9 November 2009

Observing Location	CSP
Observational Period	0410-0643 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 51° F Wind Calm Humidity High On the way uptown when I reached the SE corner of Central Park I could see the moisture hanging in the air as a very light fog, heavier in the park than on the streets. All the sidewalk furniture and cars were covered with dew. Barometric Pressure 30.38" Hg Rising Feels Like Cool and Moist When I first arrived and was warm from walking it felt mild but after standing around for a short while I could feel the moist chill in the air. Part way through the observing session it felt like an asthma attack was coming on but it did not progress to the point that I needed an inhaler which is fortunate since I hadn’t brought mine with me. At 1122 EST NOAA issued an aor quality alert for NYC and surrounding areas for high levels of particulates in the air. Transparency Good Seeing
Instruments	Naked-eye - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

0242 EST

Saturn Rises

0410 EST

Stellarium graphic

• The Moon is to the lower right of Mars by ~5°. I can’t see them but know the bees are hard at work a nearly similar distance to the upper right of Mars in M44.
• Leo is to the lower left of the Moon and is clawing his way up the steep slope of the ecliptic toward the Moon and Mars
• Saturn isn’t terribly impressive but is shining below the hind-quarters of Leo about half way between the Horizon and the elevation of Denebola. Saturn does not appear to be as bright at Regulus (Mag. 1.35) and is brighter than Denebola (Mag. 2.14). I think it in the brightness range of Algieba (Mag 2.61). Saturn was actually at Mag. 1.1 so brighter than all of the stars I compared it to but was lower in the sky so seen through more atmosphere making it appear darker.
Stellarium graphic
• UMa is standing on his tail over the river to Manhattan north.
• Arcturus is ~7° up (actually closer to 4° over the eastern tower of the Tri-Borough Bridge
• Castor and Pollux are near the zenith
• Orion is over the apartments on E 84 St. I can only see the star at the tip of the Sword, ι Ori, Mag. 2.75
• I don’t see any of the Hyades other than Aldeberan, Mag. 0.85, and have not been able to find the Pleiades, M45.
• Auriga is high overhead and I can see all of the Kids although η Aur, Mag. 3.17, is difficult
• Cassiopeia is low over the buildings along East End Ave and looks like a very angular “d”.
• Perseus is laying on his stomach south of Cassiopeia. I can see Algol (Mag. 2.12) and ρ Per (Mag. 3.39) and can just make out the Steeple (Mag. 2.93, 3.76 and 3.95) but not the Fishhook (Mag, 4.04, 4.14 and 4.29).

Target Moon Constellation Cnc Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091109.0410 EST Comments Lunation 1075 Phase Waxing Gibbous Age 22.15d Distance Light Time (from earth) 365,518 km s Elongation ° % Illuminated 53.3% Morning Terminator Colongitude (λ E) 174.6° Evening Terminator Colongitude (λ W) 354.6° Libration in Latitude 2° 35' Libration in Longitude 1° 58' Magnitude -10.12 Angular Size 32.69' Altitude 56° 53' Virtual Moon Atlas graphic The Moon appears to be at Last Quarter which occurs at 1056 EST.

Target Mars Constellation Cnc Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091109.0410 EST Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation ° Distance Light Time (from Earth) 1.11367 AU m s Distance (from Sun) AU Angular Size 8.4" Illuminated 89.1% Magnitude 0.3 Central Meridian 9.87 ° Altitude ° Meridian graphic

Target Saturn Constellation Vir Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091109.0410EST Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation ° Distance Light Time (from Earth) 10.117 AU h m Distance (from Sun) AU Angular Size 16.5" Ring Angular Size "x" Ring Inclination ° Magnitude 1.1 Altitude 16° 19' Stellarium graphic

Target Iridium 49 Flare Constellation CrB Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091109.0451 EST Comments   CalSky Time 0451:22 EST Alt. 5.4° Az. 54.8° NE Mag. -1.0 Surface MMA0 A bright flare moving horizontally left to right to the left and slightly above the Manhattan tower of the Tri-Borough Bridge.

