Another Blast from the Past...

[bladekeeper]

So with my friend Andrey's posting of his "blast from the past" report, I thought I'd dig up one I'd originally posted on the old AF forum from just over 3 years ago, back when I thought I knew what I was doing.

I left the mentioned lunar images out of this re-post as there were a lot of them, and honestly, not my best efforts with lunar photography, so no need in cluttering up server space with those.

Anyway, hope you find this report at least marginally entertaining and perhaps useful on pushing the observing envelope and some insight on how I went about it. Scope and eyepieces used are mentioned in the report.

September 14th, 2018

Man, what a freakin’ busy day at work. Right off the bat, it was problem solve, problem solve, problem solve. And recon this, recon that, balance spreadsheets, monitor progress, make decisions, get mad, eat lunch, and start all over again. Fridays seem to die hard.

By the time that part was done, I was glad to be coming home. After a very long and arduous 2-minute drive to my house, I was ready to re-freakin’-lax.

The sky was looking pretty favorable. I’ve seen better skies, but I’ve seen a whole lot more that were worse. I went out and unlocked the shed and swung the doors open to let the inside acclimate to the outside. It was hot today after a couple of weeks of almost autumn-like temperatures. Summer has re-asserted itself.

After eating some heated-up leftovers from yesterday (bleh!) I ventured back out and set up the AVX mount with the C6-R. I was hoping to do a few more lunar captures to catch the progress of the terminator across the disk, and maybe grab a planet or two. I also brought out the 12” dob. Maybe another go at Pluto? Some galaxy work after the Moon departed into the west?

Back inside to harass the forum for a little while. About 1930 hrs., I deemed it not quite light enough to prevent lunar captures, so back out I went.

The Moon was reasonably high up compared to last night. I went straight to the 2× barlow. I brought up SharpCap on my laptop, focused the Moon, and was already sitting on an interesting group of surface features. I ran off 1000 frames of that mess, moved to the top of the disk, and worked my way back down along the terminator, capturing 1000-frame SER files at each stop. After hitting the lower limb, I nabbed a couple more at random spots here and there.

Each of these is the best 10% of 1000 frames, AS!2 for stacking, RS6 for wavelets, and PS for cropping and posting reduction.

1. Moon
(Moon of Earth in Libra, mag -8.6, 31.1% illuminated)
Imaged: Sep 14, 2018 at 19:34:20
Comment: See images.
Location: Lowell, AR
Equipment: C6-R, ZWO ASI120MM-S, 2× barlow

***THIS IS WHERE THE LUNAR IMAGES WERE IN THE ORIGINAL AF POSTING***

After those were in the can, I returned inside to run my data through the gauntlet of my medieval processing skillset and to let the dark arrive.

Back out about 2115 hrs. While waiting on dark adaption, I performed a 2+3 alignment on the AVX. I skipped the PA because I don’t care.

Got all my eyepieces arranged and carted my table over to the dob. Let’s see about this Pluto business again.

Centering Albaldah (π Sagittarii) in the telrad, I moved to the RACI and slid to the southeast to hit HR 7276, stepped off HD 179609, and leaped eastward a degree and a half and lighted upon HR 7327. Once secure on this star, I moved to the 18mm 82° in the focuser.

I dropped north slightly and found my all too familiar “Pluto field” with my little elongated trapezium of stars with 11.57 GSC 6309-0098 right in the middle. Pluto should again be just westward of this star, but it had traveled a hair farther away from my last effort a few nights ago.

I quickly swapped out the 18mm for the 12.5mm KK ortho. I let the field drift through a couple of times and then reached for my 2× barlow.

Pluto was now hovering over a small triangle of GSCII stars that were magnitudes 13.8, 14.2, and 13.7. If I could pick out these three stars, then I might have a shot at Pluto.

I added the 12.5mm to the barlow and set that arrangement in the focuser. I let the field pass through the FOV a few times and I could begin to see the small little pinpoints of my small triangle stars. Cool!

I watch with averted vision through multiple passes for Pluto to emerge, but I got nothing.

I swapped out the barlowed KK for the 82° 6.7mm. Not a good idea. The contrast went down and my little dim stars disappeared. Bah!

Swapped that eyepiece out for the barlow again, and this time added the BCO 10mm.

I pulled my field back to the right and let it drift back through. Two brighter stars, there’s my little dim triangle, avert for Pluto, wait for it, wait for it. Nothing. Pull back to the right, two brighter stars, dim little triangle, avert…maybe, something was there. Pull back, two stars, triangle, nope. Pull back, two stars, triangle, BAM!

