7 January 2007

Observing Location	Parkchester Subway Station They are doing track work and station rehabilitation along the line and all northbound trains are running express from Hunts Point to the end of the line. That means the trains are running on the middle track and they are opening the doors onto the southbound platform to make it easier for people who need to backtrack on a southbound train for bypassed stations. So I don't have access to the southern platform today and am having to look around station furniture and structures to see the horizon. The comet is rising south of east and there is an apartment building that is blocking access to the first couple of degrees of sky there. I probably would have been better off making the trip down to CSP.
Observational Period	0615-0715 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Scattered Cloud Temperature 44°F Wind Light Breeze Humidity Moderate Feels Like Chilly It was mostly clear but clouds moved in low on the horizon from the W/SW. It isn't that cold this morning but the moisture and wind, and the memory of record breaking temperatures yesterday, are making it feel worse than it is. But our perception of temperature is more important than the actual thermometer reading. Transparency Good Seeing II
Instruments	Canon 15x50 IS binocular - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Moon Constellation Leo Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070107.0615 EST Comments Lunation 1039 Phase Waning Gibbous Age 17d21h13m Elongation 134.24° % Illuminated 84.9% Magnitude -11.5 Altitude 39.44° Distance Light Time (from Earth) 394,000 km 1.31s Diameter 30'22" There were two bright "stars" to the lower right of the Moon. The farthest away was Saturn. About a quarter of that distance from the Moon was dimmer Regulus. Way out behind was Denebola.

Target Saturn Constellation Leo Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070107.0615 EST Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 142.64° Magnitude 0.2 Altitude 36.13° Distance Light Time (from Earth) 8.38 AU 1h10m Distance (from Sun) 9.18 AU Angular Size 19.7"x17.5" RingAngular Size 44.8"x9.91" Ring Inclination 12.78

Target Jupiter Constellation Oph Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070107.0625 EST Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 37.26° Magnitude -1.8 Altitude 14.45° Angular Size 32.2"x30.1" Moons C G    I(J)   E Distance Light Time (from Earth) 6.11 AU 50m51S Distance (from Sun) 5.37 AU Central Meridian I/II 4° 225° I could see Jupiter’s moons around the planet but as the sky began to lighten they were lost.

Target Mars Constellation Oph Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070107.0630 EST Comments Object Class Classical Planet Phase Waning Gibbous Central Meridian 180° Elongation 23.67° % Illuminated 98.3% Magnitude 1.5 Altitude 6.48° Distance Light Time (from Earth) 2.35 AU 19m34s Distance (from Sun) 1.51 AU Angular Size 3.98" Central Meridian 180° Mars appeared pink to orange in color. Even after I had landmarked it it was difficult to recover and I was not able to fee it naked-eye.

Target C/2006 P1 (McNaught) Constellation Aql Category Comet/Asteroid/Meteor Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070107.0640 EST Comments Not Seen I scanned the horizon where I expected the comet to rise, based on the location of Mars, but never saw anything there and then towards 0700 EST the clouds reached that part of the horizon. I wasn't able to locate Altair either.

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When I arrived home I noticed what I think are daffodils sprouting next to the entrance to my building. (They may be crocuses.) NOAA says we set a record high temperature yesterday at 72°F. They were expecting that we might also have a record for the highest low temperature on Friday but I never heard if that happened.

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Observing Location	PSC
Observational Period	1330-1345 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Scattered Cloud Cirrus & Stratus ~50% Temperature 40s Wind Calm Humidity Moderate Feels Like Cool The clouds are starting to build for the next spate of rain that is supposed to begin late tonight. Transparency Good 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 20070107.1330 EST Comments Distance Light Time 0.983AU 8m11s Angular Size 32'32” Heliographic Latitude (B0) 3.75° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 10.09° Position Angle (P) -1.03° Carrington rotation number (CR) 2051 All I are today is the two big spots.   Groups Spots R North 0 0 0 South 2 2 22 Total 2 2 22 R = (Groups * 10) + Spots) Group 933 Heliographic Latitude -8° Heliographic Longitude 39° Mcintosh System Hkx Southern Hemisphere This spot is now about half way across the lower right quadrant of the Sun's disk. It is large with a penumbra that appears a lurele irregular. I think the spot is still elongated horizontally. Group 930 Heliographic Latitude +4° Heliographic Longitude 9° Mcintosh System Hhx Southern Hemisphere This is the larger of the two spots. It appears to br nearly circular with a broad symmetrical penumbra. It is near the center of the disk.