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(meteorobs) Observing & Tempel-Tuttle..

Greetings All!

It's actually been very mild this week up north here, feels like spring is
coming.  We've been above zero (C!) and the snow is really starting to melt...

Have gotten several nights observing done in February, unusual for Ottawa
this time of year.  Last year, every clear night seemed to be about -30C
(-22F) or colder, and with the windchills, it was a bit dangerous for observing.

On February 6/7, Pierre Martin and I did a number of hours out west of here,
with our lawnchairs set up in the snowbank along one of the country roads.
I got in about 6 teff hours, 27 meteors total, temperature about -16C (3F).
The moon was bad for the first while, but it was great just to get out!
Pierre set up his 8 inch scope to try for Tempel-Tuttle, the parent comet of
the Leonids, but was unable to spot it due to moon conditions.

This past Wednesday night, February 25/26, the two of us headed out again,
but south of the city, back behind the airport.  Got in about 3 teff hours,
temperature very mild, about -5C (23F) but a stiff wind, giving a windchill
of about -12C (10F).  It was a challenge to keep our charts and metallic
survival tarps from taking flight!  Activity was slow - I got 10 meteors
total in 3 hours.

Last night, February 26/27, I headed out on my own west of Ottawa to Rolf
and Linda Meier's place, and set up my scope in their driveway to try for
Tempel-Tuttle.  And - I got it!!  What an interesting little comet!  In my
4.7 inch f8.5 refractor, it was easy to star-hop to, and easily visible in
my low power eyepiece, a 2 inch 50mm Plossl.  It was very tiny, almost like
a faint fuzzy star.  In my 1.25 inch 13mm Plossl it showed as bright and
condensed.  In spite of being right in the middle of a lot of zodiacal
light, the comet was easy to find and see, just up to the right of Saturn.
If any of you haven't had a look at it yet - go for it!!  It is much easier
to see than the estimated magnitude of 10.5 would tend to imply!  

Coordinates for Tempel-Tuttle (from Machholz) for next couple nights are:

Feb. 26   1h 13.7m   + 10 09   est. mag. 10.5
Mar.  3    1h 13.2m   + 08 27   est. mag. 10.7
Mar.  8    1h 12.7m   + 07 01   est. mag. 11.0

Don't be put off by the magnitude - this comet was easy to see last night in
my 4.7 inch scope!!

And... that's about it for now.  

Clear Skies!

- Cathy Hall
  Great White North
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