SN 2009dd Observations

I spent last night at one of the best "local" sites (43 miles distant) with a group of fellow Chesmont Astronomical Society members. There was quite an array of equipment present including an 8" APM refractor, a 10" modified Meade Dob, an 18" Obsession Dob, two 20" Obsession Dobs, and a 22" Astrosystems Telekit Dob. I viewed the supernova through the 8" refractor and the 10, 18, and the 22" Dobs. It was visible intermitently through the 8 and 10-inchers but wasn't particularly difficult with the 18" and was rather easy (I could hold it steadily) with the 22". The owner likes to observe DSOs at high magnifications (later on we looked at M51 at a power of over 700x) and at 360x SN 2009dd stood out quite well.

I had also observed the supernova on Wednesday night from the Astronomical Society of Harrisburg's Naylor Observatory, which is now compromised by light pollution, using a 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain. The transparency was rather poor but I was able to see the supernova fleetingly.

The first time I saw SN 2009dd was the previous Thursday night from a dark sight in the Tuscarora State Forest. My friend Tony Donnangelo and I observed the exploding star through his 20" Starmaster Sky Tracker Dob.

Dave Mitsky

Last night, I met two fellow CAS members at a dark site that's located 48 miles away from my home. The supernova was one of the objects that we observed with a 6" f/8 Astrozap refractor. The owner was certain that he saw SN 2009dd. I may have seen a faint flicker of light a couple of times. He was using a 4mm TMB Planetary eyepiece, which yielded 240x and a 0.5mm exit pupil!

Dave Mitsky

Dave Mitsky said:



The first time I saw SN 2009dd was the previous Thursday night from a dark sight in the Tuscarora State Forest. My friend Tony Donnangelo and I observed the exploding star through his 20" Starmaster Sky Tracker Dob.

Dave Mitsky

From a reasonably dark but not at all perfect site on the Gulf Coast, the SN was occasionally visible with a buddy's 10-inch Discovery Dob. It was a "barely" thing, though. In my C11 with the Stellacam II? Like to put your eye out. LOL