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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Chicago Astronomers gather to enjoy a "WARM" weather observation session

It's warm a 55 degrees, it's clear...and dang...we are gonna do some astronomy this evening.

I was cleaning the garage this day of winters accumulated detritus, when looking out the garage doors....I see blue sky...clear blue sky.

Making calls to the Chicago Astronomer crew, we dig the opportunity to assemble this evening at 7:30 pm by the Adler.

I'm even gonna bring out the C11 beast for this first warm weather session....'cause I ain't grabbing no metal in bitter cold temp.

(Chick not included)

We will remain out there till about 9:00-ish I would imagine, enjoying the later winter skies with Saturn peeking over the Adler this evening.

The mad green laser pointer will also be joining us.

Let's beat the approaching clouds and have a nice time.

If in the area, stop by, say hi and take a peek.

Astro Joe

[Paulie pchris00]

It's been cloudy most of the day, but it was clearing up before sunset. Hope it stays that way. I might head home in a bit to do a little astronomy myself.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Mini session by the Adler -

It was a good observation.

Lugging out the Celestron 11, I set up just south of the Adler and soon fellow Chicago Astronomer Steve joined in for some warm late winter observation.

Setting up, I polar aligned the mount. It's a much easier task on the Ci700 mount than on the smaller CG5, (holding the C5 SCT), mount for some reason. And there was some slop on the tracking motors..working well in one axis, but hit and miss on the other. The mount needs attention soon before the heavy observation session starts. So I disconnected the power to the mount and we did it all manual push-to.

Temps were warm and I wore a light jacket, but the area by the lakefront was a bit muggy and some fog...but it didn't seem to hinder the views....and the dew wasn't that bad remarkably.

I targeted Mars first, and the C11 delivered a good sized disk and salmon colored. I saw some terrestrial markings and ice cap nicely, but I do need some eyepiece filters to help bring out planetary features.

(In the past, I used camera filters with great success, placing them in-between the focuser and the secondary mirror on the 4.5" Newt with an adapter...but can't do that here.)


Two very nice people stopped by to see what we were doing. They were setting up murals at the Adler for the new exhibit to be opening within days and were excited to see thru the telescope...

The couple were from Cincinatti and traveled to Chicago for this exhibit job. I slewed the scope to Saturn and displayed a thin ring and two satellites for them, which they were very fascinated and enthralled to be able to see first hand. Then off to Mars and the Orion nebula for our guests. Very much grateful and amazed on what they saw, they gave us Kit Kats as thanks....(which I promptly ate.)

Bill showed up soon after and took control of the scope,

...showing us a Planetary Nebula called "The Eskimo Nebula" - (NGC 2392)....

Of course, not as big, colorful as pictured here, but under bright Chicago light polluted skies, it was similar to this:

Quite cool to be able and catch this object and know what we were observing is what the Hubble picked up in that first colorful pic that the orbiting telescope took. No go-to here...all star hopping and Bill did a great job finding it.

We observed a bit more, but conditions were deteriorating and it was getting cold, with me donning on a heavier coat.....and called it a night...but not before astro fun with green lasers...

Bouncing green beams of death off the silver dew shield on the C11...we prepare to dash for some eats and post astro session laughs.

No astrophotography this session, as I need to work on that tracking problem before I take the C11 out next.

[Paulie pchris00]

Warm weather, Kit Kats, and green death lasers. Can't beat that!

The Hubble image of the Eskimo Nebula I think might have been a part of Dr. Hrvnak of Valparaiso University's research. He studies the evolution of dying stars, and does a lot of work with planetary nebulae. Last month's public talk was about his research, and he also used that image in his talk last year about astronomy with the Hubble Space Telescope. I'll have to ask him about that next time.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Paulie,

By the looks of the nebula....

It appears that it pulsated to death.

One massive blow out and several smaller pulses.

Cool stuff.