[AZ-Observing] Re: 5 mile meadow, things I now know
- From: "Matt Luttinen" <mluttinen@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 15:15:17 -0700
Rick and everybody,
This weekend was a resounding success for me from a mechanical =
viewpoint. I had no less than three new major items with me: a Wing
4-step ladder (really nice), a newly-minted DSC-ready alt/az mount, =
(really really nice) and an Argo Navis computer to hook up to
the DSCs (really really really nice).=20
It is gratifying to buy/design/build something and have it meet your =
expectations. For those who are reluctant to try digital
setting circles, I highly recommend them. Star-hopping is a time-honored =
way of navigating the sky, but I spent my time *observing*
rather than *finding* once I got everything hooked up and calibrated. =
Plus, it was amazing to watch the Argo Navis in "IDENTIFY"
mode flash on its display the name of *everything* (including all stars =
above mag 7 (I'm guessing) plus variables) as I panned my
big Newt across the sky. The Argo Navis has turned a difficult-to-use =
monster into a "svelte observing machine" (as I said on the
Argo Navis user group).
5 mile meadow is a nice place, scenic and all that, but it's public =
nature reduces it's value as a serious observing location. It is
a long way to travel to have to submit to the white light predations of =
our non-astro-hip fellow humans. And the dew situation
simply sucked other than making it feel warmer than it actually was.
I achieved at best one complete night's observations over the two nights =
due to the dew (sorry I couldn't resist that one).
It's funny, but I am really looking forward to Sentinel this winter . . =
.
Matt
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