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(meteorobs) Evening with the wolves...
Hi guys -
Just got back in from my second all-nighter with my telescope and the comet....
We finally got spring here (well, almost above freezing at night ;) and several
clear nights in a row....
Headed out west of Ottawa both nights. Tuesday night was the darker site, same
location as I got my best views of Hyakutake. Did guided piggyback shots of
Hale-Bopp with my camera... Saw Mercury in the evening sky... Saw a nice -1
meteor, about 25 degrees long, 2 sec. train... Everybody else packed things in
about 11.30 and went home.... I stayed until dawn, cranked more NGC objects
towards my next RASC observing project, watched the comet rise again, and
looked at Jupiter and the moon in the morning sky... The neatest terminator
I've ever seen... lots of mountaintops peeking through... and several of the
craters on the edge gave the illusion that they were layered one on top of the
other...
Last night, Wednesday, went to a different site, closer to Ottawa, with a friend
of mine - a lady who used to meteor observe back in the '50's and saw the 1946
Giacobinids ;) Skies were somewhat less than cooperative, with some cloud bands
going through, but managed quite a bit of observing over a thermos of coffee...
Did more guided camera shots of the comet, piggybacked on my telescope...
Managed to get some more of my NGC objects on the list that the RASC gives an
observing certificate for (all non-Messier NGC's). They recommend a minimum 6"
scope for the list, and most of the guys use at least an 8". I'm determined to
get them all with my own scope, which is a 4.7". Am now down to 19 left to go,
out of 110 on the list.... And got a good look at Mars last night.... ooooh!!!
Had to be the most beautiful view I've ever had of Mars through <any> telescope
ever.... crisp, coloured features, oranges, greens..... blew me away. I was
using about x210 for viewing. The evening was most enjoyable.... skies, scope
and wolves howling in the woods.... Took some photos of the crescent moon and
Jupiter rising, then headed home...
It was so nice to get some skies, and warmer weather... I only had a bit of
frost on my equipment last night, and even had my gloves off most of the time!
Had an absolutely delightful couple evenings.....
- Cathy
Thawing Out in the Great White North...
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