Target Iridium 66 Flare Constellation Pup Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091109.0451 EST Comments   CalSky Time 0451:56 EST Alt. 28.7° Az. 182.6° S Mag. 0.2 Surface MMA2 This flare was much fainter than the previous one but persisted longer. It dropped vertically past β Pup.

Target Iridium 26 Flare Constellation CrB Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091109.0500 EST Comments   CalSky Time 0500:53 EST Alt. 7.4° Az. 57.6° Mag. -1.9 Surface MMA0 This flare occurred a little higher up and closer to the bridge than the one preceding it in CrB. It appeared brighter than Mars (Mag. 0.3) or Sirius (Mag. -1.46). It persisted longer than the flare of Iridium 49 and faded right over the Manhattan tower of the Tri-Borough Bridge.

0501 EST

Astronomical Twilight begins

Target Iridium 3 Flare Constellation CrB Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091109.0510 EST Comments   CalSky Time 0510:22 EST Alt. 9.6° Az. 60.2° ENE Mag. -4.5 Surface MMA0 The satellite was moving horizontally from left to right and flared just to the right of the Manhattan tower of the Tri-Borough Bridge. It was very bright with a little ring of illuminated atmosphere around it and slightly yellow. I think I got a glimpse of one star of CrB and am seeing some more of Boo than just Arcturus.

0518 EST

Venus rises

Target Iridium 22 Flare Constellation Boo Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091109.0519 EST Comments   Heavens Above CalSky Time 0519 EST 0519:47 EST Alt. 12° 12.0° Az. 63° ENE 62.6° ENE Mag. -5 -4.5 Surface   MMA0 I knew this flare would be higher and farther right than the previous one but it was much higher and not as far right as I had estimated. It moved horizontally from left to right and did not appear to be as bright as the flare from Iridium 3, also Mag 4.5. It didn’t persist as long as the prior flares in CrB.

Target Venus Constellation Vir Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091109.0526 EST Comments Object Class Classical Planet Phase Elongation 15° 25 57.9" W % Illuminated 96.5% Distance Light Time (from Earth) 1.62560444 AU m s Distance (from Sun) 0.7208 AU Angular Size 10.3" Magnitude -3.9 Altitude 1° 35 Stellarium graphic I see something ~1/2° above the buildings and to the right of the brightening that must be Venus. I can see it getting higher and moving to the south. It appears a little orange. Stellarium graphic

0526 EST

I am noticing some localized brightening behind the buildings to the east over in Queens.

Target COSMO-SkyMed 3 Flare Constellation Hya-Cnc-Lyn-UMa Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091109.0531 EST Comments   CalSky Time 0531:38 EST Alt. 64.9° Az. 165.5° SSE Mag. -0.4 Surface SAR Panel This satellite ascended vertically past Alphard and got to its brightest when it was about the same altitude as the Moon. As it passed overhead it appeared to veer to the left. I lost it in the nose of UMa after tracking it over more than 70° of the celestial sphere.

0533 EST

Astronomical Twilight ends
Nautical Twilignt begins

0545 EST

• The sky is noticeably brighter to the east. There is a ruddy stripe just above the local horizon.
• Venus is above the atmosphere and bright white.

0550 EST

• The sky in the east is dark gray on the horizon, then turns lighter shades of orange as you go up until ~1° up it is faint orange then yellowish then very light gray then about the altitude of Venus (~6°) it starts to darken.
• The pages in my notebook are feeling moist.
• The sky turns dark gray about the altitude of Saturn (~34°)

0600 EST

Saturn is getting difficult to find

0605 EST

Nautical Twilight ends
Civil Twilight begins

Target Iridium 46 Flare Constellation Cor Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20091109.0610 EST Comments Not Seen   Heavens Above CalSky Time 0610 EST 0610:16 EST Alt. 16° 16.4° Az. 136° SE 135.7° SE Mag. 0 -1.8 Surface   MMA2

0719 EST

I am not all that familiar with the upper far east side so I decided to walk home as far east as possible. I started out in the park along the East River and when I ran out of that moved up to Sutton Place North and Sutton Place South. Down at the bottom of Sutton Place South at 54 St. I found a sundial in Sutton Place Park. When I checked it it said that it was after 0800. It must be set to EDT.