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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Chicago Astronomer Semi-Private Star party at Chicago Astronomer's Patrick's Observation site

16/17 July 2010

With a clear night before us, it was hard to deny ourselves a night out under the stars and a semi-private session was hastily organized.

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With the Adler area locked down for a concert at Northerly Island, auto traffic was to be limited....and I did not want to deal with it. We had several options to select from and Chicago Astronomer Paulie was in Chicago from Indiana, mentioning that we can utlilize Chicago Astronomer Patrick's local observation site at Horner Park hill...

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I was game...and with Chicago Astronomer Bill's lift to the site, we met Paulie already there and set up at various close locations on "The Hill".

I had a lot of bulky equipment - (including the C11) - to lug and with help from the crew, set down near a semi-flat spot. No way I was dragging it all up the hill...

Bill brought his William Optics refractor and both Paulie & Patrick their 4.5" Go-To Newtonians.

Patrick's wife, nephew and dog joined us for this new observation site of the crew...

There was a musical concert going on nearby and provided a nice background of tunes. Several people in attendance came up to see our scopes and ask questions, of which I passed out my cards for those interested in urban astronomy.

But before we start....a group shot...

I dig that Cassiopeia is raising here in the pic.

We can see Patrick set up high on the hill here...

Every once in awhile, blinding him with flash photography.

The area is nice with wide 360 skies, trees blocking out most of the streetlight glare. Although the south was washed out with light pollution and the air kinda hazy.

This was the first true tryout of my new 2" eyepieces, and they performed well. Pinpoints across the field and only at the very edge of the eyepiece was there any limited distortions. Starting out with the 40mm on new targets, we progressed through the mag series of 32mm & 26mm - then throwing in the 2x Barlow to finish off.

One of the first objects was M13 in Hercules, almost straight up. The C11 always brought out the marvel of the star cluster, even with 1.25' eyepieces, but the view through 2 inchers was spectacular. Wide comfortable field, yet decent magnification with the 40mm - resolving individual stars and lanes in the cluster. Popping in the other eyepieces, it took the magnification very well and even accepted the 26mm with Barlow , (making it a 13mm), still bright and detailed.

Very similar to this astroimage of M13 (Not mine).

The best I have ever viewed it from Chicago skies... ;D

We also targeted NGC 6341/M92 - M13's forgotten brother. It was bright and well defined in the C11, resolving individual stars.

Very similar to the above, but not as bright, (Not mine).


Saturn was good too, but we set up late and by the time I was ready, Saturn was already in the muck. But Paulie made sure that Bill and I caught Mercury in his Binoculars before it sank behind a building across the street.

M57 was equally as nice, bright, defined and sharp in the 2". Patricks's OIII & Nebula filters increased the contrast nicely and it was a wide comfortable view of the planetary nebula. And again, took the high magnification of the 26mm/Barlow combo well.

The Owl Star Cluster, (E.T.), was pin point in both 1.25" & 2" eyepieces...with the 1.25" bringing out a slightly darker contrast over the 2". (But only because the light path of the 1.25mm is smaller.)

Views of NGC 457 were similar to the above, (Not my image)

Whips of high clouds started to form and made the Dumbbell Nebula washed out a bit, but one could still discern the familiar shape. I knew regular filter would not bring out anything, but I still tried.

Good friend Gerry stopped by to share in the company and views...

(His pics of the session are coming shortly.)

And here they are.....

Andromeda and Satellite was nice in the 2". Bright core and took magnification well.

Similar to this image, (Not mine).


And speaking of satellites....

I saw an Iridium Satellelite flash in the east and followed another satellite in the C11 for quite a long time - manually pushing it until I lost it.

Patrick enjoyed all views through the C11...and so do I, especially now with the 2" hardware - which unbalances the OTA and needs adjustment.

Paulie and Hillary left after a long day for the long drive to Indiana, but so very cool to have them as part of the crew! We need to head out his way for some darker-Milky Way filled skies soon. As our resident Deep Sky Expert, Bill was busy assisting others in locating various DSO's and targets throughout the evenings session.

Throughout the session, I popped in a 40mm 1.25" eyepiece to compare the views of the 40mm 2" with each object we observed. And although the magnifications and clarity were similar between the 1.25" & 2" eyepieces...the 2 inchers are brighter, slightly sharper and much more comfortable to use...especially allowing us to keep our glasses on with great eye relief.

