I motored to the ASH Naylor Observatory on Wednesday night to help with the observing portion of the spring Introductory Observational Astronomy class and to photograph the ongoing alignment of the planets. When I arrived I first had a look at Jupiter through the 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain at 202x (Venus and Mars followed a bit later) and then set up my Pentax K1000, 50mm lens, and tripod. At 01:02 UT I took a 20 second exposure followed by additional exposures about 20 and 40 minutes later.
Prior to that I'd alerted the students and other ASH members about an upcoming Iridium flare. At 01:27 UT Iridium 74 unleashed its reflective brilliance, reaching a predicted seventh magnitude. Hopefully, I was able to capture yet another flare on film. After the brief flash of light I followed the satellite briefly through another ASH member's
Fujinon 16x70's.
Using the 12.5" f/6.5 Cave Newtonian I showed some of those present the Lobster Claw (Crater Gutenburg). The crater was situated for the most part on the unlit side of the terminator but its crustacean outline was unmistable nevertheless. I returned to the French Dome and trained the 17" on Gutenburg. After everyone interested had seen
it I moved on to what I call the Tomahawk or the Reflex Hammer, the peculiar lunar feature located near Mare Crisium, and then increased the magnification to 259x.
Another ASH member asked me to confirm his tripod mounted 10x50 sighting of C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang). The comet was to the north of the Great Hercules Cluster (M13) and seemed to be at least twice M13's apparent size. Both were easily visible in the same field of view. Next I put Comet Ikeya-Zhang and M13 into view with the 16x70's.
I turned the 17" to the comet. Both objects were visible
simultaneously through the 5" f/5 finder scope. At 162x Comet Ikeya-Zhang displayed an oddly skewed coma but no hint of its now dim tail was seen.
The big scope next collected photons from M13 (162 and 259x). Two more ASH members had arrived while everyone else had taken their leave. One was going to look at binary stars with the 12.5" so I suggested Gamma Virginis. The rapidly closing separation of this system and only fair seeing made a clean split impossible with the 17" at 259x.
Using a 19mm Tele Vue Wide Field (340x) did the trick. I moved on to another Gamma double, the golden Gamma Leonis (340x).
Soon just one ASH member besides yours truly remained. I had a peak at M13 through his 10" Meade SCT before returning to the dome where I finished the night with a few spring deep-sky objects - M104 (162 and 259x), M84 (162x), and M86 (162x).
Although I didn't do nearly as much observing as I would have on my own, I did manage to impart some knowledge to the students and accomplished a minor repair in the dome. All in all it was three hours very well spent.
Prior to that I'd alerted the students and other ASH members about an upcoming Iridium flare. At 01:27 UT Iridium 74 unleashed its reflective brilliance, reaching a predicted seventh magnitude. Hopefully, I was able to capture yet another flare on film. After the brief flash of light I followed the satellite briefly through another ASH member's
Fujinon 16x70's.
Using the 12.5" f/6.5 Cave Newtonian I showed some of those present the Lobster Claw (Crater Gutenburg). The crater was situated for the most part on the unlit side of the terminator but its crustacean outline was unmistable nevertheless. I returned to the French Dome and trained the 17" on Gutenburg. After everyone interested had seen
it I moved on to what I call the Tomahawk or the Reflex Hammer, the peculiar lunar feature located near Mare Crisium, and then increased the magnification to 259x.
Another ASH member asked me to confirm his tripod mounted 10x50 sighting of C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang). The comet was to the north of the Great Hercules Cluster (M13) and seemed to be at least twice M13's apparent size. Both were easily visible in the same field of view. Next I put Comet Ikeya-Zhang and M13 into view with the 16x70's.
I turned the 17" to the comet. Both objects were visible
simultaneously through the 5" f/5 finder scope. At 162x Comet Ikeya-Zhang displayed an oddly skewed coma but no hint of its now dim tail was seen.
The big scope next collected photons from M13 (162 and 259x). Two more ASH members had arrived while everyone else had taken their leave. One was going to look at binary stars with the 12.5" so I suggested Gamma Virginis. The rapidly closing separation of this system and only fair seeing made a clean split impossible with the 17" at 259x.
Using a 19mm Tele Vue Wide Field (340x) did the trick. I moved on to another Gamma double, the golden Gamma Leonis (340x).
Soon just one ASH member besides yours truly remained. I had a peak at M13 through his 10" Meade SCT before returning to the dome where I finished the night with a few spring deep-sky objects - M104 (162 and 259x), M84 (162x), and M86 (162x).
Although I didn't do nearly as much observing as I would have on my own, I did manage to impart some knowledge to the students and accomplished a minor repair in the dome. All in all it was three hours very well spent.
Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
