Search found 150 matches

by setnes
Sun Apr 23, 2017 4:21 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Cherry Grove 2017-04-21 or 2017-04-22
Replies: 7
Views: 948

Re: Cherry Grove 2017-04-21 or 2017-04-22

I hit a major milestone last night. I finally got my last three Messier objects. I'm totally stoked. I don't know if my records are good enough to get a pin, but I have met my wife's requirement to start shopping for an upgrade. I have leveled up and unlocked resources. I sure hope there's a built-i...
by setnes
Fri Apr 21, 2017 6:28 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Cherry Grove 2017-04-21 or 2017-04-22
Replies: 7
Views: 948

Re: Cherry Grove 2017-04-21 or 2017-04-22

It looks poor to the south until early morning. I don't think tonight is a good idea.
by setnes
Fri Apr 21, 2017 4:41 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Cherry Grove 2017-04-21 or 2017-04-22
Replies: 7
Views: 948

Cherry Grove 2017-04-21 or 2017-04-22

Is anybody going to Cherry Grove tonight or tomorrow?
by setnes
Thu Apr 06, 2017 12:35 am
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Messier Marathon - 2017
Replies: 21
Views: 2271

Re: Messier Marathon - 2017

Thanks for posting those pictures! I really wish I could have been there.
by setnes
Sun Oct 02, 2016 10:39 am
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Upcoming MAS Mini-Messier Marathon
Replies: 9
Views: 1068

Re: Upcoming MAS Mini-Messier Marathon

The sky last night was spectacular. The farm trucks were busy, but tapered off as it got later. I recorded 44 objects before I decided to go home. I needed to use a hair dryer part way through the evening. I could have easily gotten more, but had to call it a night. I gave my check list to Rob. I ho...
by setnes
Fri Sep 30, 2016 2:36 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Upcoming MAS Mini-Messier Marathon
Replies: 9
Views: 1068

Re: Upcoming MAS Mini-Messier Marathon

Rob, Cherry Grove looks pretty cloudy tonight. The Clear Sky Chart is showing things might be better in Cherry Grove tomorrow. Are you making an official call on this today? Oddly enough the charts are showing fairly clear skies at Eagle Lake tonight despite the actual weather forecast.... and golf ...
by setnes
Thu Sep 29, 2016 4:50 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Upcoming MAS Mini-Messier Marathon
Replies: 9
Views: 1068

Re: Upcoming MAS Mini-Messier Marathon

I hope to come down if the forecast clears up. Right now it's not looking good for Friday or Saturday though.
by setnes
Sat Sep 03, 2016 11:21 am
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: CGO Star Party
Replies: 11
Views: 1151

Re: CGO Star Party

I had a great time. My only goal was to observe M62. I easily succeeded and spent the rest of the night looking at sky candy... generally in dryer telescopes. We all got to see the Veil Nebula through a filtered (Oxygen-III?) B.A.D. It certainly could have looked a lot worse. Now I need to buy filte...
by setnes
Fri Sep 02, 2016 4:15 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: CGO Star Party
Replies: 11
Views: 1151

Re: CGO Star Party

Yeah... that does sound BAD. :)
by setnes
Fri Sep 02, 2016 3:27 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: CGO Star Party
Replies: 11
Views: 1151

Re: CGO Star Party

I am strongly considering coming down tonight. I'm worried about dew... but the rest of the forecast is looking pretty good. I'm not a key holder, so I hope someone else can unlock the outhouse. :)
by setnes
Sat Jul 09, 2016 8:12 am
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: CGO tonight: 7/8/16?
Replies: 19
Views: 1852

Re: CGO tonight: 7/8/16?

Dick Jacobson wrote:To avoid confusion, maybe we should abandon the BAD moniker and just call it the "24".
Why would we ever want to change that name? It's perfect.

