FreeLists / az-observing / [AZ-Observing] Sentinel report

["Steve Coe" <stevecoe@xxxxxxxxx>]

Howdy all;
 
Well, I did get some observing in at Sentinel this weekend.  It was just
me.  I did give myself a scope set up I have not used before..I
piggybacked the Orion 100mm f/6 RFT refractor on the back of the Nexstar
11 and it turned out to be a very useful setup.  Having the high power
view and the rich field view both available at the same time is very
interesting.
 
There were a few clouds on the horizon on Sunday night, mostly over the
Tucson area.  I did some observations of open clusters and nebulae in
Vulpecula and Lacerta, I will post some observations later.
 
Comet Macholz is south of Lepus and I saved it for last.  I could not
see it naked eye, but it was about 7th magnitude in the refractor.
There was no tail that I could see, but the core was offset within the
coma, so one may be forming.  As I understand it, this comet will pass
near the Pleiades in January, should make for some fun pictures.
 
At midnight, just as I was tearing down, there were a few lightening
strikes way off to the south.  So, I think that the weather was closing
in yet again.  I was happy to get in four or five hours of some good
observing.
 
I had no trouble what so ever with people trying to make their way over
the border.  It was quiet all night.
 
Maybe next New Moon will be better;
Steve Coe
 
P.S.  I did retrieve my hockey pucks..I left the tripod, but I got the
hockey pucks;-)
 

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