16 April 2006

Conditions

Observing Location	On the hill above Balto, East Drive, Central Park, NY Lat: , Long: I entered the park near the Conservatory Water and after stopping off to see the hawk watchers started walking South thinking that I would observe from Peter's rock but I came to this exposed, fairly flat rock on the west side of the drive at the top of the hill above the Balto statue and decided to set up there since the sun was currently in view and there were no trees or buildings that would block my for some time to come.
Observational Period	1500-1700 EDT
Atmospheric	There was some haze and light cirrus or ciro-stratus clouds that passed across the sun and occasionally made it difficult to see the sunspot but never blocked the view of the Sun. Late in the period the Sun dropped into a patch of clear air and the views were very nice. There was some light to moderate boiling. The wind was light and the temperature comfortable in the sun but cool in the shade. Transparency Good Seeing Good
Instruments	Canon 15x50 IS binocular - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target	Sunspots
Constellation	Psc
Category	Solar
Time	20060415.1500 EDT
Comments	I could only find one small sunspot in the SE quadrant of the sun. Groups Spots R North 0 0 0 South 1 1 11 Total 1 1 11 Groups * 10 + Spots = Relative Sunspot Number

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Observing Location	TotL
Observational Period	2000-2215 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	The weather forecast said it was going to be clear tonight so I sent to dinner then returned to the park to do some stargazing. There were mares tails up high and some small clumps of clouds that might be a mackerel sky if they were closer together or seen from a greater distance where they appeared to be closer together. It didn't look like it was going to be a great night but I set up anyway. The brighter stars shined through the clouds but the belt of Orion required work. I looked at Saturn and Mars then got into a talk with a passer by and finally waited for Jupiter to rise above the trees before calling it a night. There was a chill wind blowing on my neck out of the NE that felt a little moist. I moved over to the western side of the Lawn and the denser, lower to the ground, foliage of the Pinetum seemed to block most of the wind and it was much more comfortable there. Jupiter was low when I saw it so was in dense atmosphere and its moons came and went. Transparency Fair Seeing Fair
Instruments	Canon 15x50 IS binocular - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target	Robins
Constellation
Category	Fauna
Time	20060416.2000 EDT
Comments	As the sun was setting I noticed a Robin on the grass in the Great Lawn. Shortly after that, as it started to get dark I heard Robins singing from the trees all around me but in particular from the first tree at the top of the lawn on the west side which was their dormitory tree last year.

Target	Saturn
Constellation	Cnc
Category	Planet
Time	20060416.2030 EDT
Comments	Saturn had its usual cigar shape. It is very high so I didn't look at it long. It looks like Saturn and M45 are moving closer together again and should be easily seen in the same FOV if the clouds will permit it.

Target	Mars
Constellation	Gem
Category	Planet
Time	20060416.2040 EST
Comments	Since I knew where Mars was I never bothered to look it up in Planetarium. Now that I have I see that it is right next to M35. I had the cluster in my FOV and never even realized it. It will be at M35's 2:30 tomorrow night and at its 12:00 on Tuesday so I will have to remember to look for it if the weather is good.

Target	Jupiter
Constellation	Lib
Category	Planet
Time	20060416.2210 EDT
Comments	Jupiter rose behind the large apartment building with the internally illuminated glass roof that is probably around 86 St on Fifth Ave. It just popped out from behind the roof while I was trying to figure out what Zubin Elgenubi was. Io was above the planet and the rest of the moons were below it. Io was difficult to see and I could only see Calisto with averted vision.