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Observing Report: 04 January YRSP
Upon arrival, Ranger Zach told me Outreach had not been posted [advertised] on the YRSP Website. As such, neither of us expected anyone to show up (and I was the only amateur astronomer in attendance). As such, I didn't set-up and I waited to see if we'd have any public?attendees. ? Six adults & two children showed up just after sunset so I hastily set-up my CPC1100. ? Near the end of Outreach, Ben - a new local amateur - arrived to 'shake down' a recent purchase (Celestron Ultima 2000 8" SCT). After approximately 90-minutes of testing components, optics and a few of my eyepieces, he accomplished his goals & secured his gear. ? I decided to depart with Ben & image?from my home. We departed the park just before 9 P.M. It was a short but productive night. Other than cold hands, the mid-20s temperature was quite bearable. ? The next YRSP outreach & obs night will be Saturday, 1 February. |
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Fw: [VPAS] YRSP Tonight: it's a 'Go"
----- Forwarded Message ----- From: jimcoble2000 via groups.io <jimcoble2000@...> Sent: Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 02:32:39 PM EST Subject: Re: [VPAS] YRSP Tonight: it's a 'Go" This reminds of November in Alaska. All the cars up there have what looks like an extension cord sticking out of the front of the car. That is to plug in block heaters so the engine would start. Traditionally you don't plug in until 17 degrees. At around 15 to 10 degrees people can sort of still work but machines just give up the ghost. They just won't work. At 17 F it took our drillers until 11:00 to get the rig functioning with blow torches heating the rig since 8:00 in the morning . By 4:00 the light had given out and dark set in (not that it ever got very light!) so everything came to a halt.
On Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 02:24:36 PM EST, Troy Riedel via groups.io <troy.riedel@...> wrote:
Eric,
?
No worries ... I'll head over and set-up b/c I have no idea if anyone will show up (public included). I figure there could always be someone ... adult or parent ... that bought or rcvd a new scope for Christmas and they may brave the cold hoping someone can help them? I also rcvd a direct text this week from someone who got my P/N from Back Bay asking if they could come (of course!) but I don't recognize the name as an individual who has posted on either site.
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Eric, I'll look for you on Saturday Night, February 1st.
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Cheers,
Troy
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Re: YRSP Tonight: it's a 'Go"
Troy...sorry, I won't be able to make it tonight. Good luck, don't freeze... Stu On Sat, Jan 4, 2025 at 8:03?AM Troy Riedel via <troy.riedel=[email protected]> wrote:
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YRSP Tonight: it's a 'Go"
Good morning, I'm making an early 'Go" call for tonight. It will be breezy today - more so Southside & Coast than up here at YRSP - but it should lessen later this AFTN.? Obviously, it will be cold so dress accordingly. I live nearby so I'm willing to go as late as people are comfortable?... (I know there is concern by some re: the temperature forecast - near freezing at sunset & dropping with 'feels like' temps. generally starting in the mid-20s and dropping). If no one shows up I'll pack-up, drive the 5-miles home & set-up in my driveway?? Cheers, Troy |
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Re: The Pleiades double challenge
Here are my results from the other night. STT 64 did see all three components after about 30 to 40 minutes work. SAO 76126 Just did the AB pair. G&H components not too hard separation, actually easy, but they are dim compared to Alcyone which draws your eye. Easily overlooked in the whole scheme. STF 450A not too bad. Cant remember the others but pretty sure the rational components were seen. I'll have to revisit and write notes. My impression was all were fun. Though some took a pretty fair amount of patience and eye strain. Maybe from your darker site they may be a bit easier. 12th magnitude in these skies is a real ghost. Can be done but you have to want it.
On Friday, January 3, 2025 at 12:58:14 PM EST, Roy Diffrient <mail@...> wrote:
Holy expletive Mark! ?At least one of those doubles looks maybe on the edge of impossibility. ?SAO 76126 is Celaeno, the faintest naked-eye star of the ¡°seven sisters¡± Pleiades at mag 5.46. ?It has two companions which might be possible (and a third, impossible at 0.006¡±): Sky Safari says the B star is mag 13.2 at 88.4¡± separation, and the C star is mag 11.5 at 217.6¡±. ?That¡¯s six magnitudes difference (!) for the ¡°easy¡± one that I think you intended. ?Extra credit for the B star? ?
