27 July 07

Observing Location	TotL
Observational Period	2000-2315 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Scattered Clouds becoming Overcast Temperature 75°F Wind Calm Humidity High Feels Like Mild but moist When I left home it looked clear out, but from the subway I could see heavy clouds out to the west. I was on the way so kept going. It was another night like the last when the clouds kept opening up and filling in again. Not worth the trip. Transparency Poor to none Seeing III
Instruments	SAR: Coulter CT-100 Newtonian reflector - Charlie ~24mm Kellner w/helical focuser (18x) Celestron Omni 20mm (21x) Celestron Omni 2x Barlow Canon 15x50 IS binocular - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target C/2006 VZ13 (LINEAR) Constellation Com Category Comet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070727.2130 EDT Comments I had looked up the RA and Dec of the comet in Cartes du Ciel for 2130 EDT and right on schedule a gap in the clouds appeared in the area of Bootes. I was in the process of hopping down to 70 Virginis when the clouds filled in again and I didn’t get another break the rest of the night.

Target Moon Constellation Sgr Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070727.2200 EDT Comments Lunation 1046 Phase Waxing Gibbous Age 17.22d Distance Light Time (from earth) 385,778 km s Elongation ° % Illuminated 96.5% Morning Terminator Colongitude (λ E) 70.8 Evening Terminator Colongitude (λ W) 250.8 Libration in Latitude 6°32’ Libration in Longitude -4°45’ Magnitude -12.64 Angular Size 30.97' Altitude 19° Virtual Moon Atlas graphic The Moon was in the teapot tonight but you couldn’t prove it by me. Most of the night I was looking at it through a veil of clouds.

Target Jupiter Constellation Oph Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070727.2230 EDT Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation ° Distance Light Time (from Earth) AU ms Distance (from Sun) Au Angular Size 42.4" Magnitude -2.4 Central Meridian I/II 294.36°/56.57° Altitude 25° Moons Starry Night Starter graphic Io was missing tonight. It turns out it was just going into occultation and too close to the planet for me to see it. The other three moons were lined up on the east side of the planet.