20 July 2007

Observing Location	SIBL
Observational Period	1745-1800 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Overcast Temperature 76°F Wind Strong Breeze Humidity Low Feels Like Cool The sky is mostly covered by a big gray cloud that looks like it wants to rain. There is nice blue sky in the breaks in the cloud. I had to move around to see the Sun between buildings and breaks in the cloud and ended up getting my best view from in front of the gem shop across the street from the library. Transparency Poor Seeing II
Instruments	Brunton 8x21 compact binocular w/Welco gold shade 14 welder's filter - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Sunspots Constellation Gem Category Solar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070720.1745 EDT Comments Distance Light Time 1.016144 AU 8ms Angular Size 31'31.8" Altitude 27.6° Heliographic Latitude (B0) 4.84° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 326.54° Position Angle (P) 6.03° Carrington rotation number (CR) 2059 Space Weather says Group 963 is still there on the limb but even in the high resolution SOHO image all I can make out is an area of plage. Active Region Explorer says the spot has already rotated onto the back side of the sun and that Group 961 is about to reemerge. I can’t see anything.   Groups Spots R North 0 0 0 South 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 R = (Groups * 10) + Spots)

---

Observing Location	MetOval
Observational Period	2000-2245 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 72°F Wind Calm to Light Breeze Humidity Low Feels Like Cool When I got home it was still clear out and the Moon was high in the S so I grabbed SAR and stopped off for Chinese take-out on my way up to the oval. It was a little chilly just standing there. Transparency Good Seeing II
Instruments	SAR: Coulter CT-100 Newtonian reflector - Charlie ~24mm Kellner w/helical focuser (18x) Celestron Omni 20mm (21x) Celestron Omni 2x Barlow
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Moon Constellation Oph Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070720.2000 EDT Comments Lunation Phase Waxing Crescent Age 6.50d Distance Light Time (from earth) 400,198 km s Elongation ° % Illuminated 38.2% Morning Terminator Colongitude (λ E) 344.7° Evening Terminator Colongitude (λ W) 164.7° Libration in Latitude 4°43’ Libration in Longitude 1°36’; Magnitude -11.58 Angular Size 29'86" Altitude 31°11’ Moons Virtual Moon Atlas graphic The Moon was to the lower right of Spica tonight by about 4 finger widths. 18x (Kellner) There are still obvious horns on the upper and lower limbs. My eye was immediately drawn to Theophilus, Cyrillus and Catharina even before I noticed the maria. Rupes Altai, that Altai Scarp was close by. In the north Aristoteles, Eudoxus and Calippus straddle the terminator. Callipus is wholly inside the terminator but the top of its wall is fully illuminated. Menelaus is right on the terminator. 21x (Celestron Omni) Plinius, Jansen and Sinas and Sinas E are arcing out across Mare Tranquillitatis Way up north I can see Hercules and Atlas After that some kids stopped by and I let them look and then I had the whole family and a groups of others. By the time most of the people had gone so had the Moon, down behind the trees and buildings.

Target Jupiter Constellation Oph Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070720.2200 EDT Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation ° Distance Light Time (from Earth) AU ms Distance (from Sun) Au Angular Size 43.1" Magnitude -2.4 Central Meridian I/II 250.91°/66.68° Altitude 26° Moons Meridian graphic Three moons were lined up to the left of the planet, Ganymede, Europa and Io close by, and one moon, Callisto, was off to the right with ω Oph a little further out looking like a fifth moon. I could not see any texture on the disk of the planet even at 43x.

Target Head of Scorpius Constellation Sco Category Double Stars Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070720.2230 EDT Comments After everyone had left, and I was tired of looking at Jupiter, I moved around a bit more and could see the head of Scorpius so tried for the double stars there. Graffias, β1 Sco and βSub>2 Sco, was difficult to split. Sthe secondary star was right at the end of the comet tail of the primary, but I could definitely see it. ν Sco was a lot easier and looked like to little comets.

Target Alberio Constellation Cyg Category Double Star Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070720.2240 EDT Comments I could see Alberio through a gap in the trees so gave it a try and dropped the scope right on it. It looked like two small comets side by side, one red and the other blue, pointed at the horizon.

Target Summer Triangle Constellation Category Asterism Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070720.2245 EDT Comments Moving around the oval I got a more open view of the sky and up near Zenith I could see Vega and a little lower Deneb and Altair.