Open: Thursday, 15 June 2017, 1900 MST Temperature: 100°F

Session: 1124 Conditions: Clear

Equipment Used:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
1.25" 15mm eyepiece
2" 2X PowerMate
Focal Reducer

Camera:
D7200 DSLR
iPhone 6s Plus

1908 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

1910 MST: viewed Jupiter, 102X and 163X. Three moons visible against bright blue sky. Had a nice view of Jupiter, 325X. 1926 MST: the Jovian moon Callisto was not yet visible; sky still too bright.

Relaxed on the observatory patio bench for a few minutes.

1936 MST: sunset. Callisto was now visible, 325X.

2000 MST: mounted the D7200 DSLR on the 12" telescope for eyepiece projection 542X imaging of Jupiter. This is a stack of 915 HD video frames (30 seconds), 30 fps, 1/30sec, ISO 3200, White Balance Auto, slightly downscaled:

2016 MST: ended DSLR imaging of Jupiter. Terminated the first Kissing Bug of the night. Viewed Jupiter, 163X. Seeing was getting worse.

2031 MST: viewed M13 (Great Globular Cluster in Hercules), 163X. 2038 MST: terminated four more Kissing Bugs.

2100 MST: mounted the iPhone 6s Plus on the 15mm eyepiece. StarLock ON. This is an iPhone image of M13 using the iOS NightCap Camera (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 8000, 1/3sec, 1 minute):

Pretty amazing for a smartphone. This is how M13 appeared live on the Apple Watch:

2114 MST: ended iPhone imaging. Viewed M13, then M56 (globular cluster), 102X. 2121 MST: terminated the 6th Kissing Bug of the night.

2148 MST: viewed Omega Centauri (globular cluster), 102X and 163X.

Returned to M56, SYNCed on it. Mounted the D7200 DSLR at prime focus to image the globular cluster M56. Focused on the star Vega, locked the mirror. This is a StarLock autoguided, 30 seconds, ISO 4000, WB 3570K image of M56:

Removed the DSLR, SYNCed on the star Antares, and viewed Saturn, 163X and 325X. Occasionally had some nice views at 325X.

This eyepiece projection 542X image of Saturn is a stack of 918 HD video frames, 30 fps, 1/30sec, ISO 12800, WB Auto, downscaled slightly:

2255 MST: final look at Saturn, 102X.

Then viewed M6 (Butterfly Cluster, open star cluster), 102X.

Mounted the D7200 DSLR at prime focus + focal reducer to image some Messier open star clusters. Focused on Antares and locked the primary mirror. These images are StarLock autoguided, 30 seconds, ISO 1600, WB 3570K:

M6


M7


M11 (Wild Duck Cluster)

2330 MST: ended DSLR imaging. Viewed M11 (Wild Duck Cluster), 102X.

2340 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Thursday, 15 June 2017, 2350 MST Temperature: 73°F

Session Length: 4h 50m Conditions: Clear

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