21 August 2008

Observing Location	CDLD
Observational Period	0915-0930 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 70° F Wind Calm Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 30.29" Hg Steady Feels Like Warm There is a very light haze but it is otherwise clear and beautiful. Transparency Excellent Seeing I
Instruments	Brunton 8x21 compact binocular w/Welco gold shade 14 welder's filter - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Sunspots Constellation Leo Category Solar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080821.0915 EDT Comments Distance Light Time 1.01 AU 8m 25s Angular Size 31' 40.5" Altitude 33.5° Heliographic Latitude (B0) 6.93° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 117.30° Parallactic Angle (P) 18.22° Carrington rotation number (CR) 2073 Nothing Seen Space Weather is displaying an image of sunspots taken by an (amateur ?) observer in Slovakia that shows what are described as small but rapidly growing spots that have just rotated onto the earth-facing surface of the Sun. They are too small to appear in the SOHO images or in my optics.   Groups Spots R North 0 0 0 South 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 R = (Groups * 10) + Spots)

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About a month ago I was walking home and my eye caught something on the sidewalk. Backtracking I recognized it as a cicada. Backtracking again I thought to pick it up if it were dead, which it was. I have finally gotten around to photographing it and processing the images. They aren't great, but do illustrate the insect.

This is the business side of the insect.

From the description of the sound-making apparatus I think this is it although I can't figure out its mechanics.

The giveaway for people finding these things is the eyes, which are huge.

The insect has a large proboscus that, according to the literature, is about as dangerous to humans as that of a butterfly.

When I woke up the other day I heard a few cicads calling so stuck a microphone out the window and recorded( 1.14 MB MP3 file) them (and a lot of the other noise I have to listen to when my windows are open).

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Observing Location	PSC
Observational Period	2100-2115 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 70° F Wind Calm Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 30.26" Hg Steady Feels Like Mild Transparency Excellent Seeing I
Instruments	Brunton 8x21 compact binocular - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

I was on my way home to dinner and saw Jupiter so decided to walk around the oval seeing what else might be there. Then I remembered that I had my binocular in my bag so got it out and walked around again.

Target Jupiter Constellation Sgr Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080821.2100 EDT Comments Jupiter was low over the apartment buildings directly across from me and looked huge and very bright. With the binocular I thought I saw a moon on the eastern limb (it would have been Europa) but it is hard to hold the small binocular still to view close objects. Nunki was very obvious to the lower right of the planet. Starry Night Starter graphic Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 133.6° Distance Light Time (from Earth) 4.41 AU 36m 42s Distance (from Sun) 5.16 AU Angular Size 44.6" x 41.7" Magnitude -2.6 Central Meridian I/II 350°/10° Altitude 25.9° Moons Starry Night Starter graphic

Target Aquila Constellation Aql Category Constellation Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080821.2100 EDT Comments Tarazed (Mag. 2.71) was obviously red above brighter Altair (Mag. 0.76) and Alshain (Mag. 3.71) was just visible beneath them.

Target Cygnus Constellation Cyg Category Constellation Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080821.2100 EDT Comments I picked out Deneb (Mag. 1.25), Sadr (Mag. 2.23), Gienah Cygni (Mag. 2.48), δ Cyg (Mag. 2.86) and Alberio (Mag. 3.05). With the binocular I was not able to see the duplicity of Alberio. I may have seen a few more of the wing and neck stars.

Target Ursa Major Constellation UMa Category Constellation Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080821.2100 EDT Comments I saw all of the dipper stars but Megrez. I even saw Alcor (Mag. 3.99) but didn’t think to look for the Three Leaps of the Gazelle.

Target Ursa Minor Constellation UMi Category Constellation Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080821.2100 EDT Comments I found Polaris (Mag. 1.97), Kochab (Mag. 2.07) and Pherkad (Mag 3.00).

Target Bootes Constellation Boo Category Constellation Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080821.2100 EDT Comments Arcturus (Mag. -0.06) was just above the top of the building opposite. I donn’t remember seeing Murfid (Mag. 2.68)