This was from a "green" zone, with a limiting magnitude of around 6. Garradd is currently just north of the main arrow that is the constellation Sagitta. Sagitta is between Delphinus and Cygnus.
Garradd is relatively condensed, but still pretty dim. "Easy" in my 8-inch SCT, and apparent in my 70mm finder scope. But not very comet-like. The tail was not well-defined. Larger and brighter than M71, which is also in Sagitta. But that still means it's a mag 7+ object.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Outreach at Land Between the Lakes
I got to break my telescope out of the case, for the first time in over a month, and the first time under "dark skies" since last March or so.
Land Between the Lakes NRA lies between Lake Kentucky (dam on the Tennessee River) and Barklay Lake (dam on the Cumberland River), in southwestern KY and northwestern TN. It's bisected by U.S. 68/KY-80, while "The Trace" intersects that highway, and runs north to south through the Land Between the Lakes. Just south of The Trace is the Golden Pond Visitors Center and Planetarium. Just behind the planetarium is the observatory and meeting place for the Western Kentucky Amateur Astronomers. Their home page (which I linked above) has a photo of their new observatory, which contains a 16-inch Meade SCT on one heck of a stable pier and wedge.
During the summer, they had a nice regular program that involved telescope viewing after a late-evening planetarium show. I joined them yesterday.
Nice, friendly group of people. They made me feel very welcome.
We were all very optimistic about observing last night, because the day had been virtually cloud-free, with dry (for Kentucky) conditions.
While waiting for the public to arrive, I got to do a lot of personal viewing with my 8-inch SCT (which made the trip to Kentucky). My goto function is still pretty useless, and my battery pack would wear out after only a few big slews, anyway. As it was, even just doing the clockdrive work, it died after about an hour of viewing.
This still gave me about an hour of extended viewing, plus another hour or so of "gotta check and see if the object is still there" viewing. During this evening, I got nice (and long-missed) views of M57 (Ring Nebula), M13 (Hercules Globular), M20 (Lagoon Nebula) and M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy). I also looked again at M22 (globular in Sagittarius), M31 (Andromeda galaxy), M17 (Swan Nebula), M92 (the "other" globular in Hercules), the Perseus Double Cluster, M15 (Andromeda globular). I've see all of these before, but several are ones I have had some difficulty finding without goto, so it was nice to have success locating all of the targets I sought.
A club member had a short-tube 90mm refractor, and that gave an amazing view of the Veil Nebula, with a whole arc of nebulosity (several degrees in length) in view at once. Meanwhile, with the club's 16-inch SCT, I got my best ever views of M13 and M27 (the Dumbbell Nebula). I felt I could see actual color on the Dumbbell (greenish blue), and I could see a sort of spiral structure on M13 (with several dark lanes and threads of stars I had never really noticed before. (After seeing them obviously with the 16-inch, I could then see them in my own 8-inch, but that's because I knew what I was looking for).
It was my most enjoyable night of viewing in quite a while, and I wholeheartedly thank the WKAA club for their hospitality and eagerness in greeting a newcomer and sharing their knowledge and expertise with both me and the other first-time visitors and guests here in the Land Between the Lakes.
Land Between the Lakes NRA lies between Lake Kentucky (dam on the Tennessee River) and Barklay Lake (dam on the Cumberland River), in southwestern KY and northwestern TN. It's bisected by U.S. 68/KY-80, while "The Trace" intersects that highway, and runs north to south through the Land Between the Lakes. Just south of The Trace is the Golden Pond Visitors Center and Planetarium. Just behind the planetarium is the observatory and meeting place for the Western Kentucky Amateur Astronomers. Their home page (which I linked above) has a photo of their new observatory, which contains a 16-inch Meade SCT on one heck of a stable pier and wedge.
During the summer, they had a nice regular program that involved telescope viewing after a late-evening planetarium show. I joined them yesterday.
Nice, friendly group of people. They made me feel very welcome.
We were all very optimistic about observing last night, because the day had been virtually cloud-free, with dry (for Kentucky) conditions.
While waiting for the public to arrive, I got to do a lot of personal viewing with my 8-inch SCT (which made the trip to Kentucky). My goto function is still pretty useless, and my battery pack would wear out after only a few big slews, anyway. As it was, even just doing the clockdrive work, it died after about an hour of viewing.
