Post by wwpierre on Apr 7, 2012 12:39:18 GMT -6
The Pacific Northwest isn't the best place to be an astronomer, but observing opportunities this winter have been especially scarce. When the sky cleared this afternoon, I was looking forward to some quality astronomating. When I set up my CG5GT this evening, the bubble was already level, and when I looked through the polar scope, there was Polaris, just off a bit to the side, long before it was naked eye visible. Nice, but not that remarkable, considering I was setting up in the usual setup spot.
I clipped my new C8 SCT, (recently won on eBay) on the mount and began the alignment procedure. Before it was complete, a fellow came along the waterfront trail, which goes through my front yard. He was accompanied by a little dog, which in the deepening gloom looked like a miniature collie. The dog began to bark at me and I informed it that it wasn't scaring me one bit. The master asked what I was doing, and stayed around while I completed the alignment and then showed him M42, mars, and Bode's nebula. He wasn't sure what a galaxy was, (which I found scary) but he was able to recognize the very faint Cigar Galaxy (M82) as something that was actually there in his view. M81, which I showed him next, was easier to see.
By the time he left, it was as dark as it was gonna get, and I noticed that the newly installed security light in the log sort across the channel hadn't been turned on. My request to the foreman had been granted. This thing is like, ten million candlepower[glow=red,2,300]
Anyway, I went over to the log sort yard a few days ago and impressed on the foreman what a negative impact this light had on my quality of life, and that I was expecting some folks up from Vancouver on the weekend to look at the stars, and could he please shade it or something, ...........and he did something!
Monday I'll take a case of beer over there and offer to modify the light so it will shine on their parked trucks without shining in my eyes.
I looked at a bunch more stuff, and then went inside to warm up and wait for the moon to rise through the trees on top of the Chief. This is one of my favourite things to do. Perhaps I will try and photograph it tonight. It is pretty spectacular. The Stwamous Chief rises 20 degrees into my S/E sky, and shades me from the Greater Vancouver light dome.
After watching the moon-rise I turned the scope on Saturn, and with my 30mm Siebert and the 3X TeleVue barlow, (200X) I was able to see the Cassini Division, one of my astronomating goals, for the first time. It kept fading in and out. I wasn't sure I would ever see it from here.
All in all, a satisfying session.
I clipped my new C8 SCT, (recently won on eBay) on the mount and began the alignment procedure. Before it was complete, a fellow came along the waterfront trail, which goes through my front yard. He was accompanied by a little dog, which in the deepening gloom looked like a miniature collie. The dog began to bark at me and I informed it that it wasn't scaring me one bit. The master asked what I was doing, and stayed around while I completed the alignment and then showed him M42, mars, and Bode's nebula. He wasn't sure what a galaxy was, (which I found scary) but he was able to recognize the very faint Cigar Galaxy (M82) as something that was actually there in his view. M81, which I showed him next, was easier to see.
By the time he left, it was as dark as it was gonna get, and I noticed that the newly installed security light in the log sort across the channel hadn't been turned on. My request to the foreman had been granted. This thing is like, ten million candlepower[glow=red,2,300]
B R I G H T !!!!!
[/glow] and shines directly toward my house. I mean, so bright that if someone were stealing fuel from the parked trucks, or vandalizing them, you wouldn't be able to see the perp in the glare.Anyway, I went over to the log sort yard a few days ago and impressed on the foreman what a negative impact this light had on my quality of life, and that I was expecting some folks up from Vancouver on the weekend to look at the stars, and could he please shade it or something, ...........and he did something!
Monday I'll take a case of beer over there and offer to modify the light so it will shine on their parked trucks without shining in my eyes.
I looked at a bunch more stuff, and then went inside to warm up and wait for the moon to rise through the trees on top of the Chief. This is one of my favourite things to do. Perhaps I will try and photograph it tonight. It is pretty spectacular. The Stwamous Chief rises 20 degrees into my S/E sky, and shades me from the Greater Vancouver light dome.
After watching the moon-rise I turned the scope on Saturn, and with my 30mm Siebert and the 3X TeleVue barlow, (200X) I was able to see the Cassini Division, one of my astronomating goals, for the first time. It kept fading in and out. I wasn't sure I would ever see it from here.
All in all, a satisfying session.