Observing Report 031206

[lunator]

Although the Moon was alost full last night the nigth was clearer then it had been for quite a while.

The seeing and Transparancy were both good and the breeze was keeping the dew to almost non-existent levels.

My primary target was to observe and measure the pair of stars that are not listed in the WDS but are quite a close pair.

I was also going to have a go at photographing the Moon with the new camera.

The measuremnt of the pair was straight forward PA 67 degrees 12.2 are seconds apart. If you want to find them yourself they are in the same FOV as Beta Cephei.

After measuring them I decided to sketch them, as this entails putting various sized dots in a circle it didn't take long.

I set the camera up on the steady pix and took some Moon photos. I have discovered that the Orthoscopics eye relief is too short with the shorter focal lengths and some longer eye-relief lenses will be necessary. The camera works fine with the 25 & 18mm.

I took some shots of the mOon which were Ok but not fantastic and I'll post them later.

I has to take a break in the middle of observing session as a friend popped round but afterthey had left (2 cups of tea and 1/2 a Jamiaca Cake ) I thought I would check my next Double target. It was whilst doing this that I realised I had sketched a nelgected double SHR1. This had only been observinf once in 1910. After checking my sktech it was clear that whilst the pair are listed as magnitude 10/10.7 in the WDS it actual fact they are Mag 12> a big difference. I had a quick look on Aladin/Simbad and found the pair. They only entry they had was under the NOMAD survey.

Anyway as the sky was clear and computer astronomy is for cloudy/wet nights I decided to go outside an photograph some more doubles using my old fuji compact camera.

I photgraphed gamma Aries and Eta Per. I will post the images once I had added the data. I also took a few more Moon pics.

I was about to pack up but though I would have a quick test shot of Orion Afocally using the new camera. I had too move the scope to the patio at the back of the house and shoot Orion over my neighbours house and exterior light.

I was pleasantly surprised when they came out although they are not great images but a good starting point.

All in all in was the sort of night where I did some serious observing but also had a bit of fun.

The best sort of night. :)

[geppetto]

I did some serious observing but also had a bit of fun

Just what the hobby is all about 8)

Successful night reported well