Observation Log – 1/9/2009
One of the things I am going to try to do better this year is document or log my observations. I have a nice log book, but I am not sure that I like the format. I would prefer to just write some free form notes. I will probably come up with some kind of grid to list date, time, temperature, equipment, plan, etc. but outside of that I think I will just record what I see in a composition notebook. Here is what I wrote for last night.
Cold and clear, the moon was very bright and nearly full. The light from the moon pretty much washed out anything deep sky. Had a look at M43 in Orion and even it was washed out by the moon light. The nebula was still visible but very faint.
Saturn rose in the east just before 11:00 PM. Shortly after that it was high enough in the sky that I was able to pick it up in the scope.
Saturn was very bright and easy to find in the eastern sky. I had trouble focusing on the ringed planet at first, the brightness of the sky and the brightness of the planet made it hard to get a real sharp focus on the rings. I used a Celestron #12 Yellow filter and was able to get a real good sharp picture of the planet in the eye piece. The rings of Saturn are facing edge towards earth and with the yellow filter I could pick up the fine detail of the edge of the rings across the middle of the planet. Four of Saturn’s moons were also easily visible through the eyepiece.
I tried out my new Orion Highlight 3x Barlow with my Celestron 25mm Plossl eyepiece. Really brought the view in close. Was not able to get as sharp of focus as without the Barlow, but I am getting better, more practice I won’t be so heavy handed on the focus knob.
I tried to take some prime focus pictures with the D60, but I was not able to get a good sharp focus and/or get the exposure right for the brightness of the planet. I wish I had set my laptop and NexImage Camera up, I probably could have gotten some really good shots, next time.
I spent about an hour looking at Saturn and called it a night just after midnight.
