26 January 2009

Observing Location	Jefferson Market Library & vicinity, 6 Ave (formerly Avenue of the Americas, formerly 6 Ave) @ W 10 St, New York, NY Lat.: 40.7343360518848° Long.: -73.9990943670273°
Observational Period	1715-1730 EDT & 1945-2000 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Session 1715 EDT 1945 EDT Cloud Cover Scattered Clouds Scattered Clouds Temperature 29 28 Wind Calm Light Breeze Humidity Moderate Moderate Barometric Pressure 30.39" Hg Rising 30.40" Hg Rising Feels Like Brisk Cold There were light clouds building from the SW at sunset. After it got dark I sensed more clouds although there was no moonlight to illuminate them. Stars would dim and brighten again indicating that clouds were moving in front of them. Transparency Excellent Good Seeing I III
Instruments	Naked-eye - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Venus Constellation Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20090126.1715 EDT & 20090126.1945 EDT Comments Object Class Classical Planet Phase   Elongation ° % Illuminated % Distance Light Time (from Earth) AU ms Distance (from Sun) AU Angular Size " Magnitude   Altitude ° Meridian graphic Venus was very high and very bright. It was easily visible in the early twilight sky. There was nothing else visible in the sky at the time. Later it was only 15-20° up and appeared to be much fainter even though the sky was fully dark by then.

Target Gemini Constellation Gem Category Constellation Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20090126.1945 EDT Comments When I got onto a less well lit street I was able to see two bright stars in the distinctive pattern indicating Casstor, α Gem (1.58m), and Pollux, β Gem (1.14m). Farther off to the right was fainter Alioth, γ Gem (1.93m).

Target Orion Constellation Ori Category Constellation Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20090126.1945 EDT Comments I saw the Belt of Orion – Alnitak, ζ Ori (1.77m); Alnilam, ε Ori (1.70m); Mintaka, δ Ori (2.23m) - and then the surrounding bright corner stars of the constellation – Betelgeuse, α Ori (0.12m); Bellatrix, γ Ori (var 0.2 – 0.8m); Rigel, β Ori (0.12m). I did not detect the sword at all. The stars of lower Orion fluctuated in magnitude with the passing clouds.

Target Canis Major Constellation CMa Category Constellation Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20090126.1945 EDT Comments Sirius, α CMa (-1.46m) was very bright even though it was low enough that it should have been in clouds.

Target Taurus Constellation Tau Category Constellation Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20090126.1945 EDT Comments I saw one bright star preceeding Orion that must have been Aldeberan, α Tau (0.85m). I looked around for the Pleiades but didn’t find them.