17 December 2007

Observing Location	PSC
Observational Period	1245-1300 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover broken but light clouds. Temperature Low 50s F Wind Gentle Berrze gusting to Fresh Breeze Humidity Low Feels Like Cool Occasionally lulls in the wind but mostly gusts. Transparency Fair Seeing I
Instruments	Brunton 8x21 compact binocular w/Welco gold shade #14 welder's filter - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Sunspots Constellation Oph Category Solar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20061217.1245 EST Comments Heliographic Latitude (B0) -1.23° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 286.56° Position Angle (P) +9.03° Carrington rotation number (CR) 2051   Groups Spots R North 0 0 0 South 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 R = (Groups * 10) + Spots) Group 930 has completely disappeared as far as I can tell with my little hand-held binocular and nothin has rotated onto the disk to take its place.

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Observing Location	The Battery, New York, NY
Observational Period	1545-1800 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Scattered Clouds Temperature High 40s F Wind Calm Humidity Moderate Feels Like Cool The clouds are light down to the last 10°: above the horizon. The Sun was visible through the clouds as a huge orange ball about half the height of the Statue of Liberty. Transparency Poor Seeing
Instruments	Brunton 8x21 compact binocular - Charlie Celestron 7x50 binocular - Kin
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway Kin Lee

16:47 venus through clouds

Target Venus Constellation Sgr Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20061217.1647 EST Comments Seen through the clouds. It was the only plane in the Newark Airport area that never moved.

Target ISS/STS-116 Visible Pass Constellation Gru-Scl-Cet-Eri Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20061217.1716 EST Comments Not Seen. This was a Mag 1.1 pass that I anticipated seeing rising out of the clouds over Governor's Island and proceeding up the East River.

Target Iridium 50 Flare Constellation Her Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20061217.1744 EST Comments Not Seen This one probably required binoculars which, for a satellite, means being camped out where it is to appear. I never say Venus naked-eye and it was nearly a magnitude brighter than the flare (-3.9 vs -3),

There were two more satellite events I had planned on observing

Okean O Rocket

• 1812 EST
• Mag 2.7
• Begind: Alt 10°, Az SSE
  Max Alt: Alt 87° Az E
  Ends: Alt 10°: Az NNW

ISS/STS Visible Pass

• 1850-1850 EST
  Duration: 53 Seconds
• Mag 2.2

But since they were both much dimmer than the event we had just missed it wasn't worth hanging around to attempt them.