A=Aperture if you're talking to somebody's mother.
by setnes
Sun May 29, 2016 2:49 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: ISP CGO Sunday May 29 2916
Replies: 6
Views: 772

Re: ISP CGO Sunday May 29 2916

Be sure to use J2900.0 charts!
by setnes
Tue May 10, 2016 11:54 am
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Virgo Venture for tonight Saturday: ON
Replies: 13
Views: 1519

Re: Virgo Venture for tonight Saturday: ON

Thanks for posting those photos. I got to re-live the event all over again. :)
by setnes
Sun May 08, 2016 9:13 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Virgo Venture for tonight Saturday: ON
Replies: 13
Views: 1519

Re: Virgo Venture for tonight Saturday: ON

The smoke eventually cleared last night. Seeing the Virgo objects was a bit of a struggle with my 6" reflector though. The sky rippled as if someone had tossed a rock into a pond. I was able to mark off 16 objects, but most of them took heavy verification against images of the surrounding stars...
by setnes
Sat May 07, 2016 4:37 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Virgo Venture - coming up!
Replies: 18
Views: 1784

Re: Virgo Venture - coming up!

I am cross posting this here. The Virgo Venture is ON for tonight. I plan to be down there as well. I have a new binder full of images and charts to test out. :)

viewtopic.php?f=43&t=8907
by setnes
Sat Apr 09, 2016 7:08 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: The observing season begins: The Messier Marathon
Replies: 23
Views: 1992

Re: The observing season begins: The Messier Marathon

My car also showed 19° when I left. In my binders full of charts, I have an interesting Virgo map made from a photograph I found on the "project nightflight" website. I know I mentioned it in talking last night, but never shared it. Here's a link to that map. http://project-nightflight.net...
by setnes
Sat Apr 09, 2016 12:34 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: The observing season begins: The Messier Marathon
Replies: 23
Views: 1992

Re: The observing season begins: The Messier Marathon

I logged 46 objects last night during the marathon. 21 of those objects I saw for the first time. My ongoing Messier total is now 74 (all with a 6" F5 dob). I hope to get the Virgo and Coma Berenices galaxies the next time I am out. I only verified a couple of the easier outliers in that groupi...
by setnes
Fri Apr 08, 2016 4:02 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: The observing season begins: The Messier Marathon
Replies: 23
Views: 1992

Re: The observing season begins: The Messier Marathon

At least the mosquitoes won't be a problem tonight. :)
by setnes
Wed Apr 06, 2016 1:03 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: The observing season begins: The Messier Marathon
Replies: 23
Views: 1992

Re: The observing season begins: The Messier Marathon

You are an optimist.

I hope you are right. I am looking forward to some telescope time.
by setnes
Wed Mar 02, 2016 12:16 am
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: February 2016 B-SIG Meeting
Replies: 5
Views: 851

Re: February 2016 B-SIG Meeting

I almost forgot to mention this. The declination listed on Chart 9 of the Magnitude 7 atlas is incorrect. It should be +20° to -20° instead of +65° to +20°.
by setnes
Wed Mar 02, 2016 12:12 am
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: February 2016 B-SIG Meeting
Replies: 5
Views: 851

Re: February 2016 B-SIG Meeting

I got outside tonight to snag three more open clusters on my Messier list. I also tested out some wide field maps that I had printed out. I liked the simple Taki Star Atlas better than the Mag-7 atlas we previously talked about. The files I recommend would be the ones that start with c_*. Those have...
by setnes
Sat Feb 20, 2016 10:11 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: February 2016 B-SIG Meeting
Replies: 5
Views: 851

Re: February 2016 B-SIG Meeting

The Magnitude 7 Star Atlas that Nancy showed at the meeting today can be found here. They are explained in full here.

This is certainly going to replace some of the charts I have been using. :)
by setnes
Fri Nov 13, 2015 10:29 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: B-SIG meeting Nov. 14
Replies: 1
Views: 444

Re: B-SIG meeting Nov. 14

I hope this goes well. Unfortunately, I will not be able to make it. :(
by setnes
Sun Oct 11, 2015 11:42 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Saturday's 4M a SUCCESS.
Replies: 5
Views: 818

Re: Saturday's 4M a SUCCESS.

Thanks to everybody for putting this together. I had a lot of fun. I didn't expect to be much of a competitor. I really just wanted to knock some more objects off my own list. Of the 32 objects I logged last night, 10 of them were new objects for me. That brought my personal, ongoing, Messier total ...
by setnes
Fri Jun 12, 2015 10:57 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: B-SIG Meeting Saturday June 13th
Replies: 31
Views: 3094

Re: B-SIG Meeting Saturday June 13th

I'm another late entry. :)

I plan to bring my 6" reflector tomorrow. I believe the OTA is 7.17".