Saturday, 9 February 2019, was cloudy with cloudy nights continuing until Monday, 11 February.

Open: Monday, 11 February 2019, 1819 MST Temperature: 59°F

Session: 1332 Conditions: Clear

Equipment Used:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
StarPro AZ 102mm

Camera:
D850 DSLR

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

Viewed the Moon in the 12" telescope, 102X.

1830 MST: set up the new Meade StarPro AZ 102mm refractor telescope.

Did some visual tests and photographed the Moon with the 102mm telescope. I hope to have my review posted soon.

1905 MST: ended tests.

1916 MST: began charging the Meade Stella Wi-Fi Adapter for later use.

Mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus of the 12" telescope. Took this image (slightly cropped) of the Moon (1/640sec, ISO 400):

1944 MST: removed the camera.

1946 MST: last look at the Moon, 102X.

1950 MST: used SkySafari 6 Pro on the iPhone to see where Comet C/2018 Y1 (Iwamoto) was in the sky. It was near the star Regulus in the constellation of Leo. I used my 12x50 binoculars to view the comet. It was still low in the eastern sky but showed a large faint coma.

Slewed the 12" telescope to Regulus and SYNCed the AutoStar. I tried to locate Comet Iwamoto in the 9x50 finderscope but was not successful. Used SkySafari Pro connected to the Stella Wi-Fi Adapter to have the 12" