20 May 2005
| Observing Location | TPO |
|---|---|
| Observational Period | 2030-2145 EDT |
| Atmospheric Conditions | It had been cloudy all day and finally broke around 1730 EDT. The sky got very blue but when I got to the park I was seeing small patches of clouds of various descriptions including stratus and cumulus. The fact that I saw a rainbow on the way into the park speaks to the moisture burden present in the air at the time. As soon as it started to get dark the relative humidity skyrocketed and it felt like I was at the ocean. |
| Instruments | Canon 15x50 Image Stabilized binoculars - Charlie |
| Observing Party |
Charlie Ridgway
Ken Brown |
I observed from the south end of the Treat Lawn tonight not far from TPO. It was a little disorienting being there but I found most of what I was looking for. Looking to the north the sky looked huge. I don't get the same impression when I am in the north looking south but I think that is because the Manhattan skyline is there and holds my interest while up to the north it is just dark sky. Ursa Major felt like it was much higher than it is at TotL but that is because there was so much empty sky beneath it.
| Target | Rainbow |
|---|---|
| Constellation | |
| Category | Weather |
| Time | 20May05; 2030 EDT |
| Comments | While walking across 86 St to the park I saw a faint but unmistakable rainbow over the trees along Fifth Ave. I was looking Manhattan west and probably directly to where the sun was below the horizon at the time. This is the first time I am aware of seeing a rainbow produced be the sun coming from behind it or from below the horizon. |
| Target | Venus |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Tau |
| Category | Planets |
| Time | 20May05; 2035 EDT |
| Comments | While walking down the east side of The Great Lawn I looked across and easily say Venus low on the western horizon. It appeared very bright against a light gray background. |
| Target | Common Nighthawk |
|---|---|
| Constellation | |
| Category | Fauna |
| Time | 20May05; 2045 EDT |
| Comments | It was starting to get dark and a common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor, flew directly overhead a little above arm's height. It was a small bird and appeared to have a light underside and sharply pointed wings. It both flew and turned quickly. |
| Target | Bright Stars |
|---|---|
| Constellation | |
| Category | Stars |
| Time | 20May05; 2045 EDT |
| Comments |
|
| Target | Kassandra Occultation |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Cnc |
| Category | Occultation |
| Time | 20May05; 2127 EDT |
| Comments | Not Seen. I found the Beehive and δ Cnc in by binoculars at 2053 EDT I wasn't seeing anything deeper than Mag 7 and the target star was Mag 9.7. Magnitude 13.3 asteroid 114 Kassandra occults Mag. 9.7 star TYC 1392-00962-1 in Cancer resulting in a magnitude drop of 3.6 Mag. for up to 3.4 seconds. There is considerable uncertainty in the path of the asteroid. There may be sister planets to the asteroid.
Track Plot
|
posted by Charlie at 22:35
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