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After organizing my double star observing logs on a big spreadsheet, which took many hours of entering and verification, I find I have about 2,000 observations. However, several hundred are repeat observations. Some were simply old favorites, or a revisit to see if better resolution was possible. Many, many, were inadvertent repeats due to poor log organization from way back. I found only 1379 unique entries, and have since added 30 more, to make it 1,409. My plan, which just started a few days ago, is to print out observing lists from the spreadsheet, all in the same fairly small area of the sky, and check off from them. After the session, or next day, enter the new observations into the spreadsheet. Definitely, keep multiple backups of the spreadsheet.
The spreadsheet contains over 15,000 entries currently, but will eventually get pared down some, taking out things I fail to resolve, and others like them.
Someone may ask:
Why not enter as you observe? I think it would destroy my dark adaptation, which can be fairly good inside the dome, plus detract from the session. Plan is, stick to paper, my Nexus DSC, and Sky Safari (for star hops as needed), during the session. The paper survives fine, since most sessions are done in my little manual ExploraDome, using my 6" apo. If I'm using one of my Newtonian (10 and 12 inch) Dobs for more light gathering power, I will have to take precautions against dewing.
Double star observations from my logs have constituted the vast majority of my astronomy reports, both here and elsewhere.
Double and multiple star observer. Over 3,500 unique pairs logged.
So, you observed double star observing logs this time? :wink:
More than 1400 - just counting the unique ones!? Quite a collection.
- Juha
Senior Embedded SW Designer
Telescope: OrionOptics XV12, Mount: CEM120, Tri-pier 360 and alternative dobson mount.
Grab 'n go: Omegon AC 102/660 on AZ-3 mount
Eyepieces: 26 mm Omegon SWAN 70°, 15 mm TV Plössl, 12.5 mm Baader Morpheus, 10 mm TV Delos, 6 mm Baader Classic Ortho, 5 mm TV DeLite, 4 mm and 3 mm TV Radians
Cameras: ZWO ASI 294MM Pro, Omegon veLOX 178C
OAG: TS-Optics TSOAG09, ZWO EFW 7 x 36 mm, ZWO filter sets: LRGB and Ha/OIII/SII
Explore Scientific HR 2" coma corrector, Meade x3 1.25" Barlow, TV PowerMate 4x 2"
Some filters (#80A, ND-96, ND-09, Astronomik UHC)
Laptop: Acer Enduro Urban N3 semi-rugged, Windows 11
LAT 61° 28' 10.9" N, Bortle 5
I don't suffer from insanity. I'm enjoying every minute of it.
Congrats on over 1400 doubles John, very impressive!
While observing I like to write notes on paper and convert them later to observing reports. I also have printouts of my doubles and DSOs master lists to guide me through observing and log observed targets.
Very interesting and quite thorough. I don't think I'll ever see that many double stars. Since your topic concerns observing/reporting - I think it is fine to stay where it is.
-Michael Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50 Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl Camera: ZWO ASI 120 Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs Latitude: 48.7229° N
helicon wrote: ↑Thu Nov 25, 2021 3:08 pm
Very interesting and quite thorough. I don't think I'll ever see that many double stars. Since your topic concerns observing/reporting - I think it is fine to stay where it is.
Well, it is report of double observations².
- Juha
Senior Embedded SW Designer
Telescope: OrionOptics XV12, Mount: CEM120, Tri-pier 360 and alternative dobson mount.
Grab 'n go: Omegon AC 102/660 on AZ-3 mount
Eyepieces: 26 mm Omegon SWAN 70°, 15 mm TV Plössl, 12.5 mm Baader Morpheus, 10 mm TV Delos, 6 mm Baader Classic Ortho, 5 mm TV DeLite, 4 mm and 3 mm TV Radians
Cameras: ZWO ASI 294MM Pro, Omegon veLOX 178C
OAG: TS-Optics TSOAG09, ZWO EFW 7 x 36 mm, ZWO filter sets: LRGB and Ha/OIII/SII
Explore Scientific HR 2" coma corrector, Meade x3 1.25" Barlow, TV PowerMate 4x 2"
Some filters (#80A, ND-96, ND-09, Astronomik UHC)
Laptop: Acer Enduro Urban N3 semi-rugged, Windows 11
LAT 61° 28' 10.9" N, Bortle 5
I don't suffer from insanity. I'm enjoying every minute of it.