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[patrickm]

Gonna set up in the little neighborhood park starting around 7:30 and invite the neighbors to check out Saturn, Venus, and Mars. Should be a beautiful night! All are welcome.

Attachments:

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

It will indeed be a great night for some scope time.

[patrickm]

A fun and frustrating night.

Had about 10 kids and 6 adults waiting when the sun went down. Did not take the time to align the scope. MISTAKE. But Venus was already sinking behind trees and so I eyeballed the slim crescent into the FOV. Every kid said, "It looks like the moon!" until we really lost it in the trees. It was then that I realized my terrible error. I had not aligned my finder. I told my unaligned scope to go to Saturn, but it was way, way off. I had no terrestrial objects to use for alignment that were far enough away either. Kids were super patient. Adults less so. Lost a few. Got frustrated. Finally reeled it in. "Worth the wait" was them heard a lot. By then, it was 9:30 and everyone trailed off for home.

I stayed out until about 11, but spent most of my time fiddling w/finder mount alignment and watching Saturn.

Seeing was just OK and transparency was worse than forecast.

Ended up with about 12 adults and 10-12 kids. Some kids asking if we would see the same things as last time with good memories. Saturn is a rock star. Overall, a fun night, but I sorely tested my own patience.

List: Sunken Gardens 14 May 2012

Polaris - Alpha UMi
(Variable Double Star in Ursa Minor)
Observed: May 14, 2012 20:45:14

Venus
(Planet in Taurus)
Observed: May 14, 2012 20:25:40
Behind a tree mostly

Bode's Nebulae - M 81
(Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major)
No luck tonight.

Mars
(Planet in Leo)
Observed: May 14, 2012 22:10:54

Sombrero Galaxy - M 104
(Spiral Galaxy in Virgo)
Observed: May 14, 2012 23:21:21
Core with averted vision.

Saturn
(Planet in Virgo)
Observed: May 14, 2012 20:45:07
Great but a but watery higher than 23mm

Titan
(Moon of Saturn in Virgo)
Observed: May 14, 2012 20:45:00

Tethys
(Moon of Saturn in Virgo)
Observed: May 14, 2012 20:45:12

Enceladus
(Moon of Saturn in Virgo)
Observed: May 14, 2012 20:00:23

Double Double - Epsilon1 Lyr
(Double Star in Lyra)
Observed: May 14, 2012 23:40:35

[atomant]

A couple more sessions and setting up scope will be second nature.
Curious how high are the trees now. And how's that streetlight?

[patrickm]

Main street light still out. One on corner is second nature.

I need a lot of practice. Was just dumb not to align finder when I had the chance...

Trees are trees. Looking to west is rough and north is patchy but NE to SW horizon pretty good. Planets are no problem.

Mosquitos.