2. Pluto - NEW
(Planet in Sagittarius, mag 14.3, 100.0% illuminated)
Observed: Sep 14, 2018 at 22:03:22
Comment: Holy crap! Murderously tough! When I hit a pocket of steady air, Pluto flashed into existing and rode through the FOV, standing out quite nicely as a very small grey dot. The visage lasted about 3 seconds and blipped back out. Holy cow! That was awesome!
Location: Lowell, AR
Equipment: AD12, BCO 10mm, 2× barlow

I almost jumped up to do a funky chicken dance but thought I might knock the scope off-target so I kept my seat. I pulled back and let the field drift several more times and repeated my observation. None of the subsequent sightings were quite as long in duration as the first, but it was definitely repeatable.

That moment when the air steadied and Pluto emerged will be one of those images in my mind that will haunt me forever.

For a little eye relief, I swung over to easily seen Mars to have a gander. I still had the barlowed 10mm in the focuser.

3. Mars
(Planet in Capricornus)
Observed: Sep 14, 2018 at 22:09:31
Comment: Sharp and bright polar cap! Wow! And I can see the dark shadows of Mare Acidalium, Mare Erythraeum, and Sinus Meridiani.
Location: Lowell, AR
Equipment: AD12, BCO 10mm, 2× barlow

That was cool! That was the best view of Mars I’ve had all summer long!

Wonder if a monochrome capture would turn out?

I went back inside and brought my laptop back outside with me. At the C6-R, I slewed over to Saturn first and got the ringed planet centered in a 20mm eyepiece. I then barlowed the ZWO and hooked it up. Focus, adjust exposure, run off 1000 frames. Done.

6. Saturn
(Planet in Sagittarius, mag 0.4, 99.8% illuminated)
Imaged: Sep 14, 2018 at 22:23:00
Comment See image.
Location: Lowell, AR
Equipment: C6-R, ZWO ASI120MM-S, 2× barlow

Slewing over to Mars, I had to knock the exposure down a few notches. I ran off a 1000 frames, kicked the exposure back another notch, and tossed another 1000 in the can. I can’t tell much difference between the two. But, if you squint hard enough, you can see the same surface features that I noted in my observing notes above.

Since I got Pluto nailed down and was well practiced at this point with little tiny dim points of light, I thought I’d let Neptune scooch a little higher and see if I’d have any luck with its brightest moon Triton. I went back inside to crank my Saturn and Mars images through the wringer and finish up my earlier lunar captures.

Back out about 2300 hrs., I sighted in the little group of three stars that are the ψ Aquarii’s in the telrad, and then RACI’d north two hairs to hit χ Aquarii and on up to φ Aquarii. I could see Neptune in the RACI at that point.

7. Neptune
(Planet in Aquarius, mag 7.8, 100.0% illuminated)
Observed: Sep 14, 2018 at 23:17:14
Comment: A nice little blue ball. I laid the power to it and I got a decent little blue disk. Of course, no detail other than the color of the small disk. Good to see Neptune again!
Location: Lowell, AR
Equipment: AD12, ES 82° 18mm. KK Ortho 12.5mm

Now let’s see about this moon. Sky Safari told me that Neptune and Triton were enjoying 11.3” of separation. Hmm.

8. Triton - NEW
(Moon of Neptune in Aquarius, mag 13.6)
Observed: Sep 14, 2018 at 23:17:43
Comment: Triton appears as little pimple on the edge of Neptune’s disk. It is intermittent and very briefly separates and becomes its own pinpoint of light then merges back as Neptune’s pimple. Overall, it reminds me of trying to catch Sirius B. Very cool!
Location: Lowell, AR
Equipment: AD12, KK Ortho 12.5mm, BCO 10mm, 2× barlow

I studied this phenomenon for a little while. Pushing the power on Triton tended to make it disappear. A barlowed ortho seemed to hide it. A wide-field was unsatisfactory, but the straight-up 12.5mm or 10mm brought the little pimple forth easily enough at 122× and 152× respectively. That’s pretty cool. Triton, not as tough as Pluto.

Uranus and moons were next on the agenda, but the planet was still quite low in the murk. After capping things off to mitigate the encroaching dew, back inside I went.

While inside, I got caught up with some live streaming scope views on YouTube. Fun stuff. That ate up about an hour. Back outside at midnight. Uranus was in a good position high in the east in Aries, just west of Pisces.

Unfortunately, I seemed to be having trouble locating a close-by naked-eye star to land on with the telrad. And since I’d left the cap of the business end of the RACI, it was haired over with dew. I had to take it back inside and spritz it with a rocket blower to clear the eyepiece. Back outside to reinstall the RACI. Much better. I ended up starting in eastern Pisces by centering Alrischa (α Piscium). I worked my way northwest 7.5° to hit ο Piscium and then broke northeast through some brighter field stars to pick up Uranus in the RACI.