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Oh, but wait, this is all in a bright nebula! ?The Maia nebula, mag 5.4, puts it all in a fog, and the fog is lit up by Celaeno. ?Yeah, that should be a challenge ¨C hope I have a good transparent night to try for that one. ?Thanks for the eyestrain, Mark.
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Re: The Pleiades double challenge
Naw, draw the line at the ridiculous components! I try to stop at 11th magnitude more or less. Those are challenging enough.I didn't say it was easy :) I just changed the internal battery in the Losmandy. You have to know to set the location and time data quickly or the battery drains. OBTW a GEM mount may help with a few of these! I am keeping the mount control in the house prior to observing. Cold seems to kill batteries pretty quick. But it was most likely time to renew the battery anyways. Probably should be done annually anyways.
On Friday, January 3, 2025 at 12:58:14 PM EST, Roy Diffrient <mail@...> wrote:
Holy expletive Mark! ?At least one of those doubles looks maybe on the edge of impossibility. ?SAO 76126 is Celaeno, the faintest naked-eye star of the ¡°seven sisters¡± Pleiades at mag 5.46. ?It has two companions which might be possible (and a third, impossible at 0.006¡±): Sky Safari says the B star is mag 13.2 at 88.4¡± separation, and the C star is mag 11.5 at 217.6¡±. ?That¡¯s six magnitudes difference (!) for the ¡°easy¡± one that I think you intended. ?Extra credit for the B star? ?
?
Oh, but wait, this is all in a bright nebula! ?The Maia nebula, mag 5.4, puts it all in a fog, and the fog is lit up by Celaeno. ?Yeah, that should be a challenge ¨C hope I have a good transparent night to try for that one. ?Thanks for the eyestrain, Mark.
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Re: The Pleiades double challenge
Holy expletive Mark! ?At least one of those doubles looks maybe on the edge of impossibility. ?SAO 76126 is Celaeno, the faintest naked-eye star of the ¡°seven sisters¡± Pleiades at mag 5.46. ?It has two companions which might be possible (and a third, impossible at 0.006¡±): Sky Safari says the B star is mag 13.2 at 88.4¡± separation, and the C star is mag 11.5 at 217.6¡±. ?That¡¯s six magnitudes difference (!) for the ¡°easy¡± one that I think you intended. ?Extra credit for the B star? ?
?
Oh, but wait, this is all in a bright nebula! ?The Maia nebula, mag 5.4, puts it all in a fog, and the fog is lit up by Celaeno. ?Yeah, that should be a challenge ¨C hope I have a good transparent night to try for that one. ?Thanks for the eyestrain, Mark.
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The Pleiades double challenge
I got in a few hours of? observing before my Losmandy mount gave up the ghost with power failure indication. It truly does not like the cold weather. The battery had been sitting for a few weeks so I figured the battery was a bit low. I run the mount off 18 volts usually. This has happened before. Runs fine for two hours then just quits due to voltage drop. But anyways I did accomplish what I wanted to do tonight. Everyone has shown someone the Pleiades but there is more to the story. I looked for hard doubles within the cluster and there are quite a few that are challenging. All look like singles but are not. This is a fun challenge. I used the 5 inch tonight and had to run fairly high power for all but one or two. Here are the ID numbers: Otto Struve 64 SAO 76249 SAO 76236 SAO 76126 SAO 76189 Struve? 450A The G and H components of Alcyone Oh Jupiter had a very fine transit tonight. As Io transited off the face ahead of it's shadow another moon came around from the back of the planet. At the same time as Io was leaving, Ganymede came from in back of the planet on the opposite limb. Pretty good. Two moons right on the limb of Jupiter and one moon shadow. |
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Re: Reminder: YRSP Saturday Night, 4 January
Hey Troy. These clear winter early sunset nights are enticing. I am actually considering getting off my couch and coming up. Carpe Noctem Bill McLean
On Thursday, January 2, 2025 at 12:17:25 AM EST, Troy Riedel via groups.io <troy.riedel@...> wrote:
The good news: Transparency looks good & Seeing looks decent for wintertime.