This still gave me about an hour of extended viewing, plus another hour or so of "gotta check and see if the object is still there" viewing. During this evening, I got nice (and long-missed) views of M57 (Ring Nebula), M13 (Hercules Globular), M20 (Lagoon Nebula) and M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy). I also looked again at M22 (globular in Sagittarius), M31 (Andromeda galaxy), M17 (Swan Nebula), M92 (the "other" globular in Hercules), the Perseus Double Cluster, M15 (Andromeda globular). I've see all of these before, but several are ones I have had some difficulty finding without goto, so it was nice to have success locating all of the targets I sought.
A club member had a short-tube 90mm refractor, and that gave an amazing view of the Veil Nebula, with a whole arc of nebulosity (several degrees in length) in view at once. Meanwhile, with the club's 16-inch SCT, I got my best ever views of M13 and M27 (the Dumbbell Nebula). I felt I could see actual color on the Dumbbell (greenish blue), and I could see a sort of spiral structure on M13 (with several dark lanes and threads of stars I had never really noticed before. (After seeing them obviously with the 16-inch, I could then see them in my own 8-inch, but that's because I knew what I was looking for).
It was my most enjoyable night of viewing in quite a while, and I wholeheartedly thank the WKAA club for their hospitality and eagerness in greeting a newcomer and sharing their knowledge and expertise with both me and the other first-time visitors and guests here in the Land Between the Lakes.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Two very successful nights. It was my first nights of outreach in quite some time, as we've had a string of clouded out dates the past few months.
Probably 80 or so unique visitors in Pamela Park, with many coming back 3-5 times or more during the 2 1/2 hours I and my colleagues were set up there. Great views of the moon and Saturn.
Yesterday in Old Town Monrovia was also busier that I've seen it in a long time. At times, the line was 5-8 people deep, despite the presence of 5-7 telescopes during the course of the night. I'd estimate 140-160 unique visitors for the night.
This may be it for my sidewalk astronomy in southern California for a while. I'm leaving to take a temporary job out of state in a few weeks. However, of course, the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers will still be at it, setting up monthly in Pasadena and Old Town Monrovia.
Probably 80 or so unique visitors in Pamela Park, with many coming back 3-5 times or more during the 2 1/2 hours I and my colleagues were set up there. Great views of the moon and Saturn.
Yesterday in Old Town Monrovia was also busier that I've seen it in a long time. At times, the line was 5-8 people deep, despite the presence of 5-7 telescopes during the course of the night. I'd estimate 140-160 unique visitors for the night.
This may be it for my sidewalk astronomy in southern California for a while. I'm leaving to take a temporary job out of state in a few weeks. However, of course, the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers will still be at it, setting up monthly in Pasadena and Old Town Monrovia.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
July Sidewalk Astronomy Dates
Two likely in July, weather-permitting.
Friday, July 8: Pamela Park, Duarte. 2236 Goodall Avenue, Duarte, CA 91010
Saturday, July 9: Library Park, Monrovia, NW corner of Myrtle and Lime.
Both nights, telescope observing will start around dusk, with the moon and Saturn easily visible. Best viewing will probably be from 8:30pm - 9:30pm, though we'll probably be there a bit before 8:30pm and stick around a bit after.
We've had a heck of a bad run of clouds and threats of clouds and rain the past few months, so hopefully July will be good to us.
Friday, July 8: Pamela Park, Duarte. 2236 Goodall Avenue, Duarte, CA 91010
Saturday, July 9: Library Park, Monrovia, NW corner of Myrtle and Lime.
Both nights, telescope observing will start around dusk, with the moon and Saturn easily visible. Best viewing will probably be from 8:30pm - 9:30pm, though we'll probably be there a bit before 8:30pm and stick around a bit after.
We've had a heck of a bad run of clouds and threats of clouds and rain the past few months, so hopefully July will be good to us.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
June 2011 Sidewalk This Weekend (June 11)
Weather-permitting, the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers should be out and about this weekend. On Saturday, June 11, they're scheduled for Old Town Monrovia (corner of Myrtle and Lime). Visit their page, www.otastro.org for more information.
Friday, May 13, 2011
JPL Open House
Saturday May 14 and Sunday May 15 are the 2011 dates for JPL's Open House. Details are here.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Monrovia Clouded Out
Unfortunately, the clouds have been building the past few hours, so it looks like we won't even be able to see the moon tonight. OTA has called off their Monrovia sidewalk night, but will reschedule for next week (Saturday, May 14).
BTW, next week is also the JPL open house. If you decide to go, I suggest you go early. The place gets pretty crowded pretty fast.
BTW, next week is also the JPL open house. If you decide to go, I suggest you go early. The place gets pretty crowded pretty fast.
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