9. Uranus
(Planet in Aries, mag 5.7, 100.0% illuminated)
Observed: Sep 15, 2018 at 00:13:38
Comment: A very pale icy blue dot, much colder looking than Neptune.
Location: Lowell, AR
Equipment: AD12, ES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12.5mm, 2× barlow

I barlowed the 12.5mm ortho and let Uranus drift through the field a few times. Titania should be about 21” from its parent almost due west, so no worries on splitting here. After several more passes, I finally spotted my little dim point of light.

10. Titania - NEW
(Moon of Uranus in Aries, mag 13.9)
Observed: Sep 15, 2018 at 00:23:05
Comment: A very tiny and quite faint little pinpoint of light. Once I finally nailed down after several passes, I could then pick it up fairly easily. It was the merest of little pinpricks of light.
Location: Lowell, AR
Equipment: AD12, KK Ortho 12.5mm, 2× barlow

Titania was my sole goal here, but after checking the magnitudes of the other moons, I thought Oberon should be obtainable. Because Pluto.

Oberon was a bit further to the west from Uranus, so I honed in on that spot and in short order…

11. Oberon - NEW
(Moon of Uranus in Aries, mag 14.1)
Observed: Sep 15, 2018 at 00:25:01
Comment: Another tiny and slightly fainter little pinpoint of light. After locking in Titania, I moved a little rightward and a bit further below Uranus, and after a couple more passes Oberon popped into view. For a couple more passes I could hold both little pinpricks in view. Sweet!
Location: Lowell, AR
Equipment: AD12, KK Ortho 12.5mm, 2× barlow

I let Uranus pass a few more times and I could see the two little pinpoints riding along leading the way like two excited kids dragging a parent into a toy store.

What’s next? Some galaxies? Nope. Long day, I’m tired, and I’ve got a lot of crap in the yard that I need to put away. So that’s what I did, locked up the shed, and came back inside.

And now my report is done and I think I am done and I want to go to sleep.

A good night at the scopes.

Peace and clear skies, friends.

[Bigzmey]

I remember that report Bryan, we were trying for Pluto about the same time. Good old days.

I am surprised you did not pull one with galaxies though.

[bladekeeper]

I remember that report Bryan, we were trying for Pluto about the same time. Good old days.

I am surprised you did not pull one with galaxies though.

I've got a couple with some galaxies in them. I may repost one sooner or later.

I need to get my eyepiece cases out and try to remember what I've got and how to use them. It's been too long.

[Ozypic]

I remember that post as well, and it hasn't changed, I still cant concentrate on reading it with that cat herding avatar running in the corner hahaha ....

[messier 111]

nice pics and report , thx .

[Unitron48]

GREAT hearing from you!!

Dave

[kt4hx]

A fine report Bryan. I can't say I recall it specifically, but then again, I can be challenged to remember to leave the house with pants on nowadays. Aging is definitely not for wimps!

I thought you might post one of your very first reports from when you first got your AD12 from Optics Mart! Perhaps one of these days. Here is another blast from the past:

[KingNothing13]

Good show Bryan.

[bladekeeper]

Thanks everybody!

@kt4hx Alan, I probably watched Dave's Apertura video a hundred times prior to getting my AD12. I was trying not to push my luck by selling my wife on the 8". She surprised me by saying "Why don't you just get the big one so you won't be wanting a new one later on?"

12 scopes later...

[j.gardavsky]

Hello Bryan,

where are these times, gone with the winds.

Great to see you back,
JG

[Juno16]

Great re-post Bryan!

I remember when you got the scope and mount, and I remember this post well.

Your posts were and are very entertaining to read. Never mind the astronomy stuff!

Actually, I think that a book with all of your AF and TSS posts would be great! If you ever do it, put me down for one!

[Lady Fraktor]

A very good report Bryan, I do not remember it from AF.net, I must have been traveling at the time.
A very enjoyable read

[John Donne]

That's the style Bryan !




You guys are on a roll !
I love this.

Thank you.

[Graeme1858]

That's a good read Bryan. Almost like being there with you!

Regards

Graeme

[helicon]

Super report Bryan and your astronomical ruminations have been missed for some time. Great that you are back - plus you get the VROD award for the day for those excellent planetary catches...

[bladekeeper]

Thanks a bunch everybody, and thanks for the VROD, @helicon !

[Makuser]

Hi Bryan. I too remember your original post. A very nice observing report on the planets and I enjoyed seeing the old images again here on TSS. Thanks for sharing a true "golden oldie" with us Bryan, and congratulations on receiving the TSS VROD Award today.

[Thefatkitty]

That was a great re-read Bryan! Ahh, the good ol' days... Back when I'm sure my clear skies were a lot more frequent!

And yeah, congrats on the VROD and great seeing you on here again!

[omeek]

That's awesome, Bryan! I dug through some of my old observing notes a while ago and remembered how much I need to improve my writing for observations!

Well done!