[sac-forum] Re: Friday Night at Saddle Mt

Got up at 3:00 am this morning as the Clear Sky "chart" (Danko had to change 
the name, was getting sued or something) said it was going to be great.  Since 
I work and have to get at least a little sleep, when its the post new moon week 
I often get up a few hours early to get some oberving in.  Anyway, I hit the 
alarm and ran outside in PJ's to check, perfect!  OK, back inside, get dressed 
and get set-up.  By the time I got the coffee pot going, dragged the 10" dob 
out and the accoutrements to go with it, its 3:30 and a line of high thin 
clouds moving in from the west.  Sagittarius, where I have those three last 
H-400's waiting, was just rising above the neighbor's trees, not yet quite 
where I can get the scope on any of them.  Hercules was nearly zenith so I 
spent a little quality time with the great globular there while thinking about 
what to do next and waiting for Sgr to get up.  4:00 the thin clouds kept 
coming, now covering most of the sky but still pretty clear to the SE but Sgr 
still not high enough . . . .   I went in to refill the coffee, chatted with 
the wife a few minutes.  4:15 returned outside, solid pea soup fog!  Forget the 
sky, can hardly see across the drive to find the telescope.  Packed it in.  
Hopeing for good skies Saturday, the forecast is iffy.  Snow flurries early in 
the say but clearing later.  If the clear sky forecast is good I'm hoping to 
run up and observe with the club from Chattanooga, the Barnard Astronomy 
Society.  They have a good site about 60 miles west of Chattanooga.  So we'll 
see.  Hope you have good luck too.  I guess you are all recovered now eh?

David Hofland
Director, Student Services
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Jacksonville State University
256.782.5276
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: AJ Crayon 
  To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 11:27 AM
  Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Friday Night at Saddle Mt


  David, thanks for the interest and I am in contact with some possibility.  
Looks like we, here in AZ anywho, are in for a good weekend of observing.  We 
had some breezy conditions the past few days and that should have cleaned the 
atmosphere of a lot of gunk.

  Hope you have good skies in AL and can get out and have some astronomy fun.

  AJ Crayon
  Phoenix, AZ

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: David Hofland 
    To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 10:16 AM
    Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Friday Night at Saddle Mt


    AJ if I was there I would be with you all the way.  Hope you find someone. 

    David Hofland
    Director, Student Services
    College of Nursing and Health Sciences
    Jacksonville State University
    256.782.5276
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: AJ Crayon 
      To: SAC Forum ; AZ Observing 
      Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 10:40 AM
      Subject: [sac-forum] Friday Night at Saddle Mt


      Anyone interested in an all nighter Friday night at Saddle Mountain?  I 
would like to do the Saddle Mt but need some folks there besides myself.  Would 
like to observe all night, crash and sleep for a few hours and return home 
Saturday morning.

      Believe me Antennas sounds better but is to far for a one nighter and 
can't do a Friday Saturday night.

      Sooo, what say you?  If Antennas is to far and Friday night is best why 
not SM.

      Here are the direction to the new Saddle Mountain site - 

      Drive west on I-10 to the Wintersburg Rd. Exit, this is Exit 98.  Turn 
left (south) over the freeway and you will be driving directly toward the domes 
of the Palo Verde Power Station.  Drive for 9.1 miles until you reach a "T" at 
Elliot Rd.  Turn right (west) on Elliot Rd.  ** For the return trip, notice 
that Wintersburg Road has become 383rd Ave.**  Drive west on Elliot Rd for 5 
miles until you reach mile marker zero.  Careful as you drive along Elliot Rd. 
there is a severe dip and a cattle guard that needs to be taken at a SLOW 
speed.  The road turn sharply right, but you go straight onto a dirt road with 
telephone poles on the left side.  There are two dips to negotiate, the second 
is the most severe.  Just as you come out of the second dip there is a 45 
degree angle road to the right, take it.  This dirt road is wide and pretty 
smooth, it does NOT have the telephone poles on its left side.  After cresting 
a small hill travel a total of 0.6 miles from the turn.  There is a white rock 
marker on the left and room for lots of telescopes.

      AJ Crayon
      Phoenix, AZ

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