22 March 2008

I set the alarm for early this morning to get up and see Jules Verne and ISS but didn't get up when I should have. Just as the pass was beginning I looked out the kitchen window and it was cloudy anyway. It looks like the weather will be better tomorrow, but Jules Verne will be dimmer then also.

Observing Location	Benedict Ave & Olmstead Ave, Bronx, NY
Observational Period	1015-1030 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Scattered Clouds Temperature 38°F Wind Light Breeze Humidity Low Barometric Pressure 29.94" Hg Feels Like Cool Transparency Fair Seeing II
Instruments	Brunton 8x21 compact binocular w/Welco gold shade 14 welder's filter - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Sunspots Constellation Psc Category Solar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080322.1015 EDT Comments Distance Light Time 0.997 AU 8m 17s Angular Size 32' 08.9" Altitude 35.5° Heliographic Latitude (B0) -6.95° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 326.49° Parallactic Angle (P) -25.49° Carrington rotation number (CR) 20.68 Nothing seen   Groups Spots R North 0 0 0 South 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 R = (Groups * 10) + Spots) NASA has updated their prediction for the new sunspot cycle. They are showing us in a trough between the last cycle (23) and the next one (24)

---

Observing Location	MetOval
Observational Period	2200-2300 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 40°F Wind Calm gusting to Light Breeze Humidity Low Barometric Pressure 30.00" Hg Rising Feels Like Cool It was very pleasant out although my hands were getting cold by the end of the hour. Transparency Excellent Seeing II
Instruments	SAR: Coulter CT-100 Newtonian reflector - Charlie CelEDTron Omni 20mm (21x) CelEDTron Omni 2x Barlow
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target USA 182/Lacrosse crosses the disk of the Moon Constellation Vir Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080322.2215 EDT Comments Not Seen I don’t think I saw the satellite but at ~2252 EDT I did see a small, indistinct shadow dart across the Moon from around Aristoteles toward Copernicus. Time 2249:48.37 EDT Duration 1.2s Diameter 2.5" Moves to 9:00 Distance to track center 0.08 km Path Width 33.5 km Lunation Phase Age Distance Light Time (from earth) 397,217 km 1.32s Elongation 164.5° W % Illuminated 98.3% Morning Terminator Colongitude (λ E) 102.1° Evening Terminator Colongitude (λ W) 282.1° Libration in Latitude 5° 36' Libration in Longitude 3° 41' Magnitude -12.3 Angular Size 30.08' Altitude 17° 53' Virtual Moon Atlas graphic Terminator In Sunlight Feature In Shadow <<< Mare Humboldtianum >>> <<< Endymium   <<< Gauss >>> <<< Berosus   <<< Hahn   <<< Alhazen   <<< Hansen   <<< Condorcer   <<< Langrenus   <<< Barkla   <<< Kapteyen   <<< Kastner >>> <<< Ansgarius   <<< Hectares   <’<< Vales Rheta >>> I detected texture in the center of Petavius – its central peak – that makes it look like concentric craters I still see some lumpiness on the limb at Mare Orientale There are lots of rays still visible emanating from both Tycho and Copernicus Palus Somni and Proclus are prominent Aristarchus is chalky white Tycho, Copernicus, Menelaus and Manilius appear bright Grimaldi is the only really dark feature

Target Saturn Constellation Leo Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080322.2230 EDT Comments I saw a triangle of bright stars that didn’t look familiar. The lower left point of the triangle was actually Saturn next to Regulus. It was so clear that I could see all of the stars of the head of Leo. I didn’t try getting the scope onto Saturn. Starry Night Starter graphic Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 150.2° E Distance Light Time (from Earth) 8.41 AU 1h 10m Distance (from Sun) 9.29 AU Angular Size 19.7"x17.5" Ring Angular Size 44.6"x7.25" Ring Inclination 9.4° Magnitude 0.3 Altitude 59.1° Starry Night Starter graphic

Target Mars Constellation Gem Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080322.2230 EDT Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 94° E Distance Light Time (from Earth) 1.25 AU 10m 24s Distance (from Sun) 1.65 AU Angular Size 7.48" Magnitude 0.7 Central Meridian 160° Altitude 48.6° Mars appeared bright off the left hip of Castor. Starry Night Starter graphic