The bad news: the Sunset temperature forecast is 30F, the 11PM temperature?forecast is 18F. Brrrr ... You know the drill ... if you need specific event details, please check-out last week's post re: our back-to-back December-January Saturday Nights. If the weather holds, I'll post an early 'Go' on Saturday. Layer-up folks, I doubt anyone can over-dress based on the forecast. Cheers, Troy |
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Re: Mars tonight
That's how it goes it seems. Red spot tonight on Jupiter around 10. I have an AR 152 but have not had much luck getting the power up for planets that require higher power. I do like it for deep sky though. Usually for solar system stuff and doubles I use my 2004 Stellarvue 102mm LOMO doublet or my ES 127 carbon triplet. Fortunately you can only use so much power on Jupiter anyways so actually my old (1989)? Stellarvue 80/9D achro does a pretty credible job for a quick look. I just ignore the purple. or use a 56A green filter. It has good detail for what was originally intended to be a good beginners scope. It actually is a very good scope by any standards. I don't expect mars to be like it was a couple of apparitions ago. It was low then but fairly larger in diameter. The best view ever, in a couple of decades worth, was with Kent's Takahashi 6 inch The last go around. We had one exceptional night and his 6 inch is a planet killer (albeit at great cost). Jupiter through that scope has to be seen. It is amazing.
On Thursday, January 2, 2025 at 11:44:47 AM EST, Troy Riedel via groups.io <troy.riedel@...> wrote:
100% agree. I used my 6" ES AR152 refractor instead of the C11. It was indeed "rough" as you said. On nights like this, I get my astro 'fix' from Jupiter b/c no matter how bad the seeing is, it's tough for The 'King Planets' to disappoint.
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Re: Mars tonight
Not much of one last night. Since Mars is about the same rotation as we are you get the same face for nights in a row.
On Thursday, January 2, 2025 at 11:08:32 AM EST, Ian Stewart <ian@...> wrote:
Thanks Mark - always like to read your observations. On 1/1/2025 10:38 PM, jimcoble2000 via
groups.io wrote:
Seeing was pretty rough as
expected with a cold front coming in. It was not impossible to
do any work on Mars but only the most rudimentary stuff. In
short, the usual. I toggled between 239x and 197x. Takahashi
TOE 3.3mm and Zeiss ZAO I 4mm respectively. As always, the
polar cap and Mare Boreum were fairly obvious. Mare Boreum is
the thin band of darker albedo surrounding the polar cap.
Being spring, the cap is not particularly large. Seeing
prevented seeing the darker areas at the bottom of the disc
opposite the pole very clearly. It was there but that's all I
could say about it. 30A magenta filter gave the most natural
coloring. I did use an 82A Light blue to see if any clouds
could be seen but none were visible to me. The 82A does light
up the cap though. Syrtis Major has not been on the disc most
of this observing year.
Selecting the right power is
always a bit of a judgment call. At 197 the disc was sharper
but seeing still presented a problem. At 239, seeing wasn't
that much worse and the disc is larger so maybe you can wait
for a moment of clarity. At least you have a larger disc to
work with should the miracle occur. It did not BTW.
Good news this go around:
Mars rides pretty high in the sky so less air to have to go
through.
Bad news this go around: Mars
is not as large as the last two apparitions.
Still fun and cold but
nothing to get up granny about.
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Re: Mars tonight
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýThanks Mark - always like to read your observations. On 1/1/2025 10:38 PM, jimcoble2000 via
groups.io wrote:
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Reminder: YRSP Saturday Night, 4 January
The good news: Transparency looks good & Seeing looks decent for wintertime. The bad news: the Sunset temperature forecast is 30F, the 11PM temperature?forecast is 18F. Brrrr ... You know the drill ... if you need specific event details, please check-out last week's post re: our back-to-back December-January Saturday Nights. If the weather holds, I'll post an early 'Go' on Saturday. Layer-up folks, I doubt anyone can over-dress based on the forecast. Cheers, Troy |
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