30 March 2006

Observing Location	PSC My observations were cut short when I accumulated a large group of teenagers who wanted my binoculars. They dispersed when I got on the ham radio and was in communication with someone else.
Observational Period	1300-1430 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	At noon it is hazy but the sky still has a light blue color to it. CSC is saying average transparency which is probably about right. Transparency is supposed to drop for a few hours around 1600 EST then rebound around 2000 EST.
Instruments	Canon 15x50 Image Stabilized binoculars with Baader AstroSolar filter film - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target	Sunspots
Constellation	Psc
Category	Solar
Time	20060331.1330 EST
Comments	There are two groups of spots that have rotated onto the disk of the sun and were hanging down from around 11:00. 865 This spot is the one that is farthest onto the disk and appears biggest and most solid. There is a line of spots trailing it and then a pore. 866 866 is fainter and smaller. It looks like it could be a group of unconsolidated spots but it is still too foreshortened to tell much about it. Hemisphere Groups Spots Sunspot # North 2 3 23 South 0 0 0 Total 2 3 23 Sunspot # = (Groups *10) + Spots

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I just saw a news article about the next crew being en route to the ISS and found that they are due to dock there tomorrow night. I checked Heavens-Above and found that there is a visible pass of the ISS here at 0445 EST tomorrow morning. Next I checked CalSky and found a Progress pass 1 second later but realized that the location in CalSky was set to Washington DC. When I set it to New York City the progress pass disappeared. So it looks like they will be visible flying in tandem south of here but not from here. I may get up to observe just in case.

	Time	Alt	Az	Mag	Constellation
Rises	0443 EST	0.48°	214° SW	inv	Cen
Appears	0429 EST	10°	205° SSW	0.5	Cen
Max Alt/Transit	0448 EST	34°	137° SE	-0.3	Aql
Disappears/Sets	0450 EST	10°	61° ENE	5.4	And

CalSky graphic

Progress is scheduled to land on 8Apr06 with the current ISS crew. I have not seen any references to visible Progress passes for NYC on either 7Apr06 or 8Apr06.