[sac-forum] Re: Lunar Observing . . .

    I gotta tell my wife about that thing about God giving me a freebee on the 
hours at the telescope, she will be glad to hear that :-)  
    My aunt lives in Phoenix, she just moved there from Key West.  I plan to 
visit maybe this fall or winter.  But whatever, I'm going to meet up some night 
at Antennas or Cherry Road or 5-mile.  One day . . . .

David Hofland
Director, Student Services
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Jacksonville State University
256.782.5276
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Richard Harshaw 
  To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 12:09 PM
  Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Lunar Observing . . .


  Great reply, Dave!  We definitely have to meet some day!

   

  Like you, I am not into list chasing.  When I lived in Kansas City, our club 
was an Astronomical League affiliate, so getting certificates was a natural 
part of being active in the club.  But like you, I observe as much as I can 
when I am out, and make up my own target list, complete with detailed finder 
charts and (usually) a negative of the digitized sky survey already flipped so 
I don't have to warp my brain flipping an image at the EP of the C11.  I have 
not counted lately, but I know I have over 25,000 double star observations and 
about 4,000 or so deep sky objects logged.  The more I observe, the more I 
enjoy it.  I once heard that God does not deduct from a man's life the hours he 
spends using his telescope. I hope that's true.  I should live to be 140 then.

   

   

  Richard Harshaw

  Cave Creek, AZ

   

  From: sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
On Behalf Of David Hofland
  Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 9:47 AM
  To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Lunar Observing . . .

   

      Oh yeah, I am "working on" all three of those.  But my approach now is 
somewhat different than it was when I was doing the Messier, 110 Best of the 
NGC, and the H-400.  When I did those lists, like most I suppose, I was really 
focused on list target objects, you know, find one, log it and go on to another 
list object.   Anyway, what I do now is rather like walking the beach picking 
up shells.  I start by picking a target constellation, and then, using Skytools 
database search, I use the computer to select for me a number of objects from 
that constellation that are bright and pretty easy in the 16", say mag 13 or 
brighter.  I tell skytools to eliminate all objects that I've already logged, 
and that creates a list for that constellation.  Depending on the night I have 
coming up I may pick more than one constellation, but usually just one that is 
placed well to observe for the night (or early morning) in question. Then when 
I am out, I will start of course with an object on the list and observe it, and 
then look around on the Skytools chart and see what else is nearby and, one by 
one, I'll just move from object to object observing until I run out of nearby 
objects, then I pick another object from the list and off we go again.  I know 
that after a while I'm going to get to a point where if I go back and look at 
the Herschel II or the SAC 110 Best Beyond, I will have logged most of them and 
will clean up the ones few remaining at that time.  But right now I am having a 
lot of fun just observing and not really being "list" focused.  Of course it is 
likely that I'll have the 1000 New Objects award before the other two going at 
it this way but we'll see.  I have logged over 560 deep sky objects towards the 
1000 New so far.                 

      Everything other than the last few H-400s was with my 10" Starfinder Dob, 
upgraded with a custom primary and secondary coatings from Spectrum (Max-R EAL 
98% primary) and a MoonLite CR-1 focuser.  Everything since then has been with 
my Lightbridge 16, also upgraded with Spectrum coated primary and secondary 
mirrors, Moonlite CR-2 focuser, and Astro-tech 66mm ED Apo finderscope. If you 
read the magazine Amateur Astronomy I wrote an article about how I made a few 
improvements to my Lightbridge to fix some of the design flaw problems that 
will be in issue #60 in three months.

      Basically my backyard is my "dark sky site".  Mag 5 to 5.3 is about as 
good as it gets here at home.  I have visited the Birmingham AL club at their 
site on Chandler mountain once and it was really no better than home, and no 
coffee so I have not gone back there :-)    I also visited one glorious June 
2007 night with the Chattanooga Club (Barnard Astronomy Club) at their site 
(Orion Acres) with mag 6 ish skies but I've not been back again mostly due to 
we just haven't had a good weekend of weather to do so on a weekend I could go. 
 I joined the Chiefland Village club a few months ago but have not found the 
opportunity to get down there yet, again mostly due to weather not being good 
for the trip.  My little local club here in Jacksonville where I work, we have 
a farm we use as our club star party site, its about mag 5 at best.  But 99% or 
my observing is at home.  

      Hey I'm really impressed with you completing the H-400 with an 8" from 
suburban skies! I had a time for a few of those from my home with a 10".  And I 
also gotta say that, while the Herschel II is a bit challenging, that 110 Best 
Beyond has got some real tough ones on there for mag 5 skies even with the 16! 
I am jealous as heck to have the desert dark skies you guys get there in 
Phoenix.  But one day I'll join you.  until I do though I think the 110 BB will 
be a real tough one for me. How is that for you and the 11?  Gee if you can get 
a lot of that list with an 11 that's something.  

   

  David Hofland
  Director, Student Services
  College of Nursing and Health Sciences
  Jacksonville State University
  256.782.5276

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