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Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 8:29 am
by rdavidjohnson63
Suresh has pointed out there will be a Lunar Occultation of Mars Feb 18th early in the morning.
Currently Clear Outside is predicting 100% cloud cover.
http://clearoutside.com/forecast/44.77/ ... w=midnight

I will make a go/no-go decision Monday afternoon and post it here as to let everyone know if I will have ELO open for this event.

Here is a link to his original posting:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11456&p=54993

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 2:23 pm
by ahmedreda
Dave,

I plan to come and help you if its a go.

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 4:38 pm
by Sureshks
Hi Dave & Ahmed,

Sounds good. I will plan on being there Tuesday morning if it is clear. I'll bring a scope and an equatorial.mount. Dave you make the call on weather since you've got the furthest drive.

First contact is at 5:58am, and 4th contact is at 7:18am.

Do the front gates to Baylor open right at 5:00am? If so, we shouldn't tell people to arrive prior to that. Should we connect with the Baylor office to give them the heads up that there might be a gathering, and to ensure the gate opens on time that morning?

Suresh

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 8:44 am
by rdavidjohnson63
I checked with the park. I have the instructions to open the front gate and keep it open.

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 5:32 pm
by clayton
fyi:
Moon's AZ
Moon's AZ
EcDirection.png (602.68 KiB) Viewed 2988 times

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 2:01 am
by Deane Clark
What are the other lines?

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 7:24 pm
by merle
Deane Clark wrote: Sat Feb 15, 2020 2:01 am What are the other lines?
I'd guess sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset.

Here's the tool:

https://www.photoephemeris.com




Merle

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 9:33 am
by Bsting
Any decision on go or no-go yet?

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 10:55 am
by rdavidjohnson63
Looking at Clear Outside just now, things look good for tomorrow morning. I'll check again later this afternoon, but so far it looks good.
Assuming things hold, I plan to be at ELO at 5:00am to open the gate and get my stuff setup. Folks can plan to be out any time after that.
If anyone wants to arrive before that, let me know and I will plan accordingly.

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 12:08 pm
by Deane Clark
Bsting wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 9:33 am Any decision on go or no-go yet?
Are you back from AZ?

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 12:30 pm
by Bsting
Mandatory quick visit.
Going back on Thursday.

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 1:10 pm
by rdavidjohnson63
Clear Outside still calls for clear skies so I am a go for 5:00am tomorrow.

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 9:08 pm
by rdavidjohnson63
One last confirmation. I aiming to be at ELO around 5:00am.

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 9:18 pm
by Bsting
Hoped to but can’t make it

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2020 4:52 am
by rdavidjohnson63
Cancelled.
I'm in Chaska and it is 100% overcast. Going home.

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:24 am
by merle
rdavidjohnson63 wrote: Tue Feb 18, 2020 4:52 am Cancelled.
I'm in Chaska and it is 100% overcast. Going home.
Sorry to hear that Dave.

I was very surprised to see it was clear from my backyard and got a few handheld shots. I set up my C5 for viewing the disappearance.

Merle

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2020 10:18 am
by rdavidjohnson63
I was also very surprised to see it clear up as I drove home.

I decided to setup in Pioneer Park in Little Canada and managed to get lots of good pictures of first contact up to the moment Mars is fully covered.

By the time Mars emerged from the other side, it was so bright Mars was not identifiable on any image I took regardless of the exposure I tried.

My work LapTop no longer allows me to read my camera memory card. I post a couple pictures when I can.

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2020 7:23 am
by merle
With the occultation ending after sunrise, I didn't think I got Mars emerging, but here's what I found when I looked closer at the images... This is about a minute after it emerged.

Hint: Small bright dot at 2 ish


Merle

PS - moved topic to Star Parties and Events forum
-

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2020 7:52 am
by Bsting
Very cool!

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2020 1:30 pm
by Sureshks
That's a great shot, Merle!

You should send that in to the Reflector, or to S&T. I haven't seen a published daytime photo that captured Mars.

Suresh

Re: Reserving ELO for Lunar Occultation of Mars

Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2020 2:20 pm
by defalkner
Or to the APOD.