Astromart

December 17, 2011 04:57 AM Forum: After Dark

Anyone Try for the DAYTIME Naked-Eye Comet?

No, but:
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/1216/Mystery-of-Comet-Lovejoy-How-d-it-survive-close-encounter-with-the-sun

April 6, 2012 02:07 PM Forum: After Dark

Stars Going Bye Bye

Posted By Rod Kaufman

http://lightyears.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/05/who-turned-off-the-stars-light-pollution/

June 7, 2012 03:34 AM Forum: After Dark

Anyone Tried This Park For Observing?

Posted By Rod Kaufman

Touted by the park service for very dark skies and park supplied scopes:
http://www.nps.gov/grba/index.htm

July 8, 2012 06:13 PM Forum: After Dark

AZ Dark Skies Under Threat

Posted By Rod Kaufman

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-light-pollution-20120708,0,2513533.story
Some stupid federal regulation at work...

July 16, 2012 03:16 AM Forum: After Dark

Where was everybody? I got there at 4:00pm and nobody showed UNTIL... Yoshi and Nayoto set up their 6" TAK Apo next to me, then up popped a TAK cass on the other side` of me, followed by ten other scopes with Orions, Meades, Celestrons and the like. Whew, I thought I was in mid-week for a solo, and I didn't see any evidence of the moon when I hit the sleeping bag at 2:00am. Excellent transparency, decent seeing but not as good as the clock had predicted.
Still, a couple of surprises: some astromarters may recall Mark Reick of Teton scopes. Mark and his wife stopped by for a look-see of Saturn thru my scope. It was nice to meet them. And there was only one truck driving up to the top after midnight but I suppose that'll change next Saturday when the parking lot will probably be packed. So, I probably be back at the LAAS site.
I had excellent views of galaxies in Draco and it is well-placed for observation throughout the night. Check it out!

July 21, 2012 07:33 PM Forum: After Dark

Mt Pinos Friday July 20

Posted By Rod Kaufman

Well, now were're talk'in: parking lot full-up! Scopes everywhere! Better conditions than at Lockwood Valley! Excellent transparency and good seeing, marred only by occasional breezy conditions. And only a few drive-bye's!
Draco, CV, more planetaries in Aquila and Cygnus than you can shake a stick at! Relatively quiet, too. No annoying music,(they're probably waiting for tonight). No generator noise, either. John Sherman was up there and he insures absolutely no generator noise after 10:00pm(or else). Just stay away from the perimeter of his scope, better known as John Sherman's circle of death!
Get up there now and enjoy!

October 16, 2012 03:41 AM Forum: After Dark

Amateurs Discover New Exoplanet

Posted By Rod Kaufman

World war 2 had it's "Citizen Soldiers", we have "Citizen" astronomers!(as dubbed by the media).
http://www.news.com.au/technology/sci-tech/citizen-stargazers-discover-planet-with-4-suns/story-fn5fsgyc-1226496712365

October 16, 2012 03:23 PM Forum: After Dark