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

[Mike Lemon]

I'm a new member and was really looking forward to meeting some folks at 
this one. I'm glad that I
stayed put, however, as I would have gotten there just in time for the 
deluge. As I told Mark, I'll come
if it looks good in the west. When I stepped out on my deck, there were 
ominous clouds gathering
there, though it did look great to the south as Mark had told me.

I was able to use a 4mm in my 10" a few weeks back on the moon and 
Saturn. Really stunning
in a 10" I must say. Feels like you might fall into one of those craters.

Mike

Jon Stewart-Taylor wrote:
> 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.
>
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