18 April 2008

Observing Location	East Tremont Ave @ Dogwood Dr, Bronx, NY Lat.: Long.:
Observational Period	0515-0530 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Isolated Clouds Temperature 51°F Wind Calm Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 30.02" Hg Steady Feels Like Cool It looked like there were a few clouds showing up in the rapidly brightening sky to the east. I only saw one star, probably arcturus. Transparency Good Seeing
Instruments	Naked-eye - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

0433 EDT	Astronomical Twilight begins
0509 EDT	Astronomical Twilight ends Nautical Twilight begins

Target Iridium 37 Flare Constellation Cas Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080418.0526 EDT Comments This was a very fast flare and the sky wasn’t bright enough that it should have been impacting its visibility. The satellite was falling from S to N. I estimated it to be at 22°M. Heavens Above Alt. 24° Az. 23° NNE Mag. -6 This flare was not listed on CalSky as of last night.

0543 EST	Nautical Twilight ends Civil Twilight begins
0612 EDT	Civil Twilight ends Sunrise

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Observing Location	McGraw Ave between Virginia Ave and White Plains Rd, Bronx, NY
Observational Period	0730-0800 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 53°F Wind Light Breeze Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 30.04" Hg Rising Feels Like Mild Transparency Excellent Seeing I
Instruments	Brunton 8x21 compact binocular w/Welco gold shade 14 welder's filter - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Iridium 52 Flare Constellation Cas Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080418.0737 EDT Comments Not Seen This flare was on the other side of the Big W. Heavens Above Alt. 53° Az. 52° NE Mag. -7.3 This is another flare that was not listed in CalSky.

Target Sunspots Constellation Ari Category Solar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080418.0745 EDT Comments The Sun has snuck into Aries without my being aware of it. Distance Light Time 1.00 AU 8m 21s Angular Size 31' 54.2" Altitude 16.6° Heliographic Latitude (B0) -5.30° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 331.57° Parallactic Angle (P) -25.75° Carrington rotation number (CR) 2069 Nothing seen.   Groups Spots R North 0 0 0 South 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 R = (Groups * 10) + Spots)

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Observing Location	MetOval
Observational Period	2100-2230 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 64°F Wind Calm Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 29.97" Hg Rising Feels Like Mild I was very comfortable in a heavy long-sleeve shirt over a T-shirt and an unzipped poly vest. Transparency Excellent Seeing I
Instruments	SAR: Coulter CT-100 Newtonian reflector - Charlie CelEDTron Omni 20mm (21x) CelEDTron Omni 2x Barlow - w/Baader AstroSolar filter film w/Baader AstroSolar filter film
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Mars Constellation Gem Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080418.2120 EDT Comments Nothing spectacular. It was shining slightly golden. It is above Pollux’s left hip. Starry Nights Starter graphic Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 79.8° E Distance Light Time (from Earth) 1.51 AU 12m 36s Distance (from Sun) 1.66 AU Angular Size 6.18" Magnitude 1.1 Central Meridian 246° Altitude 50.9°

I tried to get to M44 but the area lighting is getting into the scope and I can’t figure out if it is coming in the front end or from the bottom between the truss and the shroud.

Target Saturn Constellation Leo Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080418.2130 EDT Comments It looks like I am seeing separation between the planet and the rings at the ansae at both low and high power. Saturn (Mag 0.5) is near Regulus and right next to HIP 50473 (Mag. 7.02). Starry Nights Starter graphic Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 122.5° E Distance Light Time (from Earth) 8.72 AU 1h 12m Distance (from Sun) 9.30 AU Angular Size 19"x16.9" Ring Angular Size 43"x7.39" Ring Inclination 9.9° Magnitude +0.5 Altitude 61.7° Starry Night Starter graphic

