[Chaos-l] last night

[Allen Davis]

Very good Mark.  I think given the fog initially it is amazing that you got
this.  I really like the colors.  NGC4565 has always been a favorite of
mine.

 

I enjoyed it myself, ..when I got home I was so damp from all the moisture I
felt like I had been swimming.

 

Thanks again for these.  I am always gratified to see when someone can make
a record of something like this.  allen

 

From: Mark Montazer [mailto:mark at montazer.org] 
Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2012 11:40 AM
To: Allen Davis
Cc: North Carolina Observers That Chase Photons In Medoc Mountain State
Park; Chapel Hill Astronomical Observation Society
Subject: Re: [Chaos-l] last night

 

I definitely enjoyed myself last night. We were shrouded in a pea soup there
for a while but it was clear enough for us to seem some sights.

 

At some point I'll refine my setup so I can get aligned much more quickly.
My mistake last night was trying to do a quick solar system align on Saturn,
which was almost due south. My mount kept thinking Saturn was on the other
side of the meridian and approached from the wrong side and refused to slew
past meridian. I wasted way too much time messing around with. Another
lesson learned.

 

I managed to get 30 x 30s exposures @ ISO1600 of M51 and NGC4565. Due to my
short focal length, 600mm, the galaxies only filled about 1/32 of my sensor,
so they're not exquisite. That being said, I'm glad to be able to at least
discern some structure in them (considering neither were visible in my
eyepiece.)

 

Looking forward to observing again real soon.


Mark





On Sat, May 26, 2012 at 8:53 AM, Allen Davis <starstorm151 at embarqmail.com>
wrote:

Thanks to Mark Montazer and Alexey for making the trek from the west, and to
Jim Palermo for coming from Goldsboro.  Michael Camp and I were the locals
last night.  We all set up our stuff in a steamy balmy atmosphere.as there
was a lot of rain in our area about an hour or so before we arrived.  Thanks
to to Melissa...we were texting back and forth.making her our remote
observer in WV ..and me one here.

 

Saturn looked really good.  5 moons were definite.and Jim and I thought we
saw the 6th Mimas close to the rings.  Nice to have that on Sky Safari.  We
had quite a few folks visit.the Memorial weekend crowd has descended on
Medoc and all sites were reserved for the first time in its history.  As
always when Saturn looks pristine...people just couldn't accept it as real.
One woman said.."Get outta here."

 

And one little boy said."it looks animated."

 

The same woman above who looked at M57 said.."it looks like a red blood
cell".  I have heard that description once before in 20+ years of outreach.

 

It actually looked to be getting quite clear as we packed.  I had so much to
do today, and was tired after work yesterday.and also have a sore left heel
that kept me from feeling great.so I packed it in around midnight.  

 

Mark.looking forward to those pictures.  Thanks to all who came, especially
those who drive further than me and make it worthwhile.

 

Will be watching the weather...would like to try another night this weekend
.maybe tonight..if weather is good.  Forecasts don't look as good for Sunday
night right now but who knows.  They change forecasts with the blink of an
eye.  


BTW. of anyone reading this on CHAOS can forward to the Medoc group please
do.  I am on the "ban list" right now .that automated thingy that every once
in a while flags my emails as spam.  It always seems to clear up in a day,
but right now I can't post to the Medoc group.  I guess I post so often and
something in my emails makes it look like spam to whatever software filters
it.  Happens every three or four weeks.  allen

 

E. Allen Davis

starstorm151 at embarqmail.com

 

"M'Illumino              "I am enlightened

D'Immenso"              by the immensity."

 

   -Ungaretti               -Ungaretti

 


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