Observing Report -- March 23, 2012

Last night was the first clear night in a ridiculous amount of time. It was also a nearly new moon. On top of all that, the kids were over at their grandparents for the night, and I could stay up as late as I wanted. IOW, the astronomy gods were saying "GO."

I decided that I'd go to Mount Seymour. There's a parking lot about halfway up that folks congregate at; it's darker than the local park I usually walk to. I'd only been to it once before; I don't like going regularly because it's a long drive and gas, she is expensive. But this seemed like a special occasion.

I packed up tea and a sandwich, picked out some targets for the night, and started off. I got there at 8.15pm, distracted only slightly by Jupiter and Venus along the way. There were a half dozen people there already, including the woman I met last June ("Have I met you before? Yeah, and I probably asked you then if I'd met you before...") I set up and waited for the scope to cool down.

Well, no, I didn't wait. Who could wait? Venus was a lovely half circle, even if it was shimmery and wobbly. Jupiter was just heading below the trees and I got a very brief look; SEB, I think, present, and NEB not very noticeable.

Then Mars -- the first time I'd looked at it through the Dob. Very nice. I'd been preparing myself to see no features at all, but slowly some came out; it held my attention much longer than I anticipated. I think I saw hints of the north polar ice caps, and a band just south of that surrounding the pole. I came back to it a few times over the night, and magnification held up to 320x (Barlow'd 7.5mm Plossl; nothing special, but works for me). (I'd just traded my 4.3mm eyepiece in earlier in the day, and I was a little bit sad I didn't have a chance to try that...)

I got a chance to check out a number of things through a 6" AstroPhysics refractor, with a 100-degree TeleVue, that another person had brought. The Double Cluster and M42 were simply stunning, and I know now just how wonderful those supernormowide eyepieces are. I was surprised, though, how much colour fringing showed up on Mars. I envy him the deep sky stuff, but I'm happier w/my view of Mars.

M35, M36, M37 and M38 were all perfectly visible through binoculars -- nice! Took a quick look at M35 through the scope; pretty as always.

I took my usual run at M81 and M82. I've been searching for these for a year or more, and it's always been a fruitless search. After 30 minutes I gave up in frustration. I got talking to the woman I'd met earlier, and she showed me them through her scope (10" Dob). She also pointed out where they were in the sky w/her laser pointer. Inspired, I tried again, found out where I should be looking, and sweet Cthulhu on a pogo stick FOUND THEM! It was immensely satisfying, and very pretty -- faint, but pretty. Amazing to think I can hold two galaxies in one FOV.

I had to give up at 11.15pm; my feet were cold as hell. I hadn't got to half of my list (Comet Garradd, M46, M47, M67, NGC 2261, NGC 2264, X Cancri (Carbon star) and the Leo triplet), but what the heck. I packed up, came home, drank some therapeutic wine and got to bed at 1am. And then SLEPT IN 'til 8am. Wonder of wonders. What a night.