Friday, 10 February 2017, began with a clear sky, but some clouds appeared mid-day from an approaching storm system. In the afternoon I had some local visitors who are interested in getting their own SkyShed POD observatory. We talked at length about the POD. I will be visiting their location next week to check out siting of their observatory.

Open: Friday, 10 February 2017, 1811 MST Temperature: 83°F

Session: 1072 Conditions: Partly cloudy

Equipment Used:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
Wired AutoStar II handset
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
2" 50mm eyepiece

Camera:
D7200 DSLR
iPhone 6s Plus

1816 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

SYNCed the AutoStar on the star Betelgeuse. Slewed to Venus. Good view of the wide crescent phase, 102X.

Next, slewed the 12" telescope to the Moon, which was still behind the hill to the East. The Moon was precisely Full at 1744 MST (middle of the Penumbral Eclipse). Switched to the 2" 50mm eyepiece (49X), which would be used for iPhone imaging of the Moon. Slewed to the star Sirius to focus, then returned to the Moon, still behind the hill.

1832 MST: clouds in the East were beginning to brighten from the rising Moon.

1845 MST: took this handheld D7200 DSLR photograph of the Full Moon rising over the hill, f/5, 1/2sec, ISO 2500, FL 18mm:

1850 MST: viewed the Moon in the 12" telescope, 49X. Nice view even with some clouds. No terminator was visible, but there was some very slight shading from the ending Penumbral Eclipse.

Mounted the iPhone 6s Plus on the telescope using the Levenhuk Smartphone Adapter and took this afocal 49X photo of the Full Moon with the iOS app NightCap Pro:

The northern portion of the Moon shows some faint shading from the eclipse.

1905 MST: switched to the 2" 24mm UWA eyepiece (102X) and viewed the Moon. Still no terminator visible.

1906 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Friday, 10 February 2017, 1917 MST Temperature: 71°F

Session Length: 1h 06m Conditions: Partly cloudy

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