(Viewed 682 times)

[sarwat]

Three clear nights in a row...rain gods are finally frowning upon us; which is good news for star gazers.

Now about the title: Bad is good. Tonight the transparency was not as good as last night. Interestingly, it made the details on Jupiter more visible. I could pick upto six bands, and I _think_ I saw a hint of the great red spot, I have to confirm that by checking its transition time table.

Also picked Ras algethi and Albireo: double stars with amazingly different colors. Algethi B is supposed to be green but it looked pale blue to me. In any case both of them were beautiful sights.

Now, believe it or not, I even saw the Great Cluster in Hercules. Yes, in Chicago skies. The reason is that I am very near to the lake front and eastern sky is appreciably darker. Even so, it took me about fifteen minutes to put it in the eyepiece. Just a blob at 61X. Too faint (invisible) at higher powers.

These three nights have been great.

Sarwat

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Three clear nights in a row...rain gods are finally frowning upon us; which is good news for star gazers

Sarwat...Don't say that! You'll cloud us over for sure on Tuesday!!!

Yes, this evening was not as good as the past two...which were remarkable. I did not have the time to set up the scope, so I just scanned the skies with the binos, but the muck Friday evening was quite disheartening.

It is a good thing to catch M31, as I have not this year, but I have still to go thru the entire Messier list.

If the sky is clear on saturday eveing, I shall set up and attempt a session. If anything, I get to meet nice people asking questions.

Joe
[glow=blue,2,300]Chicago Astronomer[/glow]

[sarwat]

hmm looks like my eyes are getting overtrained. The great read spot though transiting at the time could not have been where I thought it was. And there is no way I could have seen six bands, even photos taken with 5" don't properly show six. Time to stop imagining things...

Sarwat

[NatureDevil]

Well, Saturday night was clouded over the whole city, and the lake area by Adler was packed as there was some fireworks show going on. I thought they only did that on Wednesadays?

The Messier list....aren't there a bunch of things that Charles Mesier had on his list that to this day haven't been found, thought to be dead stars or comets? I used to have a poster of almost all of his discoveries long ago, now lost.

NatureDevil

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Mr. Messier was quite drunk with apple wine one evening and decided to create an impossible list to follow.

He smirks at us to this day.

Joe
[glow=blue,2,300]Chicago Astronomer[/glow]