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Christmas Luncheon

 

Unfortunately, I would be out of town and will not be able to attend the Christmas luncheon November 30.
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Kent Blackwell?
Observing on a full moon night

 

There isn't much to see on a full moon night except a few double stars and planets. The seeing was what I'd rate 7/10, typical of the winter skies.
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List: 24/11/16 Takahashi TOA 150 Full Moon?
Polaris - Alpha UMi
(Variable Double Star in Ursa Minor)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 7:36:17?PM
Comment: Nice split of this famous star, with considerable magnitude contrast?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 6
Transparency: 9
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Saturn
(Planet in Aquarius)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 7:44:51?PM
Comment: Saturn looked better than last night, but I've seen it better. Titan and Tethys were on the east side and Rhea and Dione on the western side.
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 8
Transparency: 9
?
Epsilon Arietis
(Variable Double Star in Aries)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 8:29:38?PM
Comment: Struve 333
1.3"
A beautiful equal pair both in brightness and blue-white color?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 8
Transparency: 9
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Pi Arietis
(Variable Double Star in Aries)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 8:33:38?PM
Comment: Struve 311
3.2"
A beautiful triple star. Actually the third component may not be a true component. The primary is 5th magnitude and the other two are about 8th?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 8
Transparency: 9
?
30 Arietis
(Double Star in Aries)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 8:37:59?PM
Comment: No Struve number
37"
A wide but colorful pair. The primary is yellow-white and the secondary is a shade deeper yellow?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
HR 728
(Double Star in Aries)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 8:40:01?PM
Comment: Struve 1278
Large magnitude contrast. The primary is 5.8 magnitude and the secondary is 9.8
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
14 Arietis
(Double Star in Aries)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 8:44:11?PM
Comment: No Struve number
93"
Wide pair with magnitude contrast. The yellow primary is 5th magnitude, and the light blue secondary is 8th, or only 1/16th as bright?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
10 Arietis
(Double Star in Aries)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 8:48:16?PM
Comment:?
1.6"
A very tight pair. The primary is yellow. With the contrasting magnitude of the secondary I can't distinguish the color?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
Lambda Arietis
(Double Star in Aries)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 8:52:16?PM
Comment: No Struve number?
37"
A pretty, colorful pair. The primary is white, and the secondary is blue?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
1 Arietis
(Double Star in Aries)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 8:54:00?PM
Comment: Struve 174?
2.8"
A beautiful and colorful pair that I have observed numerous times. The primary is light gold and the secondary is silver?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
HD 10606
(Double Star in Cetus)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 9:12:56?PM
Comment: Struve 150
35"
A wide pair of light yellow and light blue stars?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
Alrischa - Alpha Psc
(Variable Double Star in Pisces)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 9:15:49?PM
Comment: Struve 202
1.8"
A wonderful pair of equally bright and equal color pure white stars?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
66 Ceti
(Double Star in Cetus)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 9:17:31?PM
Comment: Struve 231
16.7"
A pure yellow primary and a blue secondary?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
79 Ceti
(Double Star in Cetus)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 9:22:25?PM
Comment: I could not see the 9.3 magnitude secondary, despite being fairly widely separated at 6.2".
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
84 Ceti
(Variable Double Star in Cetus)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 9:24:25?PM
Comment: Struve 295
3.6"
A fairly tight pair with considerable magnitude contrast. The light yellow primary is 5.8 magnitude and the blue secondary is 9.7.
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
Jupiter
(Planet in Taurus)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 9:39:09?PM
Comment: Jupiter looked best with the 8Mm Brandon Orthoscopic (135x) with the 8mm Tele Vue Radian a close second. Typical of Orthoscopics, the Brandon showed a more contrasty black background. I showed it to Bob a bit later in the evening when Jupiter was higher in the sky?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 8mm Brandon Orthoscopic?
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
Omega Aurigae
(Variable Double Star in Auriga)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 10:09:43?PM
Comment: Struve 616
4.8"
A close pair of 4th and 8th magnitude pair. The primary is blue-white and the secondary is light orange. Bob said I showed him this a few nights ago?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 8mm Brandon Orthoscopic?
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
5 Aurigae
(Double Star in Auriga)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 10:12:39?PM
Comment: Otto Struve 92
4.3"
A close pair with large magnitude contrast?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 8mm Brandon Orthoscopic?
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
m Persei
(Double Star in Perseus)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 10:15:17?PM
Comment: 121"
Two bright 6th magnitude stars widely separated?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 8mm Brandon Orthoscopic?
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
HD 23107
(Double Star in Perseus)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 10:18:28?PM
Comment: Struve 434
Gorgeous pair of colorful stars. The primary is on orange and the secondary is light blue?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 8mm Brandon Orthoscopic?
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
56 Persei
(Double Star in Perseus)
Observed: Nov 16, 2024 at 10:21:32?PM
Comment: Otto Struve 881
4.3"
A yellow primary and a close blue secondary?
Location: Virginia VA SQM-L 17.0 46¡ã H 91%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 8mm Brandon Orthoscopic?
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
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Re: Neptune occultation tonight

