13 October 2006

Observing Location	VP
Observational Period	0930-0945 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 40s Wind Calm Humidity Low Feels Like Crisp Transparency Excellent Seeing I
Instruments	Canon 15x50 IS binocular w/Baader AstroSolar filter film - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Sunspots Constellation Vir Category Solar Time 20061013.0930 EDT Comments Heliphraphic Latitude (B0) +5.99° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 65.78° Position Angle (P) +26.25° Carrington rotation number (CR) 2048 I didn't are anything today; no spots, no plage.   Groups Spots R North 0 0 0 South 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 R = (Groups * 10) + Spots)

---

Observing Location	TotL
Observational Period	2045-0030 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 46°F Wind 6 mph&br;Gusting to 10 Humidity Low Feels Like Cold The sky looked gray but it was really clear. I looked up and saw three of the Perseus fishhook stars when I wasn't even looking for them. Just before leaving I counted nine stars in the Pleiades and Peter was up to at least ten. Seeing took a hit not because the air was not stable but because gusts of wind were buffeting the optics. I was bothered by the cold tonight. I dressed for it on the upper body and that felt fairly comfortable although I felt a little wired putting on a poly sweater under a poly lined jacket when there are still people out running around in shorts. Mt legs do better in the cold than my core and I just wore jeans which were adequate. Mt feet felt comfortable until I started walking and then I became aware of how cold they were. What tool it the worst were my head and my hip? I had a baseball cap on but the back of my head and my neck were cold. A parka with a hood would have felt good, but if I do that now what will I wear when it really gets cold. I don't know what to do about my hip. It just didn't appreciate just standing there in the cold. I attribute it to arthritis which bothers my left thumb and, to a lesser extend, my left hip fairly regularly. But tonight my right hip was the most uncomfortable.. At one point I had to leave my equipment with Peter and walk around the path to free it up. Once that was done I became aware of the full pain in my left hip and feet which the right hip had been masking. I think I am getting old. They had an early season, record, lake effect snowfall up in Buffalo last night that dropped 1-2 feet of snow downing trees and power lined leaning 200,000 residents without power. That amount of snow is nothing for Buffalo. But because the leaves are still on the trees its effect was exacerbated. They are saying it may take over two weeks before everyone gets their power back. Now sounds like a good time to be an astronomer in Buffalo. The commentator was asked if this is a harbinger of a longer and colder than usual winter and said that they are actually predicting it to be warmer than usual. I hope they are right although I would rather deal with snow than rain. Transparency Excellent Seeing II
Instruments	Canon 15x50 IS binocular - Charlie Peter and I both noticed that the focus in my binocular drifts. The higher the binocular is pointed the faster it drifts. It is like the mechanism and grease are not stiff enough to hold the oculars in place. When you have the binocular focused and pan down you have to refocus as you are loosing altitude. Takahashi 22x60 binocular - Peter Harry, a.k.a. The Kite: 6" DIY Newtonian Reflector - Peter There was really too much wind to use this instrument although Peter put it up for a short time to look at one or two objects. I call it The Kite because it is so light and easily buffeted by the wind.
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway Peter Tagatac Kin Lee

Without my PDA to run Planetarium I am hobbled. I know a lot of constellations now, but don't know my way around in them to find anything. Mostly I don't even remember what there is that I should even be looking for. Between this and the cold I mostly tagged along with Peter tonight and looked at whatever he found in his binocular.

Target IC4665 Constellation Oph Category DSO: OCl Time 20061013.2045 EDT Comments A sparse cluster. Serb in Peter's binocular.

Target 61 Oph Constellation Oph Category Double Star Time 20061013.2054 EDT Comments A close double but readily spit in Peter's binocular.

Target Muscleman Cluster, Stock 2 Constellation Oph Category DSO: OCl Time 20061013.2107 EDT Comments Almost fills the FoV Spread legs merge into a stick body with a big round head on too of it.

Target Double Cluster (NGC869 & NGC884) and Milky Way Constellation Per Category DSO: OCl Time 20061013.2110 EDT Comments There are many more stars above the upper cluster than we normally are. The whole area looks like it is covered with diamond dust.

Target Trumpler 2 Constellation Per Category Ocl Time 20061013.2100 EDT Comments A pyramid with an orange star at the top.

Target Wild Duck, M11, NGC6705 Constellation Sct Category DSO: OCl/td> Time 20061013.2136 EDT Comments Looks more like a big globular than an open cluster. On prolonged study a couple of stars began to flash

Target Kemble’s Cascade & NGC1502 Constellation Cam Category Asterism & DSO: OCl Time 20061013.2158 EDT Comments Looks a lot brighter tonight than on recent attempts. I saw a few stars in NGC1502 tonight.

Target M34, NGC039 Constellation Per Category DSO: OCl Time 20061013.2206 EDT Comments A large, loose cluster. The Firefly Deep Sky Observer’s Guide says it is a naked-eye object.

Target NCG1545 Constellation Per Category DSO: OCl Time 20061013.2252 EDT Comments Located in the fishhook. Small and sparse.

Target NGC1528 Constellation Per Category DSO: OCl Time 20061013.2308 EDT Comments Just outside the point of the fishhook. Large and diffuse.

---

Observing Location	Hugh J. Grant Circle, The Bronx, NY
Observational Period	0130 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature Cold Wind Light Breeze Humidity Low Feels Like Cold Transparency Good Seeing
Instruments	Naked-eye Observing - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Moon and Gemini Constellation Gem Category Alignment/Conjunction Time 20061014.0130 EDT Comments While waiting for the traffic light outside my train station I noticed the Last Quarter Moon was rising with the illuminated side down and it was close to a star to UTF 10:30. It was a nice alignment and I wondered which star it might be. Up at the next block I saw that there were two stars out there. I guessed that they were Castor and Pollux although I was not able to are any other stars in the area. At the end of my block I checked and estimated that it was about 23° above the horizon. Arriving home I checked Planetarium I found that the Moon was between Pollux's head and κ Gem, his right hand.