[AZ-Observing] Re: Observing last two nights at GRCO in Gilbert
- From: Jeff Hopkins <phxjeff@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2007 09:38:03 -0700
I was in the mountains south of Prescott yesterday. Beautiful clear
blue skies. When I got home Phoenix had cleared up nicely too. I had
planned some UBV observations and maybe a glimpse of Comet Homes, but
was too tired (Old age) and went to bed early.
Regarding cloud filters, with large (relatively) aperture scopes many
times you can see through the clouds at bright objects like planets.
Many times I have been looking at planets like Jupiter or Saturn and
notice they dimmed, but were very viewable. When looking naked eye,
they were cloud covered and not seen, but easy in the scope. Of
course thicker clouds would block all the light. Use of a CCD camera
without an IR filter might show some infrared through the clouds.
Jeff
At 09:15 -0700 11/11/2007, gene lucas wrote:
>For those "urban" astronomers who didn't care to make the trek out to
>Sentinel, or up to Boyce Thompson Arboretum, we had good crowds the past
>two nights at the GRCO observatory in Gilbert. Over 90 folks showed up
>on Friday night -- despite the thick clouds... Some visitors appeared to
>be confused as to WHY that might be an impediment to viewing..... Martin
>Thompson tried to explain that we did not YET have a "cloud filter" for
>the 16 inch scope.... We kept the dome open and the scope pointed in the
>area of the comet all evening, hoping for an opening in the clouds...
>None of the usual EVAC gang set up scopes in the parking lot, however.
>
>We finally got a little "sucker hole" in the vicinity of the Comet about
>9:30 pm for the few folks who either hung out or came late. So we got a
>few looks before closing ca. 10 pm. The Comet filled the whole eyepiece
>field at the lowest power in the 16.... It appeared to be a bit dimmer
>than the past few days. I could see at least four stars through the
>coma, along with others in the nearby field. Then the clouds came back.
>
>Last night, it was completely clear in Gilbert, and we had over 110
>people visit the dome, and got some fine views. We also tried the 80 mm
>finderscope (piggyback on the 16 inch), and that showed a nice low-power
>view, including the nearby very loose star cluster. We also saw the
>Pleiades, and Uranus.
>
>According to the log books, we have had over 10,000 visitors at GRCO
>during the first year since opening...
>
>Claude Haynes and Bill Dellinges of EVAC put on the Riparian astronomy
>lecture over at the Regional Library on Friday night (evidently Bill did
>not get arrested this time!), on "What Telescope to Buy for
>Christmas"..... also well attended, I understand. EVAC members will be
>putting on the Riparian talks on the second Friday of the month, now
>that Win Pendleton is moving to Colorado...
>
>Last night was the annual pot luck dinner and cookout -- star party for
>the Friends of Boyce Thompson up at the Arboretum near Superior, but I
>was in Gilbert.... Will no doubt have some reports from B-T a little
>later....
>
>Gene Lucas
>(17250)
--
Jeff Hopkins
HPO SOFT
Counting Photons
http://www.hposoft.com/Astro/astro.html
Hopkins Phoenix Observatory
7812 West Clayton Drive
Phoenix, Arizona 85033-2439 U.S.A.
(623)849-5889
(623) 247-1190 (Fax)
www.hposoft.com
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