7 Nobember 2009

Observing Location	TotL
Observational Period	1830-2230 EST The wind affected out ability to observe and I was very conscious or the pain in my hips and knee so this was an earlier night than it would have otherwise been. Mark and Hawiian George were there talking with us but both of them got cold and left just before we did. And it wasn’t even that cold -- just 50° F.
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Hazy Clear becoming Isolated Temperature 50° F Wind Light Breeze gusting to Gentle Breeze then to Moderate Breeze The weather forecast was for the wind to continually drop through the night but it didn’t happen. When I arrived it was pretty still but it started gusting shortly thereafter and when Peter arrived the gusts were strong enough they they were pushing his telescope around in the rocker box. As I result we only looked at Jupiter and that only when a passer-by passed by and asked what we were doing. The Central Park NOAA weather station up behind Belvedere Castle didn't record as much wind as we were experiencing on the ground at TotL. Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 30.16" Hg Rising Feels Like Cool Transparency Good There is some haze up there that is affecting transparency. The sky is a dull gray. ζ Cas (Mag 3.66) is hard to see. I don't see η Cyg (Mag. 3.89)at all but am seeing 31 Cyg (Mag. 3.79 and 32 Cyg (Mag. 3.98). δ And (Mag 3.27) is coming and going. And I can see &epsilon Aur (Mag 2.99v) and ζ Aur (Mag, 3.75) but not η Aur (Mag. 3.17), The Kids. Seeing IV
Instruments	Naked-eye - Charlie Teleport 10" Donsonisn reflector – Peter 2" Pentax 40mm, 70° FoV, 31.8x 2" TeleVue Nagler 17mm, 82° FoV, 74.7x 1.25" TeleVue Nagler 13mm, 82° FoV, 97.7x 1.25" TeleVue Plossl 7mm, 82° FoV, 181.4x
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway Peter Tagatac

Target Jupiter Constellation Cap Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091107.2000 EST Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation ° Distance Light Time (from Earth) 4.8749 AU m s Distance (from Sun) 5.0169 AU Angular Size 40.4" x " Magnitude -2.5 Central Meridian I/II/III 62.99 °/302.53°/61.25° Altitude 27.5° 32' Stellarium graphic I could see the Equatorial Bands but not much more due to scope movement. ι Cap fit in the eyepiece with all of the moons.

Target Double Cluster, NGC 869 & NGC 884 Constellation Per Category OCl Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091107 EDT Comments A park maintenance worker pulled up his cart close to us and came over to see what we were doing. He had heard of Peter from Tom with whom he has observed some. Peter showed him Jupiter and the Doule Cluster. I don’t remember what it looked like tonight and don’t know if that is because I am so accustomed to seeing it or if I didn’t take a look.

Target Moon Constellation Gem Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091107.2230 EST Comments Lunation 1075 Phase Waxing Gibbous Age d h m Distance Light Time (from earth) 368,318.3 km s Elongation ° % Illuminated 67.5% Morning Terminator Colongitude (λ E) 159.4° Evening Terminator Colongitude (λ W) 200.6° Libration in Latitude 0° 44' Libration in Longitude 1° 15' Magnitude -10.80 Angular Size 32.4' Altitude 11° Virtual Moon Atlas graphic We could see the Moon rising through the thinning canopy of the trees to the east of the Central Park police precinct just before we left the park. As we got to the edge of the park Peter called my attention to the Moon shining yellow through a window in the trees. By the time we got down to Columbus Circle, which took a long while in a cab due to construction delays, I could see it above the Maine Memorial and it was no longer yellow.