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[atomant]

The day started brisk and crisp, a typical Chicago spring.
Clear Sky Clock forecast a better than average night for observing with frost incoming.
Being a work day, it was going to be a short and sweet session.
I decided to bring the 6in Newt. A scope with a fast f/5 primary mirror with a built-in yard long dew shield.

Fortunately, traffic out of Chicago was light; I was able to get to Conway with enough sunlight to check collimation; a must for mirrored scopes.
I used a barlowed laser collimator to check primary mirror alignment.
It basically magnifies the "donut" mark in the center of primary; making it easier to see and make the adjustments.

I also did a little prepping by reading up on Dave Eicher's "Beyond the Solar System: 100 Best Deep-Sky Objects for Amateur Astronomers" I used it to create my hit list for the night.

Before I begin the galaxy tour, we'll start with the long lasting "energizer bunny" comet: c/2009 P1 aka Garradd.
Paulie found it touching the front paws of the Big Bear.

30sec, iso800, 750mm

Not too far from Big Bear's snout in a constellation I like to call the Giraffe, we find an 8th mag galaxy, Messier somehow skipped, ngc 2403.

90sec, iso800, 750mm

Moving back to the long tail? of the Big Bear, is the all-time fave, M51 whirlpool. What I gain in speed, I lose in image scale using 750mm newt vs 1134mm cat.

60sec, iso800, 750mm

Swinging down from the tail, are the Hunting Dogs.
We find M106, strange spiral galaxy.

60sec, iso800, 750mm

Onward, we reach Berenice's Hair filled with galaxies galore.
Here is M99, the Coma Pinwheel.
This basically 10th mag galaxy looks like Pacman upclose.

60sec, iso800, 750mm

Here's the 9th mag, M100, a nice face-on spiral.

120sec, iso800, 750mm

Here's my new fave, ngc 4565, the Needle; a great edge-on.

120sec, iso800, 750mm

Last time, I was not able to fit all of Leo's crown jewels.
With the 6in newt, I can.

120sec, iso800, 750mm

No longer in Mars glare, we definitely see the supernova in M95.

120sec, iso800, 750mm

And in Virgo, all-time fave, M104, Sombrero.
Quite a different perspective of these "large" galaxies thru short 750mm lens.

12sec, iso800, 750mm

A teaser to next tour, M3, globular cluster in Hunting Dogs.
With free space junk floater.

60sec, iso800, 750mm

With the moon waning, squeeze out what you can to catch these fainties with your light buckets.
Before Summer sneaks up on you.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

I find it always cool, on Bill's captures.

[Paulie pchris00]

I was looking forward to maybe doing some galaxy hunting this weekend, but Bill and I were watching the forecast all week, and decided that this might be our best shot. I'm still hoping for the weekend of the 20th and 21st (some of you will be getting emails soon), but likely nothing before then.

I should have been satisfied with this session, but I had planned on seeing some galaxies. My eyes never really got dark adapted, though, and I think the only galaxy I saw was M104. Knowing the clock was ticking down until I had to leave for work, I just couldn't get into the mindset for billions and billions of stars. Four planets, a comet that won't go away, Station, a bright fireball, a great galaxy, and good conversation should have been enough, but I felt disappointed as I drove off. I'm so accustomed to staying all night.

[Paulie pchris00]

CAS president Chris Brownewell posted a pic of NGC 4565, the spindle today, taken from his home observatory down where it gets really dark. C14 and about two hours total exposure. I believe he uses the hyperstar camera that replaces the secondary mirror to reduce the focal length.

dl.dropbox.com/u/13417272/NGC4565-041112.jpg