Anza anniversary trip and Jupiter-Mars conjunction.

[Bigzmey]

05/29/22

Location: Anza desert site.
Equipment: two eyeballs.

This was my 6th anniversary trip to the Anza site which I first visited on the Memorial Day of 2016. Here is a shot of my setup on that day.

It has been memorable six years, filled with adventures, encounters with wildlife and pure pleasure of dark night skies. Sadly, the light pollution has been creeping in over the years. Nevertheless, on a good night the Milky Way is still magnificent, the sky is filled with stars, and I am as eager to visit as six years ago.

I wanted to commemorate this anniversary trip by spending the evening in Centaurus. Omega Centaury was the first target I have observed at Anza on that night. First, as a naked eye fuzzy, and then as jaw-dropping gigantic swarm of stars through the scope. Later the same night I saw bright clouds rolling in from the east and thought my session will end prematurely, and then I realized it was the summer Milky Way rising.

I was looking forward reliving that experience. The trip started just fine. I have enjoyed the desert views.

Set the camp, deployed the scopes and was waiting for the darkness. There were some passing clouds, but I was not warried because before I left from home I have checked and re-checked all sorts of weather apps and local forecasts, and all have promised clear skies. Well, the clouds did depart, but after sunset the fog started to roll up from the valley below. I checked Clear Outside and surely enough it now shown over 90% humidity for the next two hours.

I decided to cover the scopes with tarp and wait until humidity subsides. 23:00 – still foggy and now the tarp is soaking wet on top (which was expected), but also under (new to me), and the scopes under the tarp are soaking wet as well. At this point I may as well remove the tarp. Slept for a couple of hours, the fog has retreated to the valley, but the scopes are still dripping with water. At that point I have called it a night. Well, you can’t win them all.

Woke up at 04:30 to revisit the planets parade. Jupiter has been a buzzy boy. On April 30 it was in conjunction with Venus. From lower left to upper right: Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and Saturn.

Then it speeded to catch up with Mars. This morning Mars and Jupiter were in conjunction separated by less than one degree. From lower left to upper right: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.

[notFritzArgelander]

Oh well. Still any light is good even in the damp.

[Makuser]

Hi Andrey. This is a great 6th Anniversary trip to your Anza Desert dark sky site. This was a wonderful read and I really appreciate the included photos too. If it is any consolation to you, we haven't had any rain here for 3 weeks and my lawn is starting to look like that desert. Thanks for your excellent report Andrey and a Happy 6th Anniversary wish to you, with many, many more to come.

happy-anniversary2.jpg (5 KiB) Viewed 1342 times

[Bigzmey]

Thanks nFA and Marshall! No rain for 3 weeks in Florida? That's crazy!

[kt4hx]

Happy anniversary Andre. I too was in Centaurus a little bit last night. Omega was a binocular object for me and was very happy to see it. It was pretty much a blobular vice globular though. I had the dew controls running full bore as we were getting drippy as well, and sorry to hear you also had that issue there. I will be back out tonight for a little while and plan to dip back down into northern Centaurus again. Biggest issue I have is getting my old bones down low enough then having to get back up!

[Bigzmey]

Happy anniversary Andre. I too was in Centaurus a little bit last night. Omega was a binocular object for me and was very happy to see it. It was pretty much a blobular vice globular though. I had the dew controls running full bore as we were getting drippy as well, and sorry to hear you also had that issue there. I will be back out tonight for a little while and plan to dip back down into northern Centaurus again. Biggest issue I have is getting my old bones down low enough then having to get back up!

Thanks Alan! For the most part dew is not an issue here and dew shields are good enough. Once in a while we get a monster dew, then it just pack and go.

Yes, manual mounts will keep you in shape: stand up, sit down, kneel to aim, sit up, sit low, walk to the table to make notes or grab EP, walk back. Doing that all night is better than hitting gym.

[kt4hx]

Happy anniversary Andre. I too was in Centaurus a little bit last night. Omega was a binocular object for me and was very happy to see it. It was pretty much a blobular vice globular though. I had the dew controls running full bore as we were getting drippy as well, and sorry to hear you also had that issue there. I will be back out tonight for a little while and plan to dip back down into northern Centaurus again. Biggest issue I have is getting my old bones down low enough then having to get back up!

Thanks Alan! For the most part dew is not an issue here and dew shields are good enough. Once in a while we get a monster dew, then it just pack and go.

Yes, manual mounts will keep you in shape: stand up, sit down, kneel to aim, sit up, sit low, walk to the table to make notes or grab EP, walk back. Doing that all night is better than hitting gym.

I figured you were dry most of the time. Here we suffer a lot Spring through Fall, unfortunately. Then in the winter frost! We do have our dry periods which are very much appreciated. I used to use those little hand warmers and rubber band them to the finders and secondary holder and they did a good job. I finally went to powered dew strips and bought a portable power pack to plug them into. Sure does help.

There was a time when the up, down, twist and turn process didn't bother me much. But that is not so nowadays. My age is starting to make it a bit more difficult. I still plug away at it, and when I do go on the down low toward the south I enjoy it for sure. I even fell over in the observing chair once a few years back and didn't get hurt. Now I can't say that would be the case!

[turboscrew]

Nice trip. The ridiculous dew is nothing new here.
It's been quire rainy, but it doesn't matter - it's too light to observe anyway.
At least you were far better off than I am.

[Bigzmey]

Thanks Juha! I feel your pain. Hopefully you will get some observing done in fall. Solar and high power Lunar observing could be fun.

[Unitron48]

Great session...great read, Andrey. That's a great viewing location you have. Congrats on the anniversary!!

Dave

[Bigzmey]

Thanks Dave!

[Juno16]

Congratulations on your 6th Memorial Day at Anza Bigz!

Glad that you don't have to deal with the dew normally. It's a way of life here! Nothing that dew heaters can't take care of.

Great read! Thanks for sharing your adventure!

[Bigzmey]

Congratulations on your 6th Memorial Day at Anza Bigz!

Glad that you don't have to deal with the dew normally. It's a way of life here! Nothing that dew heaters can't take care of.

Great read! Thanks for sharing your adventure!

Thanks Jim! Thankfully, the monster dews does not happen here to often, dew shields do the trick for the most part.

[Unitron48]

Well done, Andrey. Congrats on the VROD!!

What is that pad you are using for setup? Do you ever get any other observers on that location?

Dave

[KingNothing13]

Congrats on the VROD, Andrey!

[John Baars]

Nice report, nice to have the planets back again!
Congratulations on the VROD!

[Bigzmey]

Thanks Dave, Brett and John! Thanks for the VROD Michael, always an honor!

@Unitron48 Hi Dave. I am a member of Orange County Astronomers club. The club owns a few acers of the desert land. This is like observing from a national park but with conveniences. There are few dozens of concrete pads scattered on the site. Plenty to go around even when a star party in progress. On a typical night though there will be fewer people. Sometimes I am alone there. There is also warm house with kitchen and utilities and some pads have electricity.

I also enjoy interaction with fellow astronomers, however since majority of them are hardcore AP only, it is like talking to aliens. "I will wake up in the morning to see the planets" - "Why? They are too low to image". "I don't see motors on your mount" - "this is because it is manual, no tracking, no GoTo" - ?? - "I like using manual mounts" - ??? - "Because I am visual observer only" - ????!!