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Posts Made By: Dave Mitsky

December 22, 2003 09:46 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

2003/11/20 Aurora Shots Posted

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Four of my shots of the great auroral display of November 20th have been posted at http://dvaa.org/Photos/DaveMitsky/

I am rather pleased with how these photographs turned out.

Dave Mitsky

December 31, 2003 10:06 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

Saturn Very Close to Opposition, 2003/12/31

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Saturn reaches opposition today at 21:00 UT. In light of this fact I spent a good long time observing Saturn this morning using the 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain at the Naylor Observatory, which is located near Lewisberry, Pennsylvania.

The seeing was very good, good enough that the Encke Minima was visible. At times the Encke Division seemed to be resolved as well. The C Ring was easy, of course. The southern hemisphere of the planet was covered with distinct bands and the polar cap was quite well defined and rather dark.

Titan had a readily discernible ruddy color. I also viewed Tethys, Dione, Enceladus, Rhea, and, I think, Hyperion. I could not make out Mimas.

Magnifications used ranged from 162 to 404x with 231, 249, 259 and 324x working very satisfactorily.

I also caught the GRS a bit before it transited the CM. It appeared to be somewhat more colorful than it has for some time, a distinctly pink color.

Dave Mitsky


January 4, 2004 09:10 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

Lunar Eclipse Shot and Aurora Shots Posted

Posted By Dave Mitsky
My best shot of the November 8th lunar eclipse and the final shots of the aurora of November 20th have been posted at http://dvaa.org/Photos/DaveMitsky/

Dave Mitsky

January 13, 2004 06:59 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

AR 10537, 2004/1/11

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Active Region 10537, or Sunspot 537 if you will, was visible without magnification (using polymer solar eclipse shades) on Sunday afternoon. On Saturday afternoon I could see AR 10536 without magnification but it was too close to the preceding limb on Sunday. Through my 114mm f/7.9 Celestron C4.5 Newtonian at 36 and 72x the multiple umbrae of both sunspots were visible on both days.

Dave Mitsky

January 14, 2004 08:59 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

Possible Sunset Ray in Fernelius, 2004/1/14

Posted By Dave Mitsky
At approximately 07:00 UT (2004/1/14) I noted may have been an unreported sunset lunar ray in the crater Fernelius using the 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain at the ASH Naylor Observatory. I employed magnifications of 162, 231, and 259x.

Although it was quite cold and windy and the seeing was rather poor, I could see a very thin shaft of light at approximately 5 degrees east, 38 degrees south. There was an illuminated wedge to the immediate south and another one in the adjoining crater Stoefler but I don't believe that either one of these were rays.

There is an image of Fernelius at http://www.rccr.cremona.it/monografie/luna/idkt220.htm

Dave Mitsky

January 23, 2004 03:29 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

C/2002 T7 (LINEAR), 2004/1/23 UT

Posted By Dave Mitsky
I had a look at C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) tonight (Thursday) at about 7:45 EST (00:45 UT 2004/1/23) through the 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain at the ASH Naylor Observatory ( http://www.astrohbg.org ). I used magnifications of 118, 162, and 202x. The U.O. 40mm MK-70 (162x) provided the best view. The comet was at 00h32m, +19d09' at the time. I noted a large and prominent coma. The twin tails that have been reported were not seen but a definite elongation was visible.

Dave Mitsky

January 26, 2004 09:09 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

February DSO List

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Here's my February list of deep-sky objects situated between 6 and 8 hours of right ascension.

Dave Mitsky

Fifty deep-sky objects for February: NGC 2146, NGC 2403 (Camelopardalis); M41, NGC 2345, NGC 2359, NGC 2360, NGC 2362, NGC 2367, NGC 2383 (Canis Major); M35, NGC 2129, NGC 2158, NGC 2266, NGC 2355, NGC 2371-72, NGC 2392, NGC 2420 (Gemini); NGC 2419 (Lynx); M50, NGC 2232, NGC 2237, NGC 2238, NGC 2244, NGC 2245, NGC 2251, NGC 2261, NGC 2264, NGC 2286, NGC 2301, NGC 2311, NGC 2324, NGC 2335, NGC 2345, NGC 2346, NGC 2353 (Monoceros); NGC 2169, NGC 2174, NGC 2194 (Orion); Mel 71, M46, M47, M93, NGC 2421, NGC 2423, NGC 2438, NGC 2439, NGC 2440, NGC 2467, NGC 2506, NGC 2509 (Puppis)

January 30, 2004 12:55 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

The Incredible Sun Pillar, 2004/1/29

Posted By Dave Mitsky
As I drove westward towards Harrisburg on Thursday evening at approximately 5:10 p.m. EST (22:10 UT) I witnessed a fantastic sun pillar, the likes of which I had never before seen. The sun was just a red glow hugging the horizon. Above the sun was a clear gap and above that some high clouds. The pillar emanated from this clearing and extended well beyond it into the clouds. Fifteen minutes later the pillar was history.

Dave Mitsky

February 12, 2004 12:57 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

McNeil's Nebula

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Jay McNeil, a well-known American amateur deep-sky observer, recently discovered a new nebula in the Lynds 1630 cloud near M78 in Orion while imaging. It is a cometary-type reflection nebula in the 15th to 16th magnitude range and may be an FU Orionis object.

Jay's discovery image is posted at http://wkaa.net/gallery/mcneil/m78Lrgb

See http://wkaa.net/gallery/mcneil/mcneilnebul...ulalum90labeled for a cropped image.

A comparison image is available at http://www.balinka.com/m78c.jpg

Visual sightings of McNeil's Nebula through large aperture amateur scopes have already been reported.

Dave Mitsky

February 13, 2004 09:37 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

C/2002 T7 (LINEAR), 2004/2/9 UT

Posted By Dave Mitsky
I observed Comet C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) on Sunday evening (at approximately 1:00 UT) prior to moonrise using the ASH 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain and a 5" f/5 refractor, the finder scope for the 17". A short tail was definitely visible. There was a distinct condensation within the largish coma. I used magnifications of 118, 162, 202, and 259x with 162x providing the best overall view. Conditions were good and the limiting magnitude was approximately 5.0 at the time. This was the first time that I was able to actually see the comet through the finder scope.

Dave Mitsky

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