[Chaos-l] Observing report for Saturday/Sunday, 4/9-10/2005

[Stewart-Taylor, Jon]

Hi all.  Quick report now, details later.

Robert and i were the only ones there.  I stopped by the ECHHSBL at
6:30, but didn't see anybody who looked CHAOSish.  If i missed you,
apologies.

Made it to the site just at sunset.  The darkness and transparency were
just as the skyclock predicted, but there was a good deal more humidity.
It was a very good night of observing, with the galaxies in UMAJ showing
very nicely.  In particular, M51 (the Whirlpool) and M101 showed unusual
detail, some of the best views i've had of those two with my 10" dob.
It got much colder than the 40 degrees F. Predicted. After 11:00 dewing
started becoming a problem, and after 1:00 am or so, i had frost all
over my optics and charts.  As previously announced, i was going for a
Messier Marathon, and my final total was 100 out of 110: missed 7 in the
evening and 3 in the morning.

I'll make a more detailed report later when i have more time.

J.
-- 
Jon Stewart-Taylor: joncst at earthlink.net; 919-967-2912

Chapel Hill Astronomy: http://rtpnet.org/chaos/

Light pollution information: http://www.ncdarksky.org/