[Chaos-l] [Medoc-mountain-men] last night

[Allen Davis]

You are too modest, Mark, about your image.  I LOVE it.  I always have
enjoyed M33.  It is one of those elusive, "there but always mysterious"
objects for me.  When you can see the structure and the knots in it with my
scope, you know you have a good night.

Thanks for recording this beautiful galaxy and sharing it.  It is AWESOME.
A nice image of a great target.

Wish I had been less tired later on when I woke up.  I would have tried this
object and a few others.  I didn't even see if I could see it naked eye.
That is something I have been able to do at Medoc at times when the skies
are transparent.  Another test.  I didn't even think about it.

But I am not complaining.  A terrific  night even if I had to get some sleep
really during "prime time."  But last night, even with the moon, all of it
seemed like prime time.

And as I always say, it's people that make the difference and last night was
no exception.  Thanks folks for coming. 

I am looking forward to seeing more and more of you as the fall turns to
colder weather, star parties, fires in the Medoc fireplace, and good company
under dark skies.

allen




-----Original Message-----
From: chaos-l-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:chaos-l-bounces at rtpnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mark Montazer
Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2012 1:06 PM
To: North Carolina Observers That Chase Photons In Medoc MountainState Park;
CHAOS
Subject: Re: [Chaos-l] [Medoc-mountain-men] last night

I was discussing my scope and recent entry into astronomy with Robert when I
slewed to the Ring Nebula. I remarked that my scope was modest, as I
couldn't make out the central star. Robert was quick to point out that it
was incredibly dim and even he had yet to see it in his long observing
experience. Had I not known that, I might have passed off the moment where
we all saw it in Allen's scope, as a common event.
The knowledge and experience you guys bring with you certainly helps me
better appreciate what I'm observing.

I had my usual struggles with alignment, then realignment, then kicking out
the power cable, and then starting all over. :)  I finally got things
settled down and had a great 7 hours of observing. I even got to try out my
new cot before the long drive home this morning.

I took a number of pictures last night, not many were noteworthy, but I did
manage to get an hour on the Triangulum Galaxy. It probably needs 3-4 more
hours of exposure, but the core is well defined and the arms are starting to
show up nicely. Here's a link to the image:

http://www.astrobin.com/full/20700/

Also, regarding the meteor activity last night, I think it might have been
the Gamma Piscids (which seem to be elusive):

http://meteorshowersonline.com/showers/gamma_piscids.html

Mark





On Sat, Sep 22, 2012 at 9:53 AM, Robert Nielsen <robertnielsen at nc.rr.com>
wrote:
> Allen,
>
> I can definitely back you up on the central star in the Ring Nebula last
night.  It is the first time I have ever seen it ... in my life.   Thanks
for giving me the opportunity with that nice new mirror you have.    I think
it was a combination of that and the better-than-the-CSC-predicted seeing
last night that made it possible.  I was continually using my 13mm eyepiece
in my scope, which is more magnification than I usually use at Medoc.
>
> And not to be picky, but the "lobed" planetary nebula we saw last night
was NGC7027 ... thanks to John Raymond for pointing that one out a few weeks
ago in an e-mail.   I was amazed that in addition to seeing the lobes and
the dark line between them, you could actually see the shape of the larger
lobe (just like in pictures).   Absolutely incredible!
>
> It was a good night for planetaries.   And a good night in general ...
with the folks that were there.   That group always seems to find
interesting objects for us to investigate.
>
> Like the "special" object Alexey and Michael found ... I'll let them
explain ...
>
> Robert
>
> On Sep 22, 2012, at 9:02 AM, "Allen Davis" <starstorm151 at embarqmail.com>
wrote:
>
>> 08  A brief report.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks to Robert Nielsen, Mark Montazer, Michael and Sandi, Jason, 
>> Alexey, and Jim Palermo for coming.  WE had another good night.  The 
>> milky way was great even with the moon up.  Some moisture at ground 
>> level, but basically the clouds stayed away.
>>
>>
>>
>> The planetary nebula were great..  NGC 7029 and NGC 7008 really were 
>> standouts.  The two lobes of 7029 visible with separation and and an 
>> amazing amount of detail.  I was able to pump up the power on 70029 
>> with the 3.7 Ethos to 687x.  The "fetus nebula" reminded me of 2001 a 
>> space odyssey.you know me and my movies.
>>
>>
>>
>> And low and behold, I swung over to M57 with the 3.7.  And sitting 
>> there slightely off center was a star....THE STAR...the central star.  
>> It first blinked in and out for me, but Jim said it was there and 
>> steady, and the next time I looked..it was there and you could look 
>> AT it.  The first time I can honesly say I have seen it in many  many 
>> years, and the first time it was OBVIous.  This with the moon still above
the horizon.
>>
>>
>>
>> Back me up guys!!!!!  allen
>>
>>
>>
>> E. Allen Davis
>>
>> starstorm151 at embarqmail.com
>>
>>
>>
>> "M'Illumino              "I am enlightened
>>
>> D'Immenso"              by the immensity."
>>
>>
>>
>>   -Ungaretti               -Ungaretti
>>
>>
>>
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