3 January 2007

Observing Location	VP
Observational Period	1245-1300 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Scattered Clouds cirrus, mares tails Temperature Clear45°F Wind Calm gusting to Moderate Breeze Humidity Low Feels Like Cool Another beautiful day before a soggy weekend. Transparency Excellent Seeing I
Instruments	Canon 15x50 IS binocular w/Baader AstroSolar filter film - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Sunspots Constellation Sgr Category Solar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070103.1245 EST Comments Distance Light Time 0.983AU 8m11s Angular Size 32'32" Heliographic Latitude (B0) -3.29° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 63.18° Position Angle (P) +0.93° Carrington rotation number (CR) 2051 Earth is at perihelion at 2000 EST tonight. It is a HUGE Sun :) Date Distance Light Time Diameter Magnitude perihelion 3Jan07 2000 EST 147,093,602 km 8m11S 32'32" -26.7 aphelion 9Jul07 1900 EDT 152,097,053 km 8m27s 31'28" -26.7 Things look pretty much as they did yesterday, except now I know what I am seeing. SOHO MDI graphic   Groups Spots R North 1 1 11 South 2 3 23 Total 3 4 34 R = (Groups * 10) + Spots) Group 933 Heliographic Latitude -5° Heliographic Longitude 35° Mcintosh System Cho The p spot looks like a hyphen surrounded by penumbra. The f spot is small but easily seen. Group 934 Heliographic Latitude +3° Heliographic Longitude 31° Mcintosh System Axx This appears to be a solitary spot without penumbra. Group 930 Heliographic Latitude -10° Heliographic Longitude 14° Mcintosh System Hsx This large spot appears circular and is surrounded by a small penumbra.

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This chart shows how much dimmer a star will appear at lower altitude than when it is hear the zenith.

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Observing Location	TotL
Observational Period	2030-2215 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Scattered Clouds becoming Broken Clouds Temperature 48°F Wind 6MPH gusting to 20MPH Humidity Moderate Feels Like Cold I don't care what NOAA says, there IS a wind chill effect at temperatures above 40°F. It felt much colder tonight than what the thermometer was reading. When I got home I could barely make out part of the Moon through the clouds. When I came home from dinner it was more readily seen but still behind a veil of cloud too thick for observing. I had given up on it but by 1900 EST it was above the clouds in a predominantly clear sky so I got dressed for standing in the cold and headed downtown,. Transparency wasn't too bad but seeing was problematic. Transparency Fair Seeing III
Instruments	SAR: Coulter CT-100 Newtonian reflector - Charlie Celestron Omni 20mm Celestron Omni 2x Barlow
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway Kin Lee

Target Moon Constellation Gem Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070103.2030 EST Comments Lunation 1039 Phase Waning Gibbous Full +0d11h32m Age 14d11h28m Elongation 172.68°W % Illuminated 99.6% Magnitude -12.6 Altitude 38.51° Distance Light Time 380,000 km 1.27s Angular Size 31'28" Tonight the terminator was visible from around Casatus to around Pontecoulant. That whole area looked like someone had lightly pressed a drill into it. Tycho looked like the naval of a naval orange. There was little discernible relief at 21x. I tried using the Barlow but the seeing wouldn't support it.

Target Saturn Constellation Leo Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070103.2140 EST Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 139.049°W Magnitude 0.2 Altitude 18.72° Ring Inclination 12.70° Angular Ring Size 44.6"x9.8" Distance Light Time (from Earth) 8.42 AU 1g10m Angular Size 19.7"x14.4" Distance (from Sun) 9.18 AU Saturn was rising out of the low trees and into the big tree so I was trying to observe it through the moving branches and varying air currents. It was golden and circular. I didn't even try the Barlow on it.

Target Orion Nebula, M42, NGC1976 Constellation Ori Category DSO: EmNeb Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070103.2150 EST Comments The nebula was barely visible tonight. Averted vision didn't seem to make a difference.