[AZ-Observing] Re: Beautiful clear evening in Wickenburg
- From: "Wayne (aka Mr. Galaxy)" <mrgalaxy@xxxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, taaaforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, amastro@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2012 23:57:20 GMT
Benson, AZ 85602
hm ph: 520-586-2244 Sorry to hear you've been dealing with the flu, Steve.
Hopefully you'll be feeling better soon. As always it seems that as the moon's
phase waxes the skies get better and last night was no exception. We've been
having clear, but June gloom-like conditions, lately, but I've been able to get
in some good observing of open clusters in the winter Milky Way near
Puppis/Vela with my 20x100 binoculars. I think I enjoy my views of those
clusters through the binocs better than through the bigger telescopes though
the larger telescopes resolve some details that are only suspected through the
smaller aperture. Viewing open clusters through a big telescope is like not
being able to see the forest for the trees. The binocs allows you to put the
clusters, especially some of the larger, more scattered ones, in context with
their surrounding regions making for very pleasing imagery. I don't have the
large apparent FOV eyepieces so I can't speak for them; maybe they do a good
job of viewing these clusters, too.It was pretty windy and cool for most of the
day Thursday so I was surprised how beautifully clear and transparent the skies
were last night. The temperatures were in the low 40s so not too uncomfortable.
It's too bad I had been in Tucson and didn't return home until very late.
Despite that I dragged out my 13-inch Dob and the big binocs for an impromptu
observing session that lasted for a couple hours. I mostly used the binos for
scanning around the southern summer Milky Way mostly around Sagittarius. I
don't think my eyes left the eyepieces for about an hour. The details in the
star clouds were astounding and appeared semi-three-dimensional and it was a
delight and transfixing to get reacquainted with that part of the sky again.
The Lagoon and Trifid's region was exquisite as was M24, which appears to be a
rich complex of minute stars girdled by pockets of dark clouds. The open
cluster M23 resembled a coral colony with several strings of stars seeming to
emanate from one rootball. After letting the 13-in acclimate I used it to
wander around in the Coma-Virgo region viewing its many galaxies for awhile and
then ended the night with quick views of M51 and M101, along with M57 and M27,
all of which never fail to please the visual cortex!
Clear skies,
Wayne (aka Mr. Galaxy)
---------- Original Message ----------
From: stevecoe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: "Bill Anderson" <malachite@xxxxxxx>, "Az-Observing@Freelists. Org"
<az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [AZ-Observing] Beautiful clear evening in Wickenburg
Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2012 23:35:46 -0500
Howdy all;
I was making my way to put some clothes in the laundromat and looked up.
There were Venus and Jupiter over the western horizon, the half Moon above
Orion and Mars rising in the East just below Leo. A magnificent scence.
I do hope some of you got out to view the Moon and planets tonight.
I was so struck by the view because I have been sick for the past week.
If you get a chance to get this flu, pass it up. Mine became braunchitus
and I have not stepped outside to view the night sky for fear of making it
worse. The clinic in Wickenburg has been very helpful.
I am hoping to be healed up enough to make the SAC meeting in a week and
obviously the Messier Marathon. See ya there.
Clear skies to us all;
Steve Coe
--
See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please
send personal replies to the author, not the list.
--
See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please
send personal replies to the author, not the list.
Other related posts:
