Post by timothy on Dec 24, 2004 0:35:58 GMT -6
Hi All frozen astronomers
It's been a good month or so since I have been able to get out and do a little observing ( thanks to the clouds ). Finally it's clear!
Fearlessly braving the -9 wind chill I set up my trusty 5" Bushnell under the moonlight soaked night sky, hoping to get a glimpse of the new comet in town, Q2 ( Macholtz ). It was me against frozen time and frozen toes. With Orion the mighty hunter urging me on I finished up a roll of film on the moon ( hand held afocal ) then I began the search for the comet with my binoculars ( only on side is working from all the years of bouncing around and my trying to fix them. Not to worry though, I have a new pair of 10-50's coming from Orion ) So anyway no luck finding Q2 with my ocular. I realize that I will need a chart . Welcoming the heat I print a chart from my starry night and head back out. The only star I can see in Eridanus is Gamma Eridini, so I draw an imaginary line up and a little to the east to where Omicron 1 and 2 Eridani should be , then a line through the feet of Orion to the west, where they intersect should lurk Q2. Eurica !
Well it's sure nice to see another comet, especially one that the person it is named after has posted here on The Chicago Astronomer, makes this comet seem more personal. I'll be following along untill it gets up by the Pleiades to do my sketch,Just like Q4 and the Beehive in May 04, The conjunction makes for a nice picture.
Like a thief in the night, I steal a quick look at M42 before my toes fall off. Well it turns into a long gaze and Orion rewards me by revealing some more of the dark lanes surrounding his most famous nebula.
Catch A Star
Tim
It's been a good month or so since I have been able to get out and do a little observing ( thanks to the clouds ). Finally it's clear!
Fearlessly braving the -9 wind chill I set up my trusty 5" Bushnell under the moonlight soaked night sky, hoping to get a glimpse of the new comet in town, Q2 ( Macholtz ). It was me against frozen time and frozen toes. With Orion the mighty hunter urging me on I finished up a roll of film on the moon ( hand held afocal ) then I began the search for the comet with my binoculars ( only on side is working from all the years of bouncing around and my trying to fix them. Not to worry though, I have a new pair of 10-50's coming from Orion ) So anyway no luck finding Q2 with my ocular. I realize that I will need a chart . Welcoming the heat I print a chart from my starry night and head back out. The only star I can see in Eridanus is Gamma Eridini, so I draw an imaginary line up and a little to the east to where Omicron 1 and 2 Eridani should be , then a line through the feet of Orion to the west, where they intersect should lurk Q2. Eurica !
Well it's sure nice to see another comet, especially one that the person it is named after has posted here on The Chicago Astronomer, makes this comet seem more personal. I'll be following along untill it gets up by the Pleiades to do my sketch,Just like Q4 and the Beehive in May 04, The conjunction makes for a nice picture.
Like a thief in the night, I steal a quick look at M42 before my toes fall off. Well it turns into a long gaze and Orion rewards me by revealing some more of the dark lanes surrounding his most famous nebula.
Catch A Star
Tim
