9 February 2007

Observing Location	VP
Observational Period	1100-1115 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Scattered Clouds ~25% with light haze Temperature 20°F Wind 7 MPH gusting to 23 MPH Humidity Low Feels Like 11°F Wind Chill Transparency Good Seeing II
Instruments	Brunton 8x21 compact binocular w/Welco gold shade 14 welder's filter - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Sunspots Constellation Cap Category Solar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070209.1100 EST Comments Distance Light Time 0.987 AU 8m12s Angular Size 32'25" Heliographic Latitude (B0) -6.55° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 296.95° Position Angle (P) -15.37° Carrington rotation number (CR) 2053 No spots were observed today.   Groups Spots R North 0 0 0 South 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 R = (Groups * 10) + Spots)

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Observing Location	TotL
Observational Period	2100-0015- EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover becoming Broken Clouds with heavy haze Clear Temperature 20 Wind calm gusting to Moderate Breeze Humidity Moderate Feels Like Cold °F Wind Chill When I arrived it was pretty clear but Peter said Saturn looked very soft under high power. As the night wore on clouds became visible to the north low in the sky to the north and transparency decreased to the point that I could hardly are Orion's Belt and the Pleiades looked like a single dim star. It cleared up a good but after 2330 EST, but by then we were mostly packed up. Transparency Poor Seeing II
Instruments	Canon 15x50 IS binocular - Charlie Teleport 10" Donsonisn reflector - Peter
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway Peter Tagatac Kin Lee

Target Saturn Constellation Leo Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070209.2130 EST Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 178.51°W Distance Light Time (from Earth) 8.20 AU 1h8m Distance (from Sun) 9.19 Au Angular Size 20.2"x17.9" Ring Angular Size 45.8"x11" Ring Inclination 13.91° Magnitude 0.0 Altitude 46.55° I could see five moons and occasionally the Casini Division and a band on the planet above the rings. In my binocular it just looked to me like a cigar shaped planet. Peter and Kin both reported seeing a separation between the rings and the planet.

Target M42 Constellation Ori Category DSO:EmBen Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070209 EST Comments it was hard to detect the nebulosity. It was most easily seen with averted vision. Orion was in Manhattan south with the lights from Times Square illuminating the haze which was getting very pronounced by then.