Observing report -- December 18, 2013

Another easy night out on the sidewalk with Neptune, the 8" Meade. It's not the best place to observe, but dang it's close to home.

Luna: And where would we be without it? Darn close to full, but that didn't stop it from being wonderful. Found Sinus Iridum and Mare Imbrium, right where Chang'e 3 and the Yutu rover have landed.

Jupiter: This really, REALLY showed me the downside of not cooling Neptune for 3 hours first, because it was low in the sky and the seeing was terrible.

M35: So nice to have the handset on this thing, it really is. Faint, mainly because of being around so many lights.

Struve 742: I don't usually pay much attention to double starts, but this was right by M1. 4.1" separation, and it was just barely split with the 40mm eyepiece.

M1: Tracked down where this should be...but no sign at all. It was extremely helpful to have "Turn Left At Orion" with me, because the detailed finder chart let me find both E742 and the general neighbourhood; without it, I would've been lost.

M42: Again, pretty but faint. No sign of M43, even with 12mm and O3 filter.

Sigma Orionis: A/D/E split, but no sign of C in 26mm. Seeing too crappy to support the 12mm

Struve 761: Faint but easy, at 8" separation.