 

Most happy. I am surprised (or maybe not) that this did not get a bit wider dissemination. But Neptune being a bit remote can be hard to distinguish for a star at a glance.

We do have a better occultation in December on the eighteenth between Mars and the moon. Through absolutely no skill and just dumb luck I did capture this with a hand held shot from a Nikon P-610 when it happened last. No skill just luck

On Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 10:41:00 AM EST, Mel via groups.io <hxpii@...> wrote:


Awesome catch. Thanks for sharing.

DSCN1205 (3).JPG

Re: Neptune occultation tonight

 

Awesome catch. Thanks for sharing.
Fw: Mars retrograde

 



----- Forwarded Message -----

From: Mark Ost <jimcoble2000@...>
To: Kent Blackwell <kentblackwell@...>; Roy Diffrient <mail@...>; David Wright <kd3wright@...>; Will Kiff <modok4@...>
Sent: Friday, November 15, 2024 at 10:04:12 AM EST
Subject: Mars retrograde

Mars will approach the Beehive until Dec 8th and then curve off away from it for the rest of the year. Watch it as it moves backwards
Mars size

 

Inline image
Mars

 

Mars currently is 10 arc seconds in diameter. Enough to start to work. By the end of December it will be 14 arc seconds, a bit short of almost 50% more in size. That should be more than enough to get going in all seriousness. I have a #30 Magenta filter coming from Vernonscope just for Mars. That was quite effective in Kent's big refractor last go around. Already have the orange filters.

Mars is still a bit late at night now, around midnight,? but will be fairly high toward the end of December at 11 pm. As many know this will be the last apparition that is decent in our life times. Though not as large as the last two it does ride high this time. The future appearances will be less opportune. I have lost count now as to my Mars seasons I have under the belt. Three years between them.? It has been sometime now since we last looked so let's make the most of what we have.

Re: Moon Dog Last Night

 

Excellent shot Ian. Like those ice crystals in the atmosphere. Not too often you see a full circle as well defined as that.

On Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 10:13:00 AM EST, Ian Stewart via groups.io <swampcolliecoffee@...> wrote:


Quite a nice moon dog last night here.
Re: Moon Dog Last Night

 

Cool! ?We got the clouds but not the dog.
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On 11/14/2024 10:12 AM EST Ian Stewart via groups.io <swampcolliecoffee@...> wrote:
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?
Quite a nice moon dog last night here.

Moon Dog Last Night

 

Quite a nice moon dog last night here.
Re: Moon Last Night

 

Quite bright last night. I did get in a little time on it but seeing was only 7 out of 10. Good moments but you had to work for it. I was tired after my inventory of the? planets so had to work up a little motivation to observe last night. Other than that I like the moon.

On Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 09:50:35 AM EST, Ian Stewart via groups.io <swampcolliecoffee@...> wrote:


Nice view of Mare Humorum and Gassendi last night. Can't see it in the picture but at 400x the Rilles in Gassendi were visible.
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Moon Last Night

 

Nice view of Mare Humorum and Gassendi last night. Can't see it in the picture but at 400x the Rilles in Gassendi were visible.
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The moon vs Neptune

 

The moon is a mere 8 million times brighter
Re: Planetary hat trick

 

So typical of Vixen. I agree maybe an alt az would do bit better as far as flexibility but I sure am glad mercury stayed where it was in the eyepiece. If it was moving I am not sure if I could track it. It was very hard to center with the GEM. Kept disappearing in the haze. I see why Copernicus supposedly never saw it. Like playing on a Ouija Board with Little Richard "A whole lot of shakin going on"

On Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 02:53:45 PM EST, <kentblackwell@...> wrote:


I found it much easier to find those data planets and stars with an alt/az mount.?

However, I use to use my Vixen D-2, GoTo. That Mount used the SkySensor 2000 computer. The hand controller was about as compact as the jumbo version of the pocket star Atlas, but I¡¯ll be damn if it didn¡¯t work perfectly. It¡¯s the only sophisticated device I¡¯ve ever used that. I didn¡¯t even have to read the manual to learn how to use. Modern day telescope computers, should learn a lesson from Vixen. I heard that their replacement of the sky sensor 2000 was a total disaster.

14

On Nov 12, 2024, at 2:31?PM, Mark Ost <jimcoble2000@...> wrote:

?
Just finished an inventory of the solar system started last night at 8 and then finishing just now with Venus and Mercury daytime sightings. Venus is fairly easy to see during the daytime with a telescope or with a bit of guidance, naked eye. Mercury was quite hard as it sits in the haze of the sun. Took about an hour to complete the observation. First, a bad spot for the GEM mount delayed going to it, then it took about 15 minutes to see the planet even when it was in the eyepiece. A real ghost that came and went at it's leisure.

So rest easy, the solar system is all there. PS. thank god Pluto is not a planet anymore :)
Planetary hat trick

 

Just finished an inventory of the solar system started last night at 8 and then finishing just now with Venus and Mercury daytime sightings. Venus is fairly easy to see during the daytime with a telescope or with a bit of guidance, naked eye. Mercury was quite hard as it sits in the haze of the sun. Took about an hour to complete the observation. First, a bad spot for the GEM mount delayed going to it, then it took about 15 minutes to see the planet even when it was in the eyepiece. A real ghost that came and went at it's leisure.

So rest easy, the solar system is all there. PS. thank god Pluto is not a planet anymore :)
Re: Neptune occultation tonight

 

That was a wide brightness gap. I have to laugh as the FOV in the picture makes Neptune look on this side of the moon. We are in for a surprise in that case. It is either a lot smaller than advertised or the moon is transparent, or the moon is a lot bigger than I thought! The scale is quite good for relative sizes as seen by the eye. I am always amazed at how much more difficult Neptune is than Uranus.

Call me when the moon occults Pluto :)? . I think it currently is 0.1 arc seconds in diameter and 14th or 15th magnitude.

On Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 07:44:56 AM EST, Kent Blackwell via groups.io <kent@...> wrote:


Nice shot, Gabriel. Sometimes afocal photography works best with such wide variable brightnesses objects such as the moon and Neptune.
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Observing Monday Night

 

