Posts Made By: Pete Samsury

The rains have finally stopped in North Texas and the skies are cloud free. The Ark builders have also stopped working!

My observing was with my NexStar 8 and a 14mm Radian.

I was able to see all three of the 'visible' comets. C20001 Q4 was quite clear and continues as a much smaller fuzzball. C2002 T7 was the most difficult because it is so low and my SW sky looks toward a major shoppimg mall. But it was there as a very faint fuzzball. C2003 K4 was up at 50 degrees in as dark a sky as I get. While it was very faint, it was very distinct. To be able to see then in one short viewing session was amazing.

The sky never shows more than three stars in the little dipper and tonight was no exception.

Pete

In reviewing the Comet Observation Website, I noticed that C/2000 K4 was noted as approaching 'naked eye view.' Took a look tonight and found the usual very faint fuzzy. Used my 8" SCT and 25mm plossl. It was distinct but hardly 'naked eye' at least in the lighted sky of North Dallas.

Pete

Has anyone used the Hatfield SCT Lunar Atlas?

Thanks, Pete

I recently returned from a trip to West Texas where 14 folks had the opportunity to view through the 82" Otto Struve Cassegrain at the McDonald Observatory. I must say it was very impressive to see this huge research telescope equipped with a 2" diagonal and eyepiece. Most all the work done today is spectrographic in nature.

We looked at the following DSO's; M42 - The nebular structure was three dimensional in appearance and the six trapezium stars filled the FOV; NGC 2261, Hubble's Variable Nebula' which was clear and seen as in photos; NGC 2506 which filled the FOV with close packed globules; NGC 2392 "Eskimo Nebula" again filling the FOV with the bright 'face' the distinctive ring of gas with a purplish hue and the outer ring; M104 "Sombrero Galaxy" which was edge-to-edge in the eyepiece being split across by the dark dust ring; and M3 a bright GC with only the center core visible.

As we were leaving the dome I noted that we had used 27 mm TelVue and 50 mm Takahashi eyepieces and a 'no name' diagonal. Hey, with 82" of mirror the diagonal performed just fine.

The skies were crystal clear at 6700 feet. After returning to the lodge, I used my 16 x 60 Pentax binoculars to look at and log several objects. Included were M101, M51 and M63 which are not visible in binoculars from my backyard north of Dallas. As clear as it was I was not able to see M108 or M109.

It was a great trip and I'll now have to find dark skies closer to home.

Pete

Hi Rolando,

I have had a similar experience with my NexStar 5 with the standard goto mount. I've eliminated it by always using a dew shield, in essence, front load weighting the OTA.

Pete

This morning (7/12) at 5 am, I was able to get a reasonable view of Comet Boattini from my light polluted backyard north of Dallas. It was located about due east and at an altitude of 20 degrees. I use The Sky ver 5 as a finder tool. Using a location printout and my 16x60 Pentax binoculars, the comet was exactly in the location forecasted. There was no visible tail, but a view of an elongated object to the upper left, as viewed.

The actual location was near 92-alpha Ceti. I star hopped from The Pleiades to the four bright star crescent in Taurus to Alpha Ceti and then slightly back to Boattini. From a true dark sky site the view should be quite spectacular.

Pete

Herb,

I suggest you pick a number or a schedule of charges for participation. The casual user can then fold or belly up.

Pete

I generated an ephemeris from the JPL NASA website today that indicates that Hartley 103P will peak at an apparent visual brightness of 9.73 on October 21, 2010. That is from my North Texas location.

Frankly, given the earlier discussions of 'naked eye' visibility, this makes a whole lot more sense. I will be trying again tonight with my 10" Dob, 19mm Pan combo. So far it has been the fuzziest of fuzzies. But, my sky conditions are 4 at best.

Pete

I was able to catch a clear view of Garradd early this morning from my generally light polluted skies North of Dallas. It was an easy star hop from 14 Dra. I was using a pair of 15x50 Canon IS binoculars. Given my experience with comets viewed from my site, I would say it had to be in the 6 - 7 mag brightness category. Transparency and seeing were very good, but not outstanding.

Pete