ISS - 6/8/2008 - 9:29pm

Shot with a Aiptek HD camcorder.

2008-05-05 Starlog

May 5th, 2008
9:00pm - 9:45pm

Equipment:
8 inch Orion Skyquest Dob, 32mm, 25mm, 10mm and 2x barlow


9:00 pm
Saturn - 32mm, 10mm + 2x barlow

• Titan
• Rhea

9:15 pm
Leo

• Regulas wth companion star (k1) - 32mm
  

9:23 pm
Saturn - 25mm

• Titan
• Rhea
• Tethys

9:26 pm
Leo

• Denebola
• Zosma
• 9:36 - satellite passed by Zosma N->SW; seen with 25mm eyepiece
• Chertan

9:45 pm

• Arcturus

2008-04-30 Starlog

April 30th, 2008
9:00pm - 9:30pm

Equipment
8 inch Orion Dobsonian , 25mm and 10mm

Planets

• Saturn

Constellations:

Leo

• Regulas
• Algieba
• Denebola
• η Leonis
• γ Leonis
• Adhafera
• Ras Elased Borealis

Boötes

• Arcturus

2008-04-22 Starlog

April 22, 2008
9:30pm - 9:45pm

Equipment
Orion Dobsonians XT8, 32mm, 10mm, 10x50 Bushnell binoculars

Observed:

Saturn
Titan

Leo
Regulus

Bootes
Arcturus

9:37pm - Iridium Flare

2/3/2007 - Mars and Orion Nebula

Taken with Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi.

Orion Nebula:

Exposure: 2.5 sec (5/2)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 600 mm
ISO Speed: 800


Mars:

Exposure: 0.6 sec (3/5)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 600 mm
ISO Speed: 800


Exposure: 1 sec (1)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 35 mm
ISO Speed: 800


Exposure: 0.8 sec (4/5)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 55 mm
ISO Speed: 800


Exposure: 1 sec
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 55mm
ISO: 800

Telescope Tip – Easily Slide a Bulky Telescope

I love my Orion SkyQuest 8XT Dobsonian, but it’s a bit bulky and hard to move. I found using the “moving men” or “amazing sliders” work wonders. Put one under each of the legs and slide the telescope. It’s now easy to get my telescope to a better view. Also, the legs don’t get caught on any of the gaps between the boards of my deck.

2008-01-07 Starlog

January 7, 2008
8:30 pm - 9:15 pm

Equipment
Orion Dobsonians XT8, 32mm, 25mm, 12mm, 10x50 Bushnell binoculars

Observed:
Mars


Pleiades

Gemini

• M34
• Castor
• Pollux
• Alhena

Auriga

• v Aur
• l Aur
  
• M37

Orion

• Orion Nebula
• 
  
• Betelgeuse
• 
  
• Bellatrix
• Mintaka
• Alnilam
• Alnitak
• Rigel
• Saiph

Cool Lights - ISS and 2 satellites together in the sky

Look up in the sky early 1/2/2008 around 6:50am to the west to see ISS and 2 other satellite together. They will start in the west near the Pyxis constellation and end northeast in the Cygnus constellation.

What to watch in January 2008

Early evening (6:30pm)
Planets

• Mars - sitting close to the constellations Taurus
• Neptune - in Capricornus
• Uranus - in Aquarius

Mercury will start to peek over the western horizon in the Capricornus constellation early evening on January 11 and will peek on around January 20th.

Here are a few objects to keep an eye out for:

Close to Mars:

• M35 Open Cluster in Gemini
• M37 Open Cluster in Auriga

Comets
Tuttle - East near the constellation Aries.

Looking East
Pleiades (m45) - open cluster near Orion. Beautiful object to view in a binoculars.
Andromeda Galaxy (m31) - galaxy in Andromeda constellation


Looking West
NGC700 - Diffuse Nebula in Cygnus


Early Morning (6:30am)
Planets

• Venus - sitting between Scorpius and Libra
• Saturn - in Leo
• Mars - sitting close to the constellations Taurus

Jupiter will start to rise in the Sagittarius constellation around January 20 in the east. Also, Pluto will make an appearance around January 10.