After the skies finally cleared, I drove to the ASH Naylor Observatory late last night. The transparency was a bit below average and the seeing was variable. The skies haven't been very dark at Naylor for some time, but I was compensated somewhat by being sheltered from the wind by the French Dome and being able to warm up and have a cup of cocoa in the Asper Building. The temperature in the dome was about 25 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 degrees Celsius) during the session.
My main target was Comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin). At times, I thought I caught a glimpse of it naked-eye. I spent a long time observing the comet with the 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain and its 5" f/5 finder scope, using magnifications of 118, 144, 162, 202, 218, 259, 324, 404x with the 17" and 20 and 40x with the 5". One observer has likened Comet Lulin to M31 and the comet certainly did look a bit like a miniature version of the Andromeda Galaxy. The comet's elongated shape was obvious. There was a bright pseudonucleus and I could trace its more prominent tail fairly easily, with the best view occuring at 162x. Comet Lulin's motion was readily apparent after a relatively short time. The comet was traveling at a rate of about 25 arc minutes per hour. C/2007 N3 (Lulin) will pass as close as 0.41 astronomical units to the the Earth on February 24.
I also viewed M3 (162x), Saturn (118, 162, 259, and 404x), M104 (162x), Gamma Virginis (259 and 404x), M13 (162 and 404x), M44 (20x), M65 (162x), and M66 (162x).
When I returned to my house, I observed the comet from my backyard for the first time using my Celestron 8x42s and 80mm f/5 Orion ShortTube 80 refractor at 16 and 44x. (The comet was visible through the ST80's 6x30mm finder scope.) I also had a quick look at Saturn before going to bed.
Dave Mitsky
My main target was Comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin). At times, I thought I caught a glimpse of it naked-eye. I spent a long time observing the comet with the 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain and its 5" f/5 finder scope, using magnifications of 118, 144, 162, 202, 218, 259, 324, 404x with the 17" and 20 and 40x with the 5". One observer has likened Comet Lulin to M31 and the comet certainly did look a bit like a miniature version of the Andromeda Galaxy. The comet's elongated shape was obvious. There was a bright pseudonucleus and I could trace its more prominent tail fairly easily, with the best view occuring at 162x. Comet Lulin's motion was readily apparent after a relatively short time. The comet was traveling at a rate of about 25 arc minutes per hour. C/2007 N3 (Lulin) will pass as close as 0.41 astronomical units to the the Earth on February 24.
I also viewed M3 (162x), Saturn (118, 162, 259, and 404x), M104 (162x), Gamma Virginis (259 and 404x), M13 (162 and 404x), M44 (20x), M65 (162x), and M66 (162x).
When I returned to my house, I observed the comet from my backyard for the first time using my Celestron 8x42s and 80mm f/5 Orion ShortTube 80 refractor at 16 and 44x. (The comet was visible through the ST80's 6x30mm finder scope.) I also had a quick look at Saturn before going to bed.
Dave Mitsky
Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
