Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on May 14, 2013 23:31:57 GMT -6
Taking out the scope out solo for some tweaks
15 May 2013
15 May 2013
This evening started out fairly clear and very warm. Quite a change from the norm this wet and cold spring. With temps in the 80's, I felt it was a good time to do a solo session and continue the tweaking of the C11's collimation.
Setting up away from the usual foot traffic of the public, C.A. Maria joined me...bringing her dog Ichi. The skies were absolutely terrible for observation - turbulent and hazy...the skies were not suitable for testing of optics. We had the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn, but all were bubbly with poor seeing conditions...
There was by chance, an unusual conjunction of star and Lunar limb....
At the lower end of Gemini, star HIP 35350 was making a nice pairing...
Talking a walk, were two very nice young geeks of the night sky, who saw the Beast and asked about it. Impressed, they enjoyed their first views of the Moon and planets through a telescope here along the lakefront area...
Clouds were on the move from the Northwest, pushing large air masses ahead of it. This was the best Saturn pic...which is really awful...
Jupiter was even worse...
Soon, the skies were socked over with cloud cover...
I didn't get the chance to tweak much this evening. I even brought the CG-5 to put the remote control of the mount via iPad through it's paces.
Another night....
