the concert and the event stopped by and asked to see what we were doing. Sharing views and talking astronomy is a fun part of public observation sessions, and Bill & I were happy to share.

The Crescent Moon was quickly sinking fast and managed to grab a wind shaken shot against the skyline..




Views of Saturn were very good this evening and I counted four Saturnine satellites in this shaky shot....



Bill attached his own DSLR to the C11 for some imaging, but without the proper adapters for his camera, the results were limited...



Bill located M57 as it was popping into view over the Adler, and it was a nice view. We used a nebula filter on his 12mm eyepiece...and with a darkened site and dark adapted eyes...it will bring out nice detail...and maybe even the central star.



And with that and at 11:30pm...we closed up shop and happy that we took the time to ventured out on this surprise session. This was not to be a serious session, but one to enjoy the surprise clear evening. ..but with the events going on...and the traffic limited to the general public, it was a good thing to have cancelled the call for a group. I would have felt bad if you all came out and got turned away.




Wednesday, May 19th, looks like the next good night for some observing and Thursday is the Adler's After Dark activities to work scopes for our visitors.

Updates on the Wednesday session later.

Man, I was looking forward to last night. The Atlantis & ISS flyovers were going to be too good to miss, and Hillary and I wanted to hang out in Chicago. With the weather not looking so great, I slept late, and wouldn't have made it to the city in time even if I had seen the un-cancellation notice. Still, around 8 PM it loked like the clouds were clearing, so I picked up Hillary and drove back home with hopes of imaging the two spacecrafts.




There was an opening in the clouds on the western horizon, and it looked like they might be opening overhead, but that must have been an illusion.

I trust the ISS times from heavens-above.com, and so when I didn't see anything between 8:32 and 8:38, I had to blame the clouds. The opening in the west was where ISS should have appeared first, but it's usually dim at first, and I was trying to pick it up naked eye instead of using binoculars.

Same thing happened at 8:46 when Atlantis should have appeared. I was disappointed, but seeing that sliver Moon slipping away made me feel a little better.




Hillary doesn't show much interest in the Moon, but she does like Venus.




Vivitar Vivicam 5024 pressed to a 25mm eyepiece in my 6" Orion Skyquest Dobsonian.




Ditto, except for a 10mm eyepiece.