[Chaos-l] Observing Session Sat @ Jordan Lake?

[Jon Stewart-Taylor]

Hi all.  After Mark put out the notice on the list server, 5 of us (2 
members, 3 nonmembers) showed up  and began assembling 4 telescopes as 
dusk fell.  It started out as an extraordinary night, with stunning 
views of Saturn.  They were the best i've ever gotten out of the 10" 
Coulter.  Conditions were steady enough to allow use of a 5mm eyepiece.

Unfortunately, the evening continued to be extraordinary, as lightning 
began to flicker in clouds to the north.  After about 15 minutes, Mark 
quite sensibly began taking down his 15" truss-tube dob.  The rest of 
us waited, hoping that the clouds would blow over.

When the wind suddenly rose out  of the west at about 10 mph, the rest 
of us started packing.  Good thing too.  We were nearly done when the 
first raindrops began to fall, with lightning now visible to the 
south-west.  Only non-essential equipment got wet (chairs, tables, 
clothing) as we finished packing up.

Driving home we went through a real "frog-strangler" with rain so dense 
it was hard to see the road.  I once wrote a newsletter article about 
Foul Weather Astronomy, but this was definitely too foul for me.  The 
trip was worth it to see Saturn though.  The worst night of astronomy 
really is better than the best day at work.

J.