[AZ-Observing] Re: The Weekend Weather Blues
- From: "Jack Jones" <spicastar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 5 Nov 2002 23:09:01 -0700
Yes, that's the Matt Luttinen strategy. Because clouds kept ruining the
new Moon weekend this summer, he suggested it as a loony idea to go out
with the Moon high in the sky, but when we did it, it turned out to have
some advantages. On a Friday night after work, I could take my time
loading up and arrive maybe 9 or 10 o'clock. Then observe til false
dawn, the zodiacal light, and get the necessary 2 hours of sleep and
it's still only Saturday. At new Moon many would pack up after 4 hours
anyway or go to sleep, missing the best part of the night.
Jack Jones
Saguaro Astronomy Club
Lunar List Awards and
Messier Marathon Co-coordinator
Phoenix AZ
spicastar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Excellent point Brian. For the past few months, several of us have
been
> going out on the weekends around 1st quarter, even a day or two after.
We do
> some lunar work for a couple hours, then stop about an hour before it
sets to
> let our eyes re-adjust. After the moon sets we've had some of the best
4-6
> hour deep-sky observing sessions that I can remember. We then catch an
hour
> or two of sleep & drive home shortly after dawn.
>
> Another nice point is that 1st quarter has been much less crowded, and
in
> fact the last two times out, our small group has been solo. The larger
> gatherings around new moon are fun, but the experience at these 1st
quarter
> outings have been enhanced by the lack of "social distractions", which
> allowed for some very serious observing. It's a great way to add an
extra
> weekend of observing each month.
>
> -Kerry
>
> Brian Skiff wrote:
>
> > >> > With moonset after 22:00 on Saturday, you must be getting
pretty
> > >> > disparate to observe. :-)
> >
> > _desperate_, but whatever. The 2200MST Moonset is only a problem
> > for folks who pack up at midnight. Doesn't get light until 0530, by
> > which time Hydra, Sextans, Leo, Leo Minor, and western Ursa Major
are
> > well placed. No shortage of objects to observe there, plus both
Saturn
> > and Jupiter high in the sky, and the blazing predawn zodiacal light.
> >
> > \Brian
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