It was fun last night looking at tight double stars in my refractor, but the highlight of the night was seeing the moon occult Neptune.?
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List: 24/11/11 Takahashi TOA 150?
HD 23177
(Double Star in Perseus)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 7:37:12?PM
Comment: No Struve number?
1.1¡±
A tight pair of yellow stars?
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 7
Saturn
(Planet in Aquarius)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 7:48:15?PM
Comment: Saturn's rings are slowly closing. Despite less glare from the rings, I could only see the moons Titan and Rhea tonight. Saturn looked amazing using the 3.3mm Takahashi TOE at 333x. I could not see Cassini's Division, but I thought I caught a glimpse of the Crepe Ring. Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of Cassini's Division.
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
HD 10508
(Double Star in Cetus)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 8:23:18?PM
Comment: 0.9"
A tight pair of 8.7 and 8.1 silver stars
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
Neptune
(Planet in Pisces)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 8:43:35?PM
Comment: At 8:43 pm I was waiting for the moon to occult Neptune using my Takahashi TOA 150.
At 9:12 pm the moon occulted it! Mark Ost (5" Explore Scientific). William Kiff (he was at his home using his Celestron C8 Evolution) and I observed it. Neptune looked blue and showed a definite disc when using the 5mm Pentax at 220x, albeit being washed out by the brilliance of the moon.
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
HD 25866
(Double Star in Perseus)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 9:21:01?PM
Comment: Deep red carbon star. SkySafari says this is a pair of 8th magnitude stars, but I only could see a single star.
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
V491 Persei
(Variable Double Star in Perseus)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 9:23:00?PM
Comment: Otto Struve 531
2.7"
Easily split unequal pair?
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
HD 24117
(Double Star in Perseus)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 9:25:52?PM
Comment: Otto Struve 66
1.0"
A tight pair of blue stars?
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
HD 21016
(Double Star in Perseus)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 9:27:56?PM
Comment: No Struve number?
0.8"
A very tight pair. Mark Ost confirmed wr could see the very close companion.
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
Starfish Cluster - M 38
(Open Cluster in Auriga)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 9:37:33?PM
Comment: Even in bright moonlight this is a pretty cluster. Bobby Hitt thought it was pretty. He used this cluster in his recent lecture aboard Holland America's cruise ship Hollingsdam?
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm f/6 Intes MN 66, 14mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
Pinwheel Cluster - M 36
(Open Cluster in Auriga)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 9:39:23?PM
Comment: Smaller than m38 but still pretty. I showed both to Bobby Hitt.
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 14mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
Messier 37
(Open Cluster in Auriga)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 9:41:23?PM
Comment: Quite faint on this bright moonlit night?
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 14mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
HD 35187
(Variable Double Star in Taurus)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 9:43:05?PM
Comment: Otto Struve 694
1.4"
Tight and faint pair of blue stars?
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
Pleiades - M 45
(Open Cluster in Taurus)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 9:47:47?PM
Comment: A great way to finish the night. I showed it to Bob and Mark?
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 20mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
HD 31533
(Double Star in Auriga)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 10:02:39?PM
Comment: Struve 613
11.6¡±
A very colorful pair. The 8.4 magnitude primary is yellow, and the 9.6 magnitude secondary is pale blue?
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
Struve 613
(Double Star in Auriga)
Observed: Nov 11, 2024 at 10:06:08?PM
Comment: A magnitude contrasting pair. The primary is 9.6 magnitude and the secondary is 11.2.
Location: Virginia VA 66¡ã Moon 80% SQM-L 17.8 H 83%
Equipment: 150mm Takahashi TOA 150, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 7
Transparency: 9
?
?
Re: Neptune occultation tonight

 

Nice shot, Gabriel. Sometimes afocal photography works best with such wide variable brightnesses objects such as the moon and Neptune.
?
Re: Neptune occultation tonight

 

250,000 miles for the moon compared to 2.7 billion for Neptune. Most of us don't really comprehend large numbers since we have never seen a billion of anything. So a good analogy is:

1 Million seconds= 10 days ago........... so the moon would be 2.5 days ago in seconds

1 billion seconds=31years ago.............so Neptune is every second between now and 1931

Is a billion larger than a million? Ohhhhhhhhhhh yes.

On Monday, November 11, 2024 at 09:26:31 PM EST, Gabriel Dandrade via groups.io <gddandrade@...> wrote:


Set up the 10¡± Dobsonian to catch the event about ten minutes before it started. This is a photo I took through the eyepiece about two minutes before Neptune blinked out of view. Really shows the insane distances within our own solar system alone.
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