[AZ-Observing] June 2014 observing report from the North Rim
- From: L Knauth <Knauth@xxxxxxx>
- To: "az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2014 00:33:12 +0000
Reading the NOAA forecast discussion that the monsoon was to arrive on June 29,
I scurried up June 25 with the 25 Obsession to my 8350 high North Rim
observing site southwest of Jacob Lake. All 3 nights there were incredibly
clear, the last especially. At about 1:30 am on the morning of the 28th, my
SQL-L meter registered a staggering 21.77 when pointed half-way between Corona
and the bowl of the little dipper. I suspect Ill never see a darker sky.
Some have kissed off the North Rim claiming the sky is always too bright. I
think that is because people only go there in the summer when the sky glow is
typically bad (short nights). Also, during the entire night, twilight under
Polaris simply never goes away. There was a discussion about this a few months
ago, and it was finally settled by someone claiming that photos from Utah prove
that it does go away. Following this claim, I really concentrated on whether
the sky brightness under the north star was really there relative to elsewhere
on the horizon. No doubt whatever, it is there. It is so obvious, you would
have agreed with me if you were there I have no doubt. And it moves west to
east during the night. Maybe the level, contrast, and brightness adjustments in
those photos were tweaked too much in photoshop to make a black sky? This is
all I am going to say about the all night twilight issue.
I must say that watching the galactic core and surroundings rotate across the
southern sky and sink behind tall pines at that site is one of lifes great
experiences. I think I could go up there without a telescope and still come
home stunned and in another world. Ive seen the Milky Way core go right
overhead in the deep outback of western Australia several times, but nothing
can compare with what I saw those 3 nights. Being alone with all that has a
special meaning and ambience that are consolation for not having anyone else to
share the view. After midnight the thing seems to just blaze away like the
aggregate cosmic furnace it is. It throws my shadow on the telescope trailer,
which is a strange sensation. You think something screaming so loudly should
have a sound. I spent all three nights mostly combing that region object by
object with the 25. Unbelievable views.
I put my Canon 6D on an equatorial drive and took some 20-25 second shots of
the Milky Way. I'm not an astrophotographer and have no desire to pursue it,
but when its just a matter of putting a stock camera with stock lens on a
mount and clicking, who can refuse? I wanted to take home a souvenir that
captured at least a bit of what I was experiencing. I decided to shoot a laser
beam up from the scope toward the direct center of the galaxy. The image
really shows how the bright core is blocked but that we can see part it peeping
out to the left of the intervening dust and gas. This is the way things
actually looked to me, albeit enhanced somewhat in the image. It is on my
FaceBook page for June 29.
I didnt do much systematic observing but did note a few interesting objects
that look better visually than in any astrophotos Ive seen on the web:
NGC 4143: Very small elongated galaxy with unusually high surface brightness.
Cant find any info on this striking galaxy that is so bright for being so
small. Something special is going on here, but I guess it hasnt been
studied yet. Or maybe it has.
NGC 6451: Open cluster with big vacant swath right through the middle. Ring of
brighter stars all along the periphery. One of the most interesting galactic
clusters Ive seen recently. Its like half of it decided to move away from
the other half. And why are the bright stars mostly toward the edges?
Barnard 68: One of the best Barnard objects IMHO. Sharply delineated inky
black spot in a myriad of stars in the Milky Way. This one was really striking.
After this observing run, the monsoon season set inl. Looking forward now to
October, or, hopefully even September.
Went to the SAC meeting last night to discover that it is next Friday. I need
to read Jennifers emails more carefully. This is getting to be an old horse
Im riding.
Videmus Stellae
Paul Knauth
--
See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please
send personal replies to the author, not the list.
Other related posts:
