Observing Log for Mike Durkin 10/31/2003 about 11:30PM to 12:30AM Nazareth, PA, about 50 degrees Transparency: 7/10, seeing 6/10 10x50 binoculars Went out to Vinny's for the weekend. Around 11:00PM or so I noticed that they sky was pretty clear, but I didn't want to bother with the scope I had in the car, so I just used the binoculars. Saturn was easily visible in the middle of Gemini. In binoculars, you can sort of make out that is it isn't quite a cirular disk. Also looked at M42 in Orion, and some of the clusters in Auriga. The high point though was that I managed to make out M33, the Pinwheel or Triangulum galaxy. The hardest part was making sure that what I was observing was where the galaxy was supposed to me. I had to use a couple of star charts to make verify. The galaxy appeared as a hazy patch with spots on it. Similar to a small and tight star cluster. I'd estimate the size was about 50' to 1 degree in size. 10/24/2003 about 10:00PM to 12:30AM Oyster Bay, about 40 degrees Transparency: 8/10, seeing:4/10 Celestron Ultima C8 M31: The core filled about 1/2 the field of view with a 30mm eyepiece(67x). Unable to see any dust lanes. I wasn't able to make out any of the outer regions of the galaxy. Maybe I'll try to start with this object or M42 for prime focus. M32: Easy to distinguish as a fuzzy star nearby the core of M31. M110: A hazy patch slightly more distant from the core of M31 and M32. Difficult to make out unless I moved the filed of view. Mars: Observed using 17mm(118x) and 7.2mm(270x). The seeing was not very good and the air seemed to be splitting the colors as well. Some surface detail was visible, primarily a dark patch across the middle of the planet. Unable to clearly make out a polar cap. M34: observed with 30mm(67x). about 50 stars that filled the field of view M103: Observed with 30mm(67x) and 17mm(118x). Appeared as a tight triangular shaped patch with about 25-50 stars. Also saw M36, M35, and M38. Other Log Entries <-- 2002 Jan  Feb   Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct   Nov  Dec  2004 -->