25 May 2008

Observing Location	McGraw Ave @ Unionport Rd, Bronx, NY Lat.: 40° 50' 8.58" Long.: -73° 51' 21.23"
Observational Period	0345-0400 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 55°F Wind Calm Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 30.06" Hg Steady Feels Like Cool Mag 6 stars kept coming and going in the binocular. Transparency Good Seeing II
Instruments	Golden Gate 7x35 binocular - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

0332 EDT	Astronomical Twilight begins

I didn’t see any sign of the approaching Sun or of twilight of any description.

Target Iridium Flare Constellation Aqr Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080525.0341 EDT Comments The object was to see this Mag -7 Iridium flare but I didn’t get up when the alarm went off so didn’t make it to a viewing location until after the flare had occurred.   Heavens Above CalSky Time 0341:48 EDT   Alt. 28°   Az. 114° ESE   Mag. -7   Surface

Target Moon Constellation Sgr Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080525.0345 EDT Comments The Moon looked slightly gibbous with a lit up irregular cloud surrounding it. Lunation 1056 Phase Waxing Gibbous Age 18d 19h 26m Distance Light Time (from earth) 391,853 km 1.33s Elongation 133.6° W % Illuminated 68.3% Morning Terminator Colongitude (λ E) 165.4° Evening Terminator Colongitude (λ W) 345.4° Libration in Latitude 1° 41' Libration in Longitude -6° 43' Magnitude -11.4 Angular Size 30.49' Altitude 25° 29' Virtual Moon Atlas graphic

Target Jupiter Constellation Sgr Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080525.0350 EDT Comments I could not split the moons with my hand-held 7x binocular. The planet looks like a bright Saturn, elongated along the equator. Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 131.5° W Distance Light Time (from Earth) 4.47 AU 37m 10s Distance (from Sun) 5.20 AU Angular Size 44.1" x 41.2" Magnitude -2.5 Central Meridian I/II 60°/44° Altitude 27.8° Moons Starry Night Starter graphic

Target Neptune Constellation Cap Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080525.0355 EDT Comments Something popped into view faintly a couple of times where Neptune is supposed to be and there isn’t supposed to be anything brighter there. Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 99.3° W Distance Light Time (from Earth) 29.9 AU 4h 8m Distance (from Sun) 30.0 AU Angular Size 2.24" Magnitude 7.9 Altitude 24.8°

0418 EDT	Astronomical Twilight ends Nautical Twilight begins
0458 EDT	Nautical Twilight ends Civil Twilight begins
0530 EDT	Civil Twilight ends

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Observing Location	PSC
Observational Period	1400-1430 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 76° F Wind Calm gusting to Light Breeze Humidity Low Barometric Pressure 30.05" Hg Falling Feels Like Mild 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 Sunspots Constellation Tau Category Solar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080525.1415 EDT Comments Distance Light Time 1.01 AU 8m 25s Angular Size 31' 37.6" Altitude 64.3° Heliographic Latitude (B0) -1.38° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 198.84° Parallactic Angle (P) -17.54° Carrington rotation number (CR) 2070 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	McGraw Ave @ White Plains Rd
Observational Period	2045-2145 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Scattered Clouds Temperature 66° F Wind Calm gusting to Gentle Breeze Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 30.05" Hg Steady Feels Like Mild Thick cloud on the western horizon to 5-10° elevation; stripes of cloud elsewhere. Some of the stars are disappearing when a thin cloud passes but I think I am seeing more tonight between the clouds than I did last night from the same location. Transparency Fair-Good Seeing II-III
Instruments	Golden Gate 7x35 binocular – Charlie Going for aperture to try and pull out M44
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

2015 EDT	Sunset Civil Twilight begins

Target Saturn Constellation Leo Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080525.2045 EDT Comments Saturn is following Regulus down the ecliptic. Starry Night Starter graphic Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 87.9° E Distance Light Time (from Earth) 9.29 AU 1h 17m Distance (from Sun) 9.31 AU Angular Size 17.8" x 15.8" Ring Angular Size 40.4" x 6.81" Ring Inclination 9.7° Magnitude +0.7 Altitude 54.4° Meridian graphic

2047 EDT	Civil Twilight ends Nautical Twilight begins

Target ISS Visible Pass Constellation Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080525.2103 EDT Comments The ISS seemed brighter than Mag 0 and I was surprised to see it at twilight given my prior experience of not seeing brighter Iridium flares close to sunset.     Starts Max. Alt. Ends H A e b a o v v e e    s   Time 2103:13 EDT 2105:47 EDT 2108:22 EDT Alt. 10° 28° 10° Az. W NNW NE Mag -0.1 C a l S k y Time 2101:01 EDT 2105:44 EDT 2110:29 EDT Alt. horizon 28.3° horizon Az. 257.2° WSW 332.6° NNW 48.0° NE Mag 0.7 -1.5 -0.5

Target Mars Constellation Cnc Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080525.2110 EDT Comments Mars is bracketed between Acellus Australis and Asutralis Borealis. I think there is a patch of wispy sky E of Mars that should be M44 but it is very faint and only just detected. There is a faint point of light outside of M44 (η Cnc) forming an equilateral triangle with the Acelluses. Starry Night Starter graphic Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 64.1° E Distance Light Time (from Earth) 1.84 AU 15m 16s Distance (from Sun) 1.66 AU Angular Size 5.1" Magnitude 1.4 Central Meridian 257° Altitude 38.8°

Target Orion Constellation Ori Category Constellation Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080525.2115 EDT Comments I could see Betelgeuse NE and just above the buildings. I found Belatrix nearly right below Betelgeuse. Altitak, Alnilam and Mintaka were setting into the buildings. I was surprised to see any of Orion this late in the year.

2127 EDT	Nautical Twilight ends Astronomical Twilight begins

I stayed out until 2145 EDT, by which time my back was getting sore, hoping to get a better view of M44 and Mars as the sky got darker but it didn’t help. I may need to bring the scope out. Mars and M44 will just fit in the low power FoV but I will loose the Aselluses which are 3.3° apart.
[Mars is drifting away from M44 and they will not be in the same FoV beyond tomorrow night. I think I have missed my chance.]

2213 EDT	Astronomical Twilight ends