Target Moon Constellation Vir Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080418.2140 EDT Comments Lunation 1055 Phase Waxing Gibbous Age 12d 21h 44m Distance Light Time (from earth) 396,837 km 1.32s Elongation 164.3° E % Illuminated 98.2% Morning Terminator Colongitude (λ E) 71.0° Evening Terminator Colongitude (λ W) 251.0° Libration in Latitude 5° 26' Libration in Longitude 4° 20' Magnitude -12.2 Angular Size 30.11' Altitude 31° 37' Virtual Moon Atlas graphic Terminator In Shadow Feature In Sunlight <<< Anaximenes   <<< Carlenter     Anaximander (Class 5, 46 mi) >>>   J Herschel (Extremely Old, 105 mi) >>>   Babbage Extremely Old, 85 mi x 95 mi) >>> <<< Pythagoras (Class 1, 81 mi x 90 mi) >>> <<< Oenopides (Very Old, 46 mi) >>>   South (Extremely Old, 63 mi x 67 mi) >>>   Markov (Old, 25 mi x 27 mi) >>>   Harpalus (Class 1, 26 mi) >>> <<< Russell   <<< Struve   <<< Eddington Old, 80 mi x 90 mi) >>>   Seleucus (Class 1, 29 mi) >>> <<< Krafft (Old, 31 mi) >>> <<< Cardanus (Class 2, 31 mi) >>> <<< Riccioli     Grimaldi (Class 5, 140 mi x 145 mi) >>> <<< Schicard (Class 5, 135 mi x 150 mi) >>> Mare Crisium Palus Somni is a brighter shade of gray extending out into Mare Tranquilitatis. Proclus (Class 1, 18 mi) is visible between Palus Somni and Mare Crisium. Mare Undarum and Mare Spumans appear darker than usual and are more easily seen. Condorcet (Class 5, 49 mi) is visible below Mare Crisium and above Mare Undarum. Delmontte (35mi) Eimmart (Class 1, 25 mi x 28 mi) Mare Fecunditatis Langrenus (Class 1, 85 mi) Stevinus (Class 5, 99 mi x 110 mi) Furnerius (Class 5, 81 mi) Gutenbert (Class 5, 45 mi) Capella (Old, 31 mi) Mare Imbrium Aristarchus (Class 1, 25 mi) is chalky white Copernicus (Class 1, 60 mi) is big and bright but surrounded by lighter gray of its ejecta blanket, mainly to the NE. Babbage (Extremely Old, 85 mi x 95 mi) appears to have a domed central peak which is actually the crater Babbage C (Class 1, 8 mi) Montes Recti (55 m1 x 12 mi) Montes Teneriffe (35 mi x 65 mi, 6200 ft) Mons Pico (10 mi x 18 mi, 9600 ft) Mare Serenitatis Manilius (Class 1, 25 miles) is bright white Manilius (Class 1, 16 mi x 19 mi) is bright white Mare Nubium Pitatis (Very Old, 60 mi x 69 mi) Bullialdus (Class 1, 38 mi) The moon appears less round naked-eye than it does through the telescope.

Naked-eye Limiting Magnitude Observations

N 3.03 E 1.58 Zenith 2.41 W 2.68 S 2.01 Star Magnitude Bootes, The Herdsman Arcturus α Boo -0.05 Murfid η Boo 2.68 Ursa Major, The Great Bear Alkaid η UMa 1.85 Mizar &seta; UMa 2.23 Alioth ε UMa 1.76 Dubhe α UMa 1.81 Merak β UMa 2.34 Phad γ UMa 2.41 Virgo, The Maiden Spica α Vir 0.98 Leo Regulus α Leo 1.36 Algieba γ Leo 2.01 Auriga, The Charioteer Capella α Aur 0.08 Al Anz ε Aur 3.03 Gemini, The Twins Castor α Gem 1.58 Pollux β Gem 1.16 Canus Minor, The Little Dor Procyon α CMi 0.40 This wasn’t a concerted effort to see how deeply I could see but a quick look around and noting the stuff that was most easily seen. I saw more deeply to the N and W because I wasn’t looking into floodlights in those directions

After an hour-and-a-half my back was getting sore and the lights were impacting my ability to see what I wanted to observe other than the Moon so I packed it in.