I can't go back to 1.25", but reserve them for high magnification, study work. I do need now, a camera adapter for the Canon Powershot S3 mating with the 2" Eyepieces. (It never ends...sigh... )

I recently got myself a 1.25" Focal Reducer on Ebay for $10.00 and tried it out this session. Bill and I were disappointed with the results. More later on another thread.

Jupiter rose above the tree line by 12:00 am, and we all slew to it. While still in the muck, we did enjoy views of the planet in our scopes. Jupiter took the 26mm/Barlow combo very well, bringing a small disk up to one of a sizable orb. Biggest I have ever seen Jupiter in a telescope! ( I think eventually some 17mm, 10mm and 5mm 2" eyepieces might be on the Chicago Astronomer wish list... )

I spent a large amount of time just slowly and randomly slewing the skies with the 40mm, enjoying the wide vista - around Cygnus, Cassiopeia and points due east. We remained long after the park closed and did not leave until 1:30 am - with the park and open sky to ourselves.

The crew will certainly return here again for more sessions, as we had fun and was a good night.

Thanks to Patrick for the find and Paulie for the recommendation...

[RobbW]

Darn, never even heard about this one! How were the skies compared to the Adler site?

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Robb,

It would have been slick to have you join us last evening.

Did you get the earlier email?

The one with various Chicago Astronomer topics?

Although it did not have details where we would be, ('cause I didn't know at the time), I want to know if you got it.

For instances like this, where I arrange a session at the last moment, we need some sort of flash messaging system to all your cell phones.

Google voice has a limited option, but not good.

If any Chicago Astronomer reader here knows of a good mass message app, one that would alert members via cell phone, it would be cool.

Please do let me know.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Oh...

And the skies were better in terms of 360 views, but transparency was about the same.

But the Chicago Astronomer Research Site, (CARS), has great eastern vistas over the lake.

[Paulie pchris00]

I have something to add here, but I had a looonnnggg day yesterday, there are hundreds of people in downtown Valpo around the Square, and the Moon is up, so I think I'll try some street astro. I try to post tomorrow. Great time!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Paulie,

What makes the Chicago Astronomer interesting, is reading about the experiences of fellow C.A's at our sessions.

The details of observation, problems with equipment or just personal sentiments are all cool to share. Observational astronomy is usually a solo activity by nature - studying the bands on Jupiter, watching crater rim mountains creep shadows across the lunar floor or tracking down NGC's.

Takes a special kind of astronomer who enjoys sharing with complete strangers - and you and our other members make great Chicago Astronomers.

[RobbW]

Joe, I did get the email, but unfortunately I didn't check my email until this morning after checking the updates on CA. So, mostly my own fault for not checking email and at least having a clue that something might be in the works. The email was a pretty cool way to keep everyone up-to-date on what's been going on lately. I agree with you that it would be nice to come up with a centralized messaging system to quickly alert CA members to such events. Even if members wouldn't be able to make it anyway, it's cool to know that something is going on!

[patrickm]

We all had a blast too. Jordan is writing up something and we'll post pics from his camera shortly, I hope.

The park and lot close at 11. In the future, I suggest just parking in lot long enough to unload and then finding a street spot on Montrose or California until you need to load out, and then moving back to the lot for a quick getaway. When the lot is empty, the cops have no reason to run us off, and I have never even had a conversation with them in my time there.

Robb, I am sorry you didn't hear about it. I was running around with nephew all day and in a play until 10, so I was out of touch except to offer the spot up when the loose planning was happening. Would you have come in? If so, I am really super sorry we didn't get the word out.

iphone does group IM very easily (just don't ask it to actually call anybody). Would be happy to set up a group. You can also email group to text. For example, ATT customers' email to text is [e-mail], so you can actually email out an IM to phones. If everybody could just let you know their text email, like you use for me, then you could set up that group on your phone also. but again, I am happy to host the group on my phone.

Hillary and Caine quickly became fast friends and she kept him pretty calm even with a few, distant, stray fireworks. Thanks! He likes a butt scratch as much as the next doggie, but have never seen him turn into a Yorkie/lap dog before!

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[Paulie pchris00]

Last Tuesday night, Hillary mentioned she wanted to go to Navy Pier Friday, and I said yes without even thinking about it, telling her we would probably take the South Shore train. The Ogden Dunes station is within walking distance of her house, and I thought I might be tired since I had to work Thursday night. The longer I thought about it, though the more I wanted to drive. Can’t easily haul a telescope around riding trains into and around the city, after all!

I messaged Joe and Patrick late Wednesday/early Thursday that Friday’s forecast looked promising, and let them know I would be in the city. A little more prodding text messages Friday afternoon, and by nightfall we were assembled on Horner Hill.

Hillary and I spent the day wandering around Navy Pier, getting there just in time to catch the 3:00 showing of Hubble 3D. Man, it was even cooler the second time around. With plenty of time to kill, we played some mini-golf and rode the Ferris Wheel, all courtesy of Navy Pier, since their computer system was down, and had no way to ring up the sales! Nice.




Hillary.





I aced the 18th hole of mini-golf, which is set up like an old electric slot car track. I went the overpass route.



The Adler from the Ferris Wheel. Going up!



About 7:15 we found ourselves with nothing much to do, standing on a balcony overlooking the locks and Monroe Harbor. I was gazing up to the Moon, already getting lower above the skyline. I had the crazy idea of setting up my go-to 9the only scope I brought with me for this session), but Hillary talked me out of it. Besides, I had a pretty good idea how to get to Horner Park, but it would still be better to find it before dark.

We found a parking lot off of California, and walked around the park until I found what had to be Patrick’s observing hill. Just as he noted in some posts, there was a soccer game taking place on the hill, and a decent crowd was gathered at the foot on the northwestern side for a music concert. We went back to the car to find a closer parking spot, and carry out the telescope, chair, and blanket to set up camp. While setting up, the concert was between acts, and the emcee mentioned that it was nice to have such a great audience gathered under the quarter Moon. I yelled out that it was a five day old Moon, but I don’t think he heard me. Always ready to get some accurate astronomy information out to the public!



An early look at the Moon and Venus.





Enjoying the concert.


Patrick had texted me in the afternoon that Andre Williams would be performing at 9:30. I’d never heard of him, but he seems to have quite a loyal following. While he was on stage, a couple came over to check out the Moon through the telescope, and I pointed out the planetary line-up of Venus, Mars, and Saturn. I was still looking for Mercury at that time, and I finally found it, and let them check it out with my binoculars. Marc found it easily enough, but Callie had no luck, and admitted to having a little too much drink. Understandable with such a hot humid day, and some good music in the background.



Cool concert goers Marc & Callie



Andre Williams performing.





The collimation in the go-to hasn’t been holding lately. I had the Moon looking okay with a 25mm eyepiece, but it wouldn’t take a 9mm, and Saturn looked awful no matter what. I was trying to tweak it, when Hillary said she saw Joe heading up the hill, so I went to greet him and Bill. With Mercury not naked eye visible and about to disappear below a building, I let them have a look with the binos before hauling their equipment to our site.

Patrick and company showed up around 10:30, the concert had ended, and the crowd was pretty much dispersed, leaving the observation hill to the astronomers. With three other scopes out now, I shut down mine, and did some binocular viewing between checking out what everybody else was finding. I was glad Julia and Caine were there, because sometimes I think Hillary gets bored when I’m wrapped up in astronomy, but she won’t admit it. She loves dogs though, and Caine liked her, too.



Left to right: Jordan, Julia, Patrick, Joe.



Hillary getting bored, sleepy, or both...



...until she made friends with Caine.

When Jupiter peeked over the eastern treeline just after midnight, I turned my scope on again, getting a decent enough look, and just as importantly, Hillary had seen the five naked eye planets in one night for the first time. Nice.

After that it was time to go. By myself I probably would have stayed out until the group broke up, but Hillary was sleepy, so I had to get her home. When I finally got home about 2 AM, I went back out for a little while, but I was worn out too, and after a quick look at Jupiter, and a binocular scan of the Milky Way, I was off to bed too.

People don’t understand why, when on a really good night I can catch a glimpse of the Milky Way at home, would I want to drive into the light pollution of Chicago for astronomy? Hanging out with Joe, Patrick, Bill, and the rest of the crew that I’ve met more than makes up for the glow of city lights, and that’s why I happy to join them every chance I get.