OBSERVING REPORT FOR MARCH 20, 2017

Location:  Front yard and front porch, Little Lepreau, NB, Canada

Date Time:  March 20, 2017 2000-2215 hrs

Weather:  Breezy, mostly clear to clear, -2C with windchill -9C.

Attendance:  Carla M and David M

Equipment:  Canon Rebel Xsi with 75-300mm lens, 20x80 binoculars, tripod.

Objective:  To view and image Mercury/Venus Conjunction during sunset and to search for Comet 41P T-G-K which is approaching Merak in Ursa Major.

Report:

• As Sun set around 2000hrs, went out with camera to capture Mercury/Venus conjunction.  Could not find Venus, as it was too low on the horizon, but did find Mercury between some trees, low on the horizon.  Looked like a bright star.

Canon Rebel Xsi with 75-300mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/40 second, f/11 and focal length of 300mm

• Did another comet 41P T-G-K search.  Took images of sky to the lower right of Ursa Major star Merak and did capture a fuzzy patch that might have been the comet or might have been M 108 or M 97.  Think it might be M97.  Also searched area visually with tripod mounted 20x80 binoculars.  Huge fuzzy patch to the lower right of Merak stood out easily in the field of view, but again, not sure if it was one of the Messier objects or the Comet.  Can see how Charles Messier himself thought the objects he cataloged in the mid to late 1700's were comets.

Image from skyandtelescope.com

Image from theskylive.com/41p-info

Just under the bowl of the Big Dipper.  Camera set to 8 second, ISO 1600, f/5, and focal length of 75mm

Zoomed in area to the lower right of Merak.  Camera set to 8 second, ISO 1600, f/5, and focal length of 160mm

• Seen several satellites including the one imaged above.  Two satellites were travelling one leading the other close together as I was searching for the comet visually with binoculars.  One of the Satellites went through my field of view.  No shooting stars were seen.