Thursday, April 15, 2010
Observing pics for 15 April, 2002
Location: Irving Nature Park
Time: 2045 to 2130
Weather: 3 degrees Celsius, windy, clear
Objects are Venus on the left and a new Moon on the right. Mercury is very close to the moon, underneath it to the left. It was visible, but didnt show up in the pictures. New Moon was 30 hours old.
Huge meteor lights up sky
Check this out...
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/04/15/midwest.fireball/index.html?section=cnn_latest
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/04/15/soaring-meteor-lights-skies-midwest/?test=latestnews
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/04/15/midwest.fireball/index.html?section=cnn_latest
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/04/15/soaring-meteor-lights-skies-midwest/?test=latestnews
Monday, April 12, 2010
Observing Report for 10 April, 2010
Location: Prince of Wales, NB
Time: 2000-2340
Weather: 5 degrees Celsius, light wind, mostly clear
Attendance: Mike P, Carla H, David M
Report:
Venus and Mercury were about 2 and a half fingers apart and very visible at least 20 minutes before the sun went down. I took a couple of pictures of Venus before Mercury became visible and then the batteries died out on me. Carla brought some new ones at about 2115, but, unfortunately, Venus and Mercury were gone by then. Thanks a million Carla, as I wouldn't have got these great pics of Saturn (that are below) with out you coming through with the Duracell's.
The Moon was not due to rise until 0400 the next morning, so we had exceptionally dark skies.
Venus was very bright while Mercury was much dimmer. Mike commented how rare it is to have 4 planets visible at one time. We had Saturn(in Leo to the east), Mars(almost straight up beside M44), and Venus and Mercury(due west) were all clearly visible right after sundown. Mike said 4 planets is the most he has seen at once.
Mike took a spectacular 2 minute exposure pic of M51 Whirlpool Galaxy with his DLSR camera attached to his smaller spotting scope which was attached to his 4 in refractor(See Pic below). The picture turned out so well that we could see the spiral arms of the galaxy along with one very bright star in one of the arms. There was also a companion galaxy visible to the left of the main one. This was my first time watching a time elapsed picture being taken. Very impressive.
Mike also took pics of M81 and M82 which are galaxies that can be seen in one field of view. A pic of M1 Crab Nebula and pics of M35, M36, M37, M44, and M67(all open star clusters). All of these pictures looked like professional quality.
I took some pics of Saturn though my telescope and through Mikes. They are below. There were two moons visible around Saturn, one on the right and the other on the opposite side of the ringed planet, very close in. These moons did not show up in my pictures. The rings showed up very nice.
Orion disappeared over the western horizon around 2200. Mike and I both noticed how the constellations are moving to the west as summer approaches. M45 is almost due west at sundown and M31 was too low to see just after dark. Summer is coming!
Time: 2000-2340
Weather: 5 degrees Celsius, light wind, mostly clear
Attendance: Mike P, Carla H, David M
Report:
Venus and Mercury were about 2 and a half fingers apart and very visible at least 20 minutes before the sun went down. I took a couple of pictures of Venus before Mercury became visible and then the batteries died out on me. Carla brought some new ones at about 2115, but, unfortunately, Venus and Mercury were gone by then. Thanks a million Carla, as I wouldn't have got these great pics of Saturn (that are below) with out you coming through with the Duracell's.
The Moon was not due to rise until 0400 the next morning, so we had exceptionally dark skies.
Venus was very bright while Mercury was much dimmer. Mike commented how rare it is to have 4 planets visible at one time. We had Saturn(in Leo to the east), Mars(almost straight up beside M44), and Venus and Mercury(due west) were all clearly visible right after sundown. Mike said 4 planets is the most he has seen at once.
Mike took a spectacular 2 minute exposure pic of M51 Whirlpool Galaxy with his DLSR camera attached to his smaller spotting scope which was attached to his 4 in refractor(See Pic below). The picture turned out so well that we could see the spiral arms of the galaxy along with one very bright star in one of the arms. There was also a companion galaxy visible to the left of the main one. This was my first time watching a time elapsed picture being taken. Very impressive.
