Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on May 10, 2014 16:11:25 GMT -6
Impromptu gathering of Astronomers and scopes
on a clear spring Friday night
09 May 2014
on a clear spring Friday night
09 May 2014
No plans were made to bring out scopes for this Friday evening, but it was such a clear sky and Chicago Astronomers were really itching to get out...and it's a shame to waste a clear night. Ideally, I desired to conduct a solo test session on equipment, tweaking performance and configurations, but we had no readily accessible site to set-up...so after some quick calls...it was to our usual observation site by the Adler Planetarium building.
We assembled about 7:30pm and prepared for a three planet and Moon session. The temps were chilly and it was windy, more than we expected, so much that I had to take down the Chicago Astronomer banner.
early on while we were setting up, our pals from the Chicago Astronomical Society were exiting from their monthly meeting and stopped by and chatted for a while....
For tonight's session, we will have Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and the Moon....quite a neat display of solar system objects and clearly laying out the ecliptic before us. I thought that the atmospheric conditions were not optimum and seeing was soft....preventing decent magnification. But despite this, the C.A. crew had several scopes out , including two Vixens, three SCTs and a reflector...
We all slewed around to different targets and at my station, Mars was requested...
To the trained astronomical eye, Mars was indeed displaying a nice polar ice cap and some terrestrial markings, but it was not one of the better views I have observed....and Mars is not an object for the "wow" factor. Being so small of a target, most viewers are disappointed in what they are looking at....a small light orange disk. Not the pictures seen on the web or on the outside of Bargain store telescope boxes. I tried to add a yellow orange filter to enhance the details, but it was futile and I went on to other objects.
Joining us for the first time with equipment was Jose, who has been following the Chicago Astronomer on line...
With his fork mounted Meade, he said this was his initial use of the instrument and got some good first views...
We also had Chicago Astronomers Rich, Bill, Javier and Jason as part of this quickly organized session...
Rich was breaking in his new acquisition Vixen scope with plans for serious imaging.
Chicago Astronomer fan Stacia arrived to join us with her enthusiasm and iPad..
Javier was set to do some auto-guide imaging, but it didn't work out as planned...
We slew to Saturn...
These sub standard shots were a test of conditions and not very good, but saturn will be with us for an entire summer of enjoyment.
The Moon was better, but not the best either.
The time was just racing by as we chatted with our guests and among ourselves, comparing views and swapping equipment...
Here are C.A. Rich's pics....
And by 10:30 pm...I made the call to cease the session and start to pack up our gear...
A good bunch of crack Astronomers......
We assembled about 7:30pm and prepared for a three planet and Moon session. The temps were chilly and it was windy, more than we expected, so much that I had to take down the Chicago Astronomer banner.
early on while we were setting up, our pals from the Chicago Astronomical Society were exiting from their monthly meeting and stopped by and chatted for a while....
For tonight's session, we will have Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and the Moon....quite a neat display of solar system objects and clearly laying out the ecliptic before us. I thought that the atmospheric conditions were not optimum and seeing was soft....preventing decent magnification. But despite this, the C.A. crew had several scopes out , including two Vixens, three SCTs and a reflector...
We all slewed around to different targets and at my station, Mars was requested...
To the trained astronomical eye, Mars was indeed displaying a nice polar ice cap and some terrestrial markings, but it was not one of the better views I have observed....and Mars is not an object for the "wow" factor. Being so small of a target, most viewers are disappointed in what they are looking at....a small light orange disk. Not the pictures seen on the web or on the outside of Bargain store telescope boxes. I tried to add a yellow orange filter to enhance the details, but it was futile and I went on to other objects.
Joining us for the first time with equipment was Jose, who has been following the Chicago Astronomer on line...
With his fork mounted Meade, he said this was his initial use of the instrument and got some good first views...
We also had Chicago Astronomers Rich, Bill, Javier and Jason as part of this quickly organized session...
Rich was breaking in his new acquisition Vixen scope with plans for serious imaging.
Chicago Astronomer fan Stacia arrived to join us with her enthusiasm and iPad..
Javier was set to do some auto-guide imaging, but it didn't work out as planned...
We slew to Saturn...
These sub standard shots were a test of conditions and not very good, but saturn will be with us for an entire summer of enjoyment.
The Moon was better, but not the best either.
The time was just racing by as we chatted with our guests and among ourselves, comparing views and swapping equipment...
Here are C.A. Rich's pics....
And by 10:30 pm...I made the call to cease the session and start to pack up our gear...
A good bunch of crack Astronomers......