[Lvas] This Weekend

[roger ivester]

LVAS all,

 

I have been reading the reports of observing conditions in the Las Vegas area and have also been talking with my son concerning. I hope your observing conditions improve tonight.

 

The conditions last night here in Boiling Springs, North Carolina were very good for this season, and from my backyard. 

 

On the seeing scale, is was perfect, a 10 on a scale of 10. The transparency was lacking due to all the moisture in the air. The naked eye limiting magnitude was near 5.0 as compared to a 6.00 on a good winter night.

 

I did have a problem with tube currents with my 10-inch on occasion due to the warm temperature's which hovered near 75°, even well after midnight. It would follow right along the top of the tube. I do not have a mirror cooling fan. 

 

I was able to observe the cluster at 266x ... incredible resolution, but no propeller. I can see it in my mind as I write this. The cluster almost filled my fov using a 12mm UO Konig and a 2.8x UO Klee barlow for a magnification of 266x with a 0.24° field...only 14 arc minutes. 

 

Individual stars were in the hundreds, all with brilliant resolution, with tentacles of stars streaming out from the edge of the cluster.  

 

I observed M-13 for well over two hours. 

 

The propeller was difficult and could glimpse only on occasion at 200x using averted vision. I could only see the two lanes going into the cluster, and not the one pointing toward the side...but could not hold them constantly.

 

I would have to class the propeller as one of the "more" difficult observational items that I have encountered in over 30 years of viewing. This sentence applies mostly to my 10-inch as it was much easier through a friends 12-inch. 

 

Normally it can be difficult to observe the double double in Lyra at full aperture. With the superb seeing I did not have to reduce the effective aperture by using an off-axis mask.

 

At 200x they looked like four ping-pong balls. A sight to behold.

 

I now have a sketch of M-13 and the propeller using both a 12-inch and a 10-inch. 

 

No observing tonight as the clouds moved in shortly before sunset. 

 

Roger

 

 

   

 

     

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
    The moon and stars to govern the night.....   Psalm 136:9



 


From: rayworth1969 at hotmail.com
To: lvas at lvlug.org
Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:56:19 -0500
Subject: Re: [Lvas] This Weekend



All,
 
Well, guess we can pretty much kiss off this weekend. I held out hope, but I was just outside and not only is it partly cloudy, but the wind is howling.
 
Guess I have to wait until next month, now.
 
I hope Rob is having a better time up at the lodge.
 
Fred
 



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