Sunday, 9 April 2017, was overcast and windy. Sunday afternoon some (human) visitors came to check out the observatory and 12" telescope. Monday, 10 April, was cloudy and breezy during the day, but mostly cleared to hazy skies as sunset approached.

Open: Monday, 10 April 2017, 1820 MST Temperature: 88°F

Session: 1096 Conditions: Mostly clear, hazy, breezy

Equipment Used:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
2" 30mm eyepiece

Camera:
iPhone 6s Plus
D7200 DSLR

1823 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

I then wiped some dirt off of the observatory patio bench as I expected to use it for awhile this evening. A recent sprinkle had left it somewhat dirty.

1831 MST: GC Wi-Fi ON. Did some tests of the iOS app ScopeBoss with my iPhone for the developer. 1846 MST: Wi-Fi OFF.

1850 MST: sunset. 1858 MST: breezes had calmed down, but the sky was still hazy.

1859 MST: the star Sirius was visible naked eye.

1923 MST: eastern sky was brightening from the rising Full "Pink" Moon.

1929 MST: slewed the 12" telescope to Jupiter's position and watched it rise over the hill to the southeast, 102X. Three moons were visible. Switched to a 2" 30mm eyepiece (81X), then slewed the telescope to the Moon's position, which was still behind the hill.

1938 MST: observed the Moon rising over the hill, 81X. 1939 MST: took this handheld iPhone 6s Plus photo of the rising Moon using the Camera app, afocal 81X:

Then began waiting for the Moon to rise above a tree. 1959 MST: D7200 DSLR photo of the Full Moon and Jupiter through the tree, f/16, 1/160sec, ISO 400, FL 140mm:

2005 MST: heard a loud tapping on one of the POD bays. I didn't see any animal inside the observatory so stepped outside. Saw a large packrat on top of one of the bays. How he got up there I don't know as the bay material is too slick to climb and there are no tree branches close to the observatory. I went back inside of the observatory to get my camera but the packrat disappeared. A couple of times he appeared by the bench on the observatory patio but I was never able to get a photo.

2011 MST: the Moon was almost above the tree now. A very slight terminator was visible about three hours before precisely Full.

I then attached the Levenhuk Smartphone Adapter to the 2" 30mm eyepiece. 2027 MST: iPhone afocal 81X photo of the Moon using the iOS app NightCap Pro (ISO 25, 1/500sec):

2032 MST: did some viewing of the Full Moon, 102X. Pretty sight.

Next, I placed the D7200 DSLR on the "POD roller desk" and took this photo (f/11, 10 seconds, ISO 3200, FL 18mm) of the Full Moon projected onto the observatory dome:

It is always fun to get such a photo.

2048 MST: viewed Jupiter, 102X. Three moons were still visible. Seeing was not good though.

Then began closing up.

Close: Monday, 10 April 2017, 2102 MST Temperature: 61°F

Session Length: 2h 42m Conditions: Clear

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