Mike also took pics of M81 and M82 which are galaxies that can be seen in one field of view. A pic of M1 Crab Nebula and pics of M35, M36, M37, M44, and M67(all open star clusters). All of these pictures looked like professional quality.
I took some pics of Saturn though my telescope and through Mikes. They are below. There were two moons visible around Saturn, one on the right and the other on the opposite side of the ringed planet, very close in. These moons did not show up in my pictures. The rings showed up very nice.
Orion disappeared over the western horizon around 2200. Mike and I both noticed how the constellations are moving to the west as summer approaches. M45 is almost due west at sundown and M31 was too low to see just after dark. Summer is coming!
10 April Observing Pics
These are Saturn pics taken by me with my digital camera through Mikes' 4 inch refractor. Thanks Mike!
10 April/10 Observing Pics
Here are some Saturn pics taken with my digital camera through my reflector.
Titan and one other moon were visible, but did not show up in the pics.
10 April/10 Observing Prince of Wales
My 6 inch reflector is pointed to the east at Saturn, while my 20x80 binos are pointed at the Open Star Cluster M37 by Taurus to the west.
The binos work great for star clusters, nebula and viewing speeding satellites, while the telescope works great for planets.
Here is Mikes' 4 inch refractor with go to capabilities. He has a DSLR camera hooked up to the 80mm spotting scope. The whole setup is linked up to his laptop.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Observing Report for 4 April 2010
Location: Prince of Wales, NB
Time: 2000-2230
Weather: 6 degrees Celsius, Clear
Attendence: Doug, Karen, Marc, Carla, David M.
Report:
I was able to get some nice pics(with my Olympus fe-180 digital camera) of Venus and Mercury, which were fairly high up in the west after sunset. Venus was much brighter, higher in the sky and to the left of Mercury. I tried to get a pic of Orions Belt, but it didnt show up in the camera, for some reason.
Marc brought his 10x50 binos and a Messier chart and worked away at a Messier search. He helped me find M50 above Sirius. It looked like a hazy, faint, small cloud of stars. Thanks Marc!
As I began searching for M50, I stumbled upon M41, which is south of Sirius, with my 20x80 binos. It was an easy to spot cloud of stars.
With my binos, I could just barely make out the rings of Saturn, which was part way up in the sky, to the east. Mars was a bright red disk, almost straight up and was very close to M44, which always looks spectacular in my binos.
Doug and Karen allowed me to view M1 Crab Nebula, in Taurus, thru their 8 in reflector. Very nice, it looked like a hazy exploding star. This was my first view of M1. Saturn was spectacular with its rings easily separate from the planet. Thanks Doug and Karen!
Time: 2000-2230
Weather: 6 degrees Celsius, Clear
Attendence: Doug, Karen, Marc, Carla, David M.
Report:
I was able to get some nice pics(with my Olympus fe-180 digital camera) of Venus and Mercury, which were fairly high up in the west after sunset. Venus was much brighter, higher in the sky and to the left of Mercury. I tried to get a pic of Orions Belt, but it didnt show up in the camera, for some reason.
Marc brought his 10x50 binos and a Messier chart and worked away at a Messier search. He helped me find M50 above Sirius. It looked like a hazy, faint, small cloud of stars. Thanks Marc!
As I began searching for M50, I stumbled upon M41, which is south of Sirius, with my 20x80 binos. It was an easy to spot cloud of stars.
With my binos, I could just barely make out the rings of Saturn, which was part way up in the sky, to the east. Mars was a bright red disk, almost straight up and was very close to M44, which always looks spectacular in my binos.
Doug and Karen allowed me to view M1 Crab Nebula, in Taurus, thru their 8 in reflector. Very nice, it looked like a hazy exploding star. This was my first view of M1. Saturn was spectacular with its rings easily separate from the planet. Thanks Doug and Karen!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Prince of Wales Observing April 4/2010
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