[AZ-Observing] Tonights Observing

Just thought I would post my notes from a short observing session tonight.
I used the Telrad and Stary Night to find a few objects from my well lit
backyard (a streetlight about 40 feet away!). Here are my notes just as I
took them:

Seeing is pretty good

Jupiter - Easily found the three moons that are out tonight. From center
White band to north, broad dark band easy then a band of white, a narrow
bold dark band then a white, then undifferentiated hazieness.  South broad
dark not defined band, white band then undifferenitated hazieness. Double
star in view >10" seperation split but dim.

bright meteor starting near zenith headed south nearly in line with the
scopions tail half the diatance between the tail and Antares but on the
other side - brightness nearly antares.
8:55pm

M6  Butterfly cluster - Easy to see the butterfly Interesting bright red
star. Further investigation shows this to be a bright variable, will have to
watch.

M7 Kind of looks like a growing stair steps from the center small square

M69 faint G Cluster

M57 Ring Neb - easy to make out the ring.  Hazy center no star on the 8mm.
21mm ring apparent but the central haze nearly masks the ring structure

M13 - Found it!  Nearly directly overhead. big smudge on 21mm.  Many very
faint individual stars visible but BARELY in the 8mm

NGC 188 C1 - Not much but the triangle of stars.  Tracking iffy - Further
investigation shows that I was in the right areat but could not see the
cluster only the three bright stars that should be in the field of view.
Stopped about 10pm

I miss my GOTO computer but I am enjoying the challenge of finding objects
without it - except being a beginner in a bright area it is pretty dificult.

I am glad the dry air has taken over the Valley. Finally getting some Good
Seeing nights.

Don Hinchliffe


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