Observing Log for Mike Durkin 6/28/2014 about 7:00PM-12:30AM Jones Beach, NY Transparency: 6/10, Seeing 3/5 Temperature: about 60-75 degrees Equipment: 10x50 binoculars and a couple of club telescopes. One year anniversary of being the the Nature Center at Jones Beach. There was a bit of a party to start the night off. Conditions were not great for the whole night, there was a layer of clouds the whole time. However around sunset, there were usually some patches of sky that were transparent enough to see through. Observered Mars and Saturn using club scopes. Mars had no detail, not even able to make out a phase. Saturn was impressive, especially in the 20 inch Dob. Could easily see the Cassini division and a few of the moons. Looked at M4, Ptolomy's cluster, and M13 with Julian and another member from the AAA Around 11:30-12:30AM, I observed the variable stars α Her, τ4 Ser, RR Sgr, Y Oph, g Her, and X Her. 6/28/2014 about 1:00AM-3:00AM Locust Valley, NY Transparency: 7/10, Seeing 3/5 Temperature: about 65-75 degrees Equipment: Hutech modified Canon Rebel T3i Was waiting around a bit for scattered clouds to clear. Took DSLR photometry measurement of P Cyg. Some raccoon or other animals were also around during the evening. 6/14/2014 about 8:00PM-10:00PM North Shore Synagogue, Syosset, NY Transparency: 8/10, Seeing 3/5 Temperature: about 60-70 degrees Equipment: Orion 127mm Mak. Professor Don requested that the AOS have a public observing sessino for the North Shore Temple. The evening started partially cloudy but eventually cleared up. Before the crowds came, I did take a look at Jupiter with a 17mm eyepiece. Because it was low to the horizon, the seeing was pretty bad. I was able to make out 2 band and 4 of the moons. I also took a look at Saturn also at 17mm. The rings were obvious, although I could not make out any of the gaps. I also probably saw 3 of it's moons. I mostly showed Mars to the crowd, again at 17mm. It was rather small, but the orange red color was obvious. I was not able to make out any surface features, but there was a clear gibbous phase. I also looked at the Ring Nebula, again 17mm, briefly before I left. It was barely visible in my scope. 6/8/2014 about 12:00AM-2:00AM Locust Valley, NY Transparency: 9/10, Seeing 3/5 Temperature: about 60-70 degrees Equipment: Hutech modified Canon Rebel T3i DSLR photometry of δ Sco, κ Oph, and P Cyg. Also did a quick image of Lyra to see how it might look for a constellation portrait. 6/7/2014 about 12:00AM-3:30AM Locust Valley, NY Transparency: 9/10, Seeing 4/5 Temperature: about 60-70 degrees Equipment: Hutech modified Canon Rebel T3i DSLR photometry of AC Her, CH Cyg, and P Cyg. I also noticed that I had the problem again of the images looking underexposed for alternating images. I think this happens if the camera it tilted upsidedown, such as between the zenith and Polaris. 6/1/2014 about 9:30PM-11:00PM Locust Valley, NY Transparency: 8/10, Seeing 4/5 Temperature: about 60-70 degrees Equipment: 10x50 binoculars and 70mm refractor Observed variable stars W Boo, SS Vir, S Vir, and R Vir. Other Log Entries <-- 2013 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun   Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  2015 -->