[AZ-Observing] Re: Notes from a night at NOFS
- From: "Stars" <stars@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2005 14:10:09 -0700
Just was wondering where the plans from Jim Fly for his Catsperch Pro
adjustable height observing chair. Doe he have a web site?
Thomas Hilton
-----Original Message-----
From: az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of BillFerris@xxxxxxx
Sent: 02/04/2005 10:13 AM
To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [AZ-Observing] Notes from a night at NOFS
Observing buddy Max Oelschlaeger has been itching to get his new C-14 out
under a dark sky for weeks. So, despite gusty conditions, he suggested we
take advantage of a mostly clear forecast and observe from the lower parking
lot at the USNO-Flagstaff Station. As it turned out, the winds remained calm
with only an occasional 15 or 20 mph gust breaking the stillness of the
night...not bad for a winter night in Flagstaff.
Max arrived shortly before 6:00pm; I about 6:30pm. We were both setup,
collimated and aligned as the last remnants of the day faded beyond the
western horizon. About this time, CAS member and NOFS CCD camera guru Fred
Harris exited a nearby building with two guests. We exchanged introductions
and one of the guests turned out to be Peter Ceravolo. Unfortunately, their
schedules prevented them from returning after dinner to observe, so it was
just Max and me for the night.
Over the holidays, I'd ordered plans and hardware from Jim Fly for his
Catsperch Pro adjustable height observing chair. With the help of CAS member
David Frisk, construction was finished over the MLK holiday weekend. Last
night was my first using the new chair with my 18-inch Obsession from a
remote site. The chair allows me to observe from a seated position even when
the scope is at the zenith.
My hit parade included M1, which was observed at 272x (8.8-mm UWA and
Paracorr). The Crab Nebula featured a ragged bright inner section--almost
tear-drop shaped--and faint outer nebulosity that about doubled the apparent
size of this supernova remnant.
In January 2004, amateur astronomer Jay McNeil discovered a Herbig-Haro
object near M78 in Orion. Following the announcment of Jay's discovery on
the Amastro list, I observed McNeil-1 with the 10-inch last February. Last
night, I turned the Obsession to this target. At 199x (12 NT4 w/ Paracorr),
McN-1 was directly visible as tiny parallelogram of nebulosity aligned
northeast to southwest near a faint double star. Sharing the field of view
was HH-24-26-4, a Herbig-Haro object south of McN-1. NGC 2064, the brightest
object in the field, could be seen to the northwest and the outermost
reaches of M78 invaded the field of view from the northeast.
NGC 1788, a reflection nebula in Orion, and the Eskimo Nebula (NGC 2392)
were the last two objects I sketched. My initial impression of the Eskimo
was that it had a subtle aquamarine tint. Observing with averted vision at
272x, inner and outer sections surrounded a bright central star. Switching
to direct gaze, most of the nebulostiy would dissovle away over just a few
seconds. This is much like the appearance of NGC 6826, the Blinking
planetary.
Objects observed but not sketched included, NGC 2158, the 37 Cluster (NGC
2169), Hubble's Variable Nebula (NGC 2261), NGC 2438 and the Horsehead
Nebula. The Horsehead was visible unfiltered, through the UHC and was best
through the H-Beta. An OIII filter effectively erased the background
nebulosity, IC 434.
All in all, we had a fine evening. And it was about time as neither of us
had done any dark sky observing since before Christmas.
Regards,
Bill in Flagstaff
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