2005 Observing Sessions


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January 20
Time: 18:30 to21:30 MST Telescope: none
Location: Near Meade, CO Activity: Constellation Sketching AL program
February 3
Time: 18:00 - 01:00 MST Telescope: 12.5-inch f/8 Dobsonian
Location: John Martin State Park Activity: Deep Sky Observing and Constellation Sketching
Log: Observing Log    
February 4
Time: 18:00 - 20:00 MST Telescope: 12.5-inch f/8 Dobsonian
Location: John Martin State Park Activity: Deep Sky Observing
Log: Observing Log    
February 10
Time: 19:00 - 22:00 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/8 Dobsonian
Location: Gary Garzone's House Activity: FRCC Star Party
March 4
Time: 18:30 - 23:50 MST Telescope: 12.5-inch f/8 Dobsonian
Location: Pawnee Crasslands-CFN Activity: New Moon - Deep Sky Observing
Log: Observing Log    
March 5
Time: 19:00 - 01:30 MST Telescope: 12.5-inch f/8 Dobsonian
Location: Pawnee Crasslands-CFN Activity: New Moon - Deep Sky Observing
Log: Observing Log    
April 1
Time: 18:30 - 00:30 MST Telescope: 12.5-inch f/8 Dobsonian
Location: Pawnee Crasslands-CFN Activity: New Moon - Deep Sky Observing
Log: Observing Log    
  Texas Star Party 2005
May 4
Time: 21:00 - 01:30 CDT Telescope: 12.5-inch f/8 Dobsonian
Location: Texas Star Party 2005 Activity: View TSP Bino and Telescope Lists
Log: Observing Log    
May 5
Time: 01:30 - 06:00 MST Telescope: 12.5-inch f/8 Dobsonian
Location: Texas Star Party 2005 Activity: View TSP Bino, Telescope Lists and Globulars
Log: Observing Log    
May 6
Time: 21:00 - 01:00 MST Telescope: 12.5-inch f/8 Dobsonian
Location: Texas Star Party 2005 Activity: View TSP Bino and Globulars
Log: Observing Log    

 

July 3
Time: 20:00 - 00:00 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/8 Dobsonian
Location: Myers-Womble-Mt Evans, CO Activity: View Comet Temple 1 and see DU's Observatory. It was windy, cold and brutel but was able to see comet through Vern Raben's C-11, using a web cam. Oxygen was scarce at 14, 124 feet above sea level.
April-July
Time: AM and PM Hours Telescope: None-Often used Binoculars
Location: All Around Northern Denver MetroPlex Area, the Texas Star Party and Mt Evans, CO Activity:

Worked on the Earth Orbiting Satellite Observing club requirements.

Spent many days and many hours trying to see the many satellites needed to complete all the categories of this program. Many were from my backyard in Broomfield, but others were from Boulder and also North Glenn, that had many more daytime Iridium flares over it than any other location. I observed some satellites from the Texas Star Party, and one from the top of Mt Evans. I drove to the edge of civilization in Broomfield to a dirt road that is now paved, so I could get a clear view of all the horizon to see some of these low, dim satellites.

I was out in the evenings, during dusk, in the late evening hours, along with many early morning and pre-dawn twilight hours.

I liken this observing club to playing Yatzee. You see a satellite and in the early stages of the program, have many categories you can log it into. Yet you put it in the most advantageous category so that later satellite observations can fill in the rest of the categories.

September 2
Time: 20:00 - 03:00 MST Telescope: 12.5-inch f/8 Dobsonian
Location: Pawnee Grasslands Activity: Worked on Herschel II list. The sky was pretty steady all night, but by 11 PM, the transparancy was diminishing. There was a persistent wind from the south that would die out for a while and then start back up. Did this all evening. Didn't see one galaxy all night. Tried for several. 13+ magnitude PNs were visible, but 12.5 galaxies were not.
Log: Observing Log    
September 30
Time: 20:00 - 04:00 MST Telescope: 12.5-inch f/8 Dobsonian
Location: Pawnee Grasslands Activity: Worked on Herschel II and PN lists. The sky was pretty steady all night, but the transparency was fair all night. There was a persistent wind from the north that would die out for a while and then start back up. Did this until about 2 AM. Smelled forest fire smoke after midnight which was a bit spooky. By 4 AM, the sky was gond. Stars looked like frisbees.
Log: Observing Log    
December 8
Time: 18:15 - 19:45 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 11
Time: 16:15 - 17:30 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 12
Time: 17:45 - 18:15 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 13
Time: 17:45 - 18:30 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 14
Time: 18:15 - 19:45 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 15
Time: 21:00 - 21:15 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 18
Time: 20:30 - 22:30 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 19
Time: 03:00 - 04:30 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 20
Time: 02:15 - 03:45 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 21
Time: 03:00 - 05:00 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 21
Time: 23:30 - 23:45 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 23
Time: 05:00 - 05:45 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 24
Time: 03:45 - 04:30 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 25
Time: 06:00 - 07:45 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: My Driveway Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
December 31
Time: 18:00 - 19:00 MST Telescope: 8-inch f/6 Dobsonian
Location: Lowell Blvd in Broomfield Activity: Worked on Lunar II Observing Club.
   

 

Observing Frequency
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
1 3 2 1 3 0 1 0 2 0 0 15


Final Comments

The year is starting out great. Got the motorhome, so I can take the comforts of home with me anywhere. Got a new telescope design in the works which will make it fit into the motorhome compartments better.