2011/12/19

As today is mild and dry, I decided to bring the 11-inch SCT OTA in from the POD to keep it warm and dry for the winter. I'll probably use the 127mm apo or the 150mm SCT on the CGEM for any serious winter observing I might do.

Temperature = 4.7°C

1497m 2011/12/10

1497m 2011/12/10 07:00–07:45 EST Foxmead W window 0 ne

Partial lunar eclipse: snowed out! Radar:

 

GEOS satellite:

Temperature = –4.7°C.

1496m 2011/11/22

1496m 2011/11/22 05:35–06:50 EST Foxmead upstairs E window 8–5 ne

Mars and Regulus: Mars now slightly brighter than Regulus.


Saturn, Spica, and the Moon: Nice tight grouping. Light cirrus clouds moving in.

Temperature: -7°C

1494m 2011/11/21

1494m 2011/11/21 05:00–07:00 EST Foxmead upstairs E window 8 ne

Recorded out of sequence.


Mars and Regulus: Mars is now slightly brighter than Regulus.


Saturn and Spica: Saturn is now slightly brighter than Spica.

Moon: Waning crescent in between the two groups.

This session inspired me to write about "Solstice Observing" for this week's Space.com article.

Temperature: -8.7°C

1495e 2011/11/21–22

1495e 2011/11/21–22 17:20 EST Foxmead W window 8 ne 7x50b


Venus and Mercury: spotted Mercury about 4° below and to the right of Venus.

Jupiter: rising in the east. All 5 naked eye planets in one day!

[Accidentally logged before this morning's session, 1494m.]

1493d 2011/11/06

1493d 2011/11/06 12:20–12:50 EST Foxmead POD 8 ne 28cmsc 4cmrr

Sun: Counted 33 spots in 7 groups for a sunspot number of 103. 70x in 28cmsc.

1492e 2011/11/05–06

1492e 2011/11/05–06 18:30–03:30 EDT Foxmead W window 8 ne 7x50b

Venus: Observed Venus for the first time this year as an evening star. Could not see Mercury just below it with 7x50s.

Later during the night observed Mars making an "S" of the sickle in Leo from E window..