Observing Log for Mike Durkin 6/23/2010 6:00PM-11:00PM Central Park, NYC, NY Transparency: 7/10, Seeing 3/5 Temperature: about 80-90 degrees Equipment: Coronado Hydrogen Alpha telescope, Celestron 8 inch Nexstar The first Music and Astronomy Under the Stars of the year, a jazz concert in Central Park. This is probably only the second time I've even been inside Central Park. First we looked at the sun with some Hydrogen Alpha telescopes. There was a couple of nice prominences. Then we had to wait a bit for it to get darker in order to look at Venus. There was a definite gibbous phase, maybe about 60-70% illuminated. It was getting harder to see as the evening went on since it was getting low in the sky. Some other AOS club memberts started looking at Saturn, but the scope I was using wasn't able to because of the trees that were in the way. Towards the end of the concert, I was able to find a double star system to show to peoeple as they were leaving. At first I thought it might have been Regulus, but it was most likely Algieba (γ Leo). The brighter star was noticably redder than the secondary and they were pretty close to each other. 6/19/2010 12:00AM-2:30AM Locust Valley, NY Transparency: 9/10, Seeing 4/5 Temperature: about 60 degrees Equipment: Stellarvue 70mm and 10x50 binoculars. Observered some variable stars: Z UMa, T CrB, α Her, S Her, &beta Lyr, and XY Lyr. Also observered: M22: with a 7.4mm eyepiece (57x) and significant light pollution. A globular cluster, fairly large looking, about 10 arcminutes. I could just begin to resolve some stars at this magnification. At lower magnifications, I was not able to resolve any stars. M28: Compact, not obvious that it is a globular cluster. Somewhat concentrated in the middle. Unable to resolve any stars. I would estimate the size at about 5 arcminutes. Observered with a 7.4mm eyepiece (57x) and with significant light pollution. 6/12/2010 2:30AM-4:00AM Locust Valley, NY Transparency: 4/10, Seeing 4/5 Temperature: about 60 degrees Equipment: Stellarvue 70mm and 10x50 binoculars. I tried to see Comet McNaught, but clouds kept getting in the way. At one point, I am pretty sure I did see the comet in my 10x50 binuculars. I would estimate that is was about 2-3 degrees NW(10 o'clock) from κ Persei. In between waiting for the clouds to clear, I did take a quick look at M31. Just before dawn, I looked at Jupiter in the 70mm with a 17mm eyepiece and a 2x barlow lens(49x). I could see 4 moons, 3 one one side, 1 on the other. And at times it did appear that only one of the equitorial belts were visible. According to Starry Night and the way I observed the moons, the faded belt should be the one with the Great Red Spot, or the Souther Equitorial Belt. 6/11/2010 11:00PM-1:30AM Locust Valley, NY Transparency: 7/10, Seeing 3/5 Temperature: about 60 degrees Equipment: Celestron Ultima 8 with PEC and 10x50 binoculars. I wanted to do some variable star observing. I started with Z UMa, but getting a magnitude measurement in binoculars is harder than in the 70mm refractor. After a while thought, I was able to make a measurements. I wasnted to use the SCT, but that dewed up pretty quickly. I finished taking measurements of XY Lyr and β Lyr. 6/6/2010 9:00PM-11:00PM Locust Valley, NY Transparency: 9/10, Seeing 3/5 Temperature: ?? Equipment: Hutech Modified Canon Rebel XT Used my DSLR to take some photoetry images of Z UMa and W Boo. After processing, I seem to be having problems with W Boo, but that ay be because my comparison stars are slightly variable as well. Other Log Entries <-- 2009 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun   Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2011 -->