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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Well above freezing and the first Chicago Astronomer session of 2011

13 February 2011

Setting up by the Adler area at 6:30 pm this Sunday evening.

It's clear and relatively warm.

Chicago Astronomer Bill called to see if I was up to getting out and do some early season observing. After a harsh winter, with the third largest blizzard on record, it's time to begin stretching the astronomical muscles and see how the equipment endured the cold.

I'm in!

Nothing fancy for this shake out session, but going to finally try out the 56mm eyepieces & focal reducer on the C11 and experiment with a new elongated equipment carrying case.

Some Jupiter, lunar, M45 and other later winter object to be hunted down.

But still....the thermometer shows 46 degrees and the snow mountains are melting down...but setting up at our usual spot by the Adler will be cold.

Pics and narrative later.

[Paulie pchris00]

It's going to be chilly out by the Lake, but I hope you guys get some telescope time in, and get everything tried out. Have fun. Wish I was there.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

I shall dress quite warmly, with my igloo gloves & hood.

As the first Chicago Park District Family Nature Oasis Star Party is on the 8th of March, this is a much needed shake out session and see if things work or got damaged over this end times blizzard we survived.

I did notice the other day that a small wind blown mound of snow lays against my equipment - invaded from under the garage doors.

Tsk.

[RobbW]

Joe, today's warmer weather (by Chicago standards) definitely had me yearning for some sky time. Unfortunately, being an accountant at this time of year, I have lots of non-astronomical duties to keep me busy.

I tell ya, I cannot wait for the first night I get to bust my equipment out of basement storage. I'm guessing my first opportunity won't be until the end of March or beginning of April.

My wife, daughter, and mother-in-law are taking a girls' vacation to New Orleans. My MIL has always wanted to do a train trip. So, they have a sleeper on the Amtrack City of New Orleans at the end of March.

All that means I get a week of bachelorhood to plan for some much-needed scope time. I'm hoping the weather cooperates because I really want to plan a night or two out west a ways for some dark-sky observing. I would love to get away from the metropolitan lights for a couple nights and just revel in nature's glory after the crappy winter we've had.

If anyone is interested in setting up a dark sky road trip for the end of March, let me know. I'll have plenty of time for planning an observing session or two!!!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

An abbreviated session by the lakefront...

Arriving by the Adler Planetarium area I discovered that the street lamps by the usual Chicago Astronomer observation spot were "fixed"...illuminating the area in a wash of light.

Too bad,

But...

Solidarity Drive leading up to the area was shrouded in darkness, as all the street lamps were out. So...I set up along the drive instead for this first session of the year...

Chicago Astronomer Bill brought along his new 5" reflector that he just got hours before, (more about it in another session), and I brought out the C11 beast. The C11 worked well after a three month hibernation - no cracks, seizures or bindings. Nice...

But as we started our session, a cloud mass started to invade the area from the west and put any chance of a decent session out of this evening's activities. We did catch the Moon through the clouds and entertained some who wondered what we doing.

Something new...

I brought out the new prototype equipment case this evening...

This DJ mixer gig case was left by my rear gate before the blizzard, just leaning against it...and I thought it just might make a great accessory case - keeping everything together. I'm thinking that I can make one bay for eyepieces, one for the laptop and the other for incidentals. The top can hold maps, lights and other reference materials.

I have a string of L.E.D red lights that I recently got, intended to serve as a safety feature to keep people from bumping into the scope...but this night I loosely stretched it out inside the case, as shown in the pics. The case rests on a keyboard scissor stand, but not too sure I will keep it like that - kinda wobbly. With foam padding I have, it needs more shake out before it makes it to the Chicago Astronomer arsenal.

Maybe some wheels...... #idea#

Bill and I tested out the the new Russell Optics 56mm 2" eyepiece on the C11, but I'm not too thrilled about it. The FOV is not comfortable at all and I just make it my primary astrophotography eyepiece. And we did check out the 2" focal reducer, but I am also disappointed in it. More later when it gets warmer.

The winds picked up and were near gale at times, no time for having a scope out and we packed up - leaving about 9:30 pm. With the weather getting even warmer later on this week, it's almost a guarantee that we will be out again.

And so, we start with the Chicago Astronomer 2011 Observation season.... ;D

About time.

[RobbW]

Hey Joe, just wondering if the disappointing performance of the 56mm EP and 2" focal reducer were due to an abbreviated and crappy observing session. Or do you think it might lean more toward crappy build/performance on the part of the EP/FR?

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Robb,

When I was a silly kid, I spent many below zero hours outside...with my trusty 60mm refractor in the backyard. Dad thought I was nuts...but the cosmos had things to share with me.

Now, some undisclosed decades later, the cosmos still want to share many sights with me...but I don't answer the knock from December to March usually - unless there is a comet, eclipse or other astronomical event that brings me out.

I am better prepared these days for cold weather astronomy, modern fabrics and chemical heat pads...but I will leave the folly of winter astronomy to others and save the early spring nights for me.

I hope to have you out with the crew soon...and maybe even some distance observation sessions too!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Robb,

I had some change layin' around...doin' nothin'...and took a chance on these two items.

I forgot the Meade 56mm at home this session, so I could not conduct a shoot out, but the Celestron 40mm 2" eyepiece is much more comfortable to use. But...the Russell is more sharp edge-to-edge.

The weather was not a factor in the usage, but maybe if it were warmer, I would have put it through more and spent more time with it...perhaps in March.

The Focal reducer has some issues....as it displays the secondary as a dot in the middle of the FOV....but again, I need to fully shake this out later.

We will see.

[atomant]

Yep, it was time to climb out of hibernation.

Welcome Year of the bunny wabbit....

I killed two birds today in Bolingbrook: returned a space heater and bought a piece of used astro equipment.
A guy was trying to sell locally a Celestron goto mount for <$450, an Orion 8in OTA for <$200 and an Orion 5in Space Probe for <$100.
I gots meself the probe. Just barely a yard long. Let's see how it takes to the moon and planets this observing season.

During the "off" season, I mistakenly sold my 5in Vixen, in hopes of getting a shorty 6in for AP.
Waiting for the 6in to come across the ocean.

Mother Nature was a little cruel tonight for the probe's first light and Joe's new toys shootout.
It was clear up until 6:30pm and cleared up again after 10pm.
Note: observing started at around 7pm.
Hopefully we have more chances to thaw and observe later this week.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Bill,

Send me the info on the 8" please.

[atomant]

Hi Joe,

A gentleman is selling his used Orion 8in Newt Reflector f/4.9 optical tube.
It is posted on Astromart and Cloudy Nights classifieds under reflectors.

I think he has sold his Celestron goto mount.

[patrickm]

Jeez, sorry I missed this one gang!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Patrick,

How's the Corrector plate situation?

When we were setting up, Jupiter and Orion we waiting for us, but the clouds just had to pass at that time, cutting short my anticipation for M45 & the King of planets.

It was just a shake out to stretch the astronomical limbs anyway and see if things worked after months of sleep. Let's see if the week holds out and we can conduct a proper observing session...without fingers sticking to OTAs.

[patrickm]

Since I have been in Austin since we last discussed, it is unchanged. When I am only back for a few days, somehow spending one of those nights in the basement cleaning a CP doesn't sound that awesome...

Someday...