29 June 2007

Observing Location	TotL
Observational Period	2000-0015 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Broken Clouds becoming Clear Temperature 60s Wind Calm Humidity Moderate Feels Like Just a bit on the cool side I got email from Peter asking if I were going out tonight and tomorrow night. I checked the weather and replied back that it didn’t look like it was going to be good but I wanted to see the developing conjunction on Venus and Saturn so would be there. When I arrived the sky was 50-75% covered with clouds. I got a look at Venus and Saturn as the sky cleared then at Venus alone for a little bit while the clouds built back in. As the Moon was rising the sky was starting to clear again and by midnight it was clear of clouds although transparency was poor and there were few stars visible. When I picked up my tripod bag to pack up it felt moist. There was constant boiling over the Moon even after it had risen to around 20°. Transparency Poor Seeing II-III
Instruments	Canon 15x50 IS binocular - Charlie Takahashi 22x60 binocular - Peter
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway Peter Tagatac

Target Venus Constellation Leo Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070629.2050 EDT Comments Object Class Classical Planet Phase Waning Crescent Elongation ° % Illuminated 36.3% Distance Light Time (from Earth) AU ms Distance (from Sun) Au Angular Size 31.1" Magnitude -4.4 Altitude 23° I caught sight of Venus naked-eye and don’t know of it had just become bright enough for me to see it or if the clouds had parted when I happened to be looking in the right direction.

Target Saturn Constellation Leo Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070629.2050 EDT Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation ° Distance Light Time (from Earth) AU hm Distance (from Sun) Au Angular Size 16.8" Ring Angular Size "x" Ring Inclination ° Magnitude +0.6 Altitude 24° Starry Night Starter graphic I got the binocular on Venus and Saturn was in the same FoV to the upper left. Once I got the tripod set up Saturn looked faint but I felt like I was seeing the rings. I didn’t see Saturn long enough to judge its distance from Venus and never did see it naked-eye. The clouds built in that area of the sky and it looked like the night was lost. Starry Night Starter graphic

Target Jupiter Constellation Oph Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070629.~2115 EDT Comments Object Class Classical Planet Elongation ° Distance Light Time (from Earth) AU ms Distance (from Sun) Au Angular Size 45.0" Magnitude -2.5 Central Meridian I/II 146.86°/123.10° Altitude 23° Moons Starry Night Starter graphic

Target Moon Constellation Sgr Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070629.2200 EDT Comments Lunation Phase Age 14.95d Full -11.5h Distance Light Time (from earth) 390,438 km s Elongation ° % Illuminated 99.7% Morning Terminator Colongitude (λ E) 88.6° Evening Terminator Colongitude (λ W) 268.6° Magnitude - Angular Size 30.61' Altitude ° Virtual Moon Atlas graphic The Moon looked nearly full. There was a little roughness on the eastern limb if you looked carefully. We remarked some features but I didn’t make any notes and have forgotten what they were.