24 April 2007

Observing Location	SIBL
Observational Period	1145-1200 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover light haze Temperature 70°F Wind Light Breeze gusting to Moderate Breeze Humidity Low Feels Like Warm Transparency Good Seeing I
Instruments	Canon 15x50 IS binocular w/Baader AstroSolar filter film - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Sunspots Constellation Ari Category Solar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 2007 EDT Comments Distance Light Time 1.005703 AU 8ms Angular Size 31'51.9" Altitude 58.6° Heliographic Latitude (B0) -4.91° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 54.09° Position Angle (P) -25.29° Carrington rotation number (CR) 2055 There is still nothing to be seen.   Groups Spots R North 0 0 0 South 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 R = (Groups * 10) + Spots)

---

I was browsing the NY Public Library site today and came across a page illustrating a manuscript containing a view of the Artistotelian universe.

---

I forgot my PDA so this is a partial post until I recover it.

Observing Location	TPO
Observational Period	0830-2245 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Scattered Clouds Temperature 66°F Wind Variable gusting to Moderate Breeze Humidity Low Feels Like Cool There were some passing clouds and early on a glow of haze around the Moon. Some boiling was observed over the Moon. Transparency Good Seeing II
Instruments	SAR: Coulter CT-100 Newtonian reflector - Charlie Celestron Omni 20mm Celestron Omni 2x Barlow 24mm Kellner w/helical focuser
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target ISS Visible Pass Constellation Tau, Gem, Cnc Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070424.2128 EDT Comments Not Seen The ISS was supposed to have passed within 0.5° of Venus on this pass. Heavens Above puts it at Mag -0.2 while CalSky has it at Mag 1.9. In either case it was bright enough that it should have been seen since I was able to see Mirfac α Per Mag 1.78 δ Per Mag 3.0 Algol β Per Mag 2.06 Almaaz ε Aur Mag 3.0 Hoedus II η Aur Mag 3,15 Hoedus I ζ Aur Mag 3.68 I didn’t know exactly where it was going to become visible and estimated too far to the north but was scanning between Perseus and Venus the whole time of the pass, concentrating on the area around Venus when it was supposed to be there so should have seen it. From Heavens Above: Time EDT Alt Az Starts 2128:23 10° WNW Max Alt 2130:49 44° WSW Ends 2130:49 44° WSW Heavens-Above.com graphic From CalSky: 21h29m18.46s Close to Venus. Separation=0.991° Position Angle=354.2° Angular Velocity=15.8'/s Angular diameter=21.1" size=73.0m x 44.5m x 27.5m Satellite at Azimuth=288.5° WNW Altitude= 18.3° Distance=876.9 km Magnitude=1.7mag Satellite apparently moves to clock-face direction 10:34 o'clock Closest Point: Longitude= 73°50'20" W Latitude=+40°54'49" [Mount Vernon, Westchester County, NY] Distance=20.45 km Azimuth= 34.4° NE Path direction: 124.4° SE ground speed: 10.134 km/s width: 0.1 km max. duration: 0.0 s

Target Moon Constellation Cnc Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070424.2135 EDT Comments Lunation 1043 Phase Waxing Gibbous First Quarter +20h Age 7.58d Distance Light Time (from earth) 338,469 km s Elongation ° % Illuminated 58.1% Magnitude -12.11 Angular Size 30.76' Altitude 59°22’ The Moon was between M44 and Saturn tonight. I started observing with my weakest eyepiece and incremented the magnification to see how much more I could see with the increase. I didn't reference any guides until after the fact to help identify features I didn't know the names of, which is most of them. 24mm 18x Palus Somni Theophilus, Cyrillus and Catharina but not Rupes Altai Pallis Capella Mare Undarum looks very dark There appears to be mare on both sides of the “dunce cap” at the top of Mare Serenitatis that is a different shade of gray than the dunce cap. Eudoxus and Aristoteles a couple of rays are starting to appear out of a crater in the SW, Petavius? Alps Mountains and Apennine Mountains Aristillus 20mm 22x western end of the Alpine Valley Rupes Altai 24mm + 2x Barlow 36x I know it shouldn’t make a difference, but I can easily see the Alpine Valley from the right side of my scope but have to work to find it when on the left side. Arzachel’s rim is 100% in sunlight but shadow is wrapped around it nearly to 12:00 to the north and to 5:30 on the south. The terminator has a scalloped shape here. The central peak is bright above a darker crater floor. About half way between Arzachel and the south pole, and moving away from the terminator a bit, is a kidney shaped double crater, Licetus and Heraclitus & Heraclitus D. Right in the center of the terminator there are two large craters, Ptolemaeus and Alphonsus. The floor of Alphonsus is in medium shadow while I can see two craters on the floor of Ptolemaeus [there is only one well formed crater there – Ammonius]. Tangent to Ptolemaeus to the north is an equally large ghost crater – Hipparchus?, or have I identified the wrong craters from the maps? 20mm + 2x Barlow 22x Arzachel has a central peak Piton The Alpine Valley looks like a stiletto of shadow coming out of the Alps The Alps don’t look like they join up with the Caucusus Mountains. The Carpathians and Caucusus appear to be spinning off the rim of Mare Imbrium like the arm of a spiral galaxy, and go up toward Eudoxus and Aristoteles. Mare Vaporum is a broad shield under Mare Serenitatis I think I get a more contrasty image out of the Omni than out of the Kellner and also with the eyepieces alone rather than in combination with the Barlow.