On my way to the observatory I saw these Javelina. They also saw me but didn't seem to mind my taking their pictures.

Open: Saturday, 22 September 2018, 1805 MST Temperature: 79°F

Session: 1281 Conditions: Clear, breezy

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

Camera:
D850 DSLR

1822 MST: sunset.

Moved the dome OFF onto the PZT.

1825 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed Venus, 102X.

Then updated the TLE for this evening's pass of the International Space Station (ISS). Prepared the D850 DSLR for prime focus imaging. Mounted the D850 on the 12" telescope, focused on Venus, and locked the mirror. I was now ready for the ISS to begin at 1903 MST.

1843 MST: the breezes had calmed down.

Next, I did some work with the Meade Stella Wi-Fi Adapter for my upcoming review.

After that, slewed the telescope to Jupiter and tweaked the finderscope alignment. Breezes were picking up again.

The ISS would be rising behind a tree. Also, due to the telescope orientation, I would not be able to view through the finderscope eyepiece at the start of the pass. I would have to use the finderscope mounting bracket screws as pointers to the ISS for the start of the pass.

Once the ISS become visible to the eye and above the tree, I saw that the initial pointing by the AutoStar would be way off. Using the finderscope mounting bracket screws as was able to get the ISS into the now reachable eyepiece. Unfortunately, tracking was horrible for this pass, probably due to the initial pointing error. I did a video recording at prime focus, FX, 1080p, 30fps, 1/2000sec, ISO 2000, while trying to keep the ISS centered in the finderscope eyepiece. After checking the video, there were no good frames showing the ISS. Rats.

1914 MST: slewed the 12" telescope to the Moon. It was behind a tree.

Moved the dome ON. The breezes had calmed down again.

1946 MST: the Moon was now above the tree. Did some imaging of the Moon at prime focus. This image was using an exposure of 1/250sec, ISO 200:

Click or tap on image for larger version

2001 MST: removed the camera. Viewed the Moon, 102X.

Then viewed Saturn, 102X. Four moons were visible.

Viewed Mars, 102X. The South Polar Cap and Syrtis Major were visible.

2006 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Saturday, 22 September 2018, 2017 MST Temperature: 71°F

Session Length: 2h 12m Conditions: Clear

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For those of you wondering if my Emmy Nominated 2017 interview by Arizona Illustrated on Arizona Public Media won, I am still waiting to hear. The Emmy winners were announced Saturday night, 22 September.

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