Comet Machholz et al, TV76, 1/14/2005

Florian:

Date: Night of Friday, 14-Jan-2005
Location: Backyard, Palm Springs, California
Equipment: Tele Vue 76 (3" f/6.3) refractor

Backyard stargazing with the TV76. First object was comet Machholz. Easy
naked eye object. Through the 3" can just detect the ion tail. Would be
much better from a darksky site. Rechecking after an hour or so movement
was apparent. (I love stuff that moves!) Spent some time just sort of
randomly wandering around the sky. Open cluster NGC 1342, Melotte 20 (best
in binoculars), M34, M42/M43 region, M78, Orion's belt region, NGC 2238
Rosette neb can just detect a bit of nebulosity. To the south NGC 2362
Tau Canis Major, M93, M46 and M47, NGC 2451 and NGC 2477. Quick peek at
Saturn and its moon Titan where the Huygens probe landed yesterday.

-Florian
Stargazing.com

I'm glad to read your report -- I picked up my new TV 76 from Company 7
yesterday. It's beautifully made, and reminds me of my Questar in that
regard. I couldn't help registering some hollow laughter when I read
"...much better from a darksky site," however. If you're saying that
from the California desert, what can I expect (other than sky fog and
cloud bottoms) from the Great Dismal Swamp known as Maryland, where a
night in which mag 3 stars can barely be discerned against a light gray
sky is enough to send happy amateurs scurrying to get their 'scopes
ready?

Davoud

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usenet *at* davidillig dawt com