CGO 7/14

[Enberg]

Weather looks good, but there is no official SP on the schedule for this weekend at CGO. I'm planning to be there Friday night, if the weather forecast comes true tomorrow! Observing H400 and double stars.

Nancy

[Dave Venne]

I was thinking the same thing, but dithering between Friday and Saturday night (Saturday's moon is a bit less bright and rises a half hour later). It's probably going to end up being a drive-time decision based on the satellite loop.

[Enberg]

Maybe both nights if the weather is good. I also could do some lunar observing after moonrise......

[setnes]

I will be at Glacial Lakes State Park on Saturday. I don't think I can make it to CGO on Friday either, but I'll watch the weather... just in case.

[SEmert]

Vic and I are both thinking to go to CGO Friday night, assuming the forecasts remain good. We are planning to get some experience with the 16" LX200 and possibly with the 12" on the Mathis, if the A-P controller is back as of Friday.

[merle]

We are planning to get some experience with the 16" LX200 and possibly with the 12" on the Mathis, if the A-P controller is back as of Friday.

I'll be there to install the control box for the Mathis mount tonight.

Merle

[Dave Venne]

Even after looking at the loop, tonight's not iffy enough to pass up. Tomorrow night might have T-storms, but if it doesn't--it could be a weekend double header!

[rzylka]

Wish I could join y'all but I am up north visiting with family and friends. Good thing we have a scope here. Have fun

[Almericus]

We're watching the weather tonight. Laura, Dylan, and I might get out there this evening if it looks like it's going to clear up.

[SEmert]

It actually was a pretty good night Friday night until the moon rose. Dave Venne was imaging, Nancy Rauschenberg was working, I believe, on her Herschel 400 list, Jim Knudsen was using the BAD, others were there as well. The BAD, the 16" LX200, and the newly updated firmware and control box on the Mathis mount w/ A-P controller all worked well.

[Dave Venne]

Here's the result of that imaging. Would have been better if not for losing 1/3 of my frames because of a guiding issue, and of course that nasty Moonlight. Probably going to try to add some light frames tonight to see if I can do better.

Rho_800.jpg

Rho_800_solved.jpg

[Enberg]

Saturday night was a bonus night. There were 6 of us observing or imaging at CGO. I continue to check off more H400 objects and also double stars list. This weekend I got over 300 on my quest for 400!! I have now pretty much lost the rest for the season - I will need to wait until fall when the remaining sections of the sky will be visible in the early morning. I have H400 objects remaining in the winter Milky Way (Monoceros, Puppis) and early spring (Hydra, Lynx, Cancer) as well as a bunch of Virgo galaxies. In high summer, all this has set below the trees before it is dark enough to find them! I can now concentrate on double stars and a few stray Caldwell objects for the rest of the summer, as well as the upcoming eclipse!

[Dave Venne]

Another fine night last night (7/16), five people in attendance, four imaging and one working globs.

Some lost and FOUND: Two items in the grass just beyond the end of the old BAD runway: A Celestron binocular mount thingy, and a finder scope cap (see picture). Both items are now on the table in the warming house waiting to be picked up.

LAF.jpg

[Dave Venne]

7/16: The end of a great weekend! I shot a lot of extra light frames for the Rho Ophiuchi image I started on 7/14, and at the end of the night took a quick shot of the good old Lagoon area. 10 x 4 min, 200mm FL at f5.6, modded Canon T2i. Uncropped, scaled for forum.

LagoonFinal_800.jpg

LagoonFinal_800_PS.jpg

I'm hoping that the Nebraska Star Party will be just as great as this weekend was!

[MarkC]

Great photos Dave.

[Almericus]

Those are ours. My son was running around with the binoculars and must have dropped them out of the case. We'll grab them the next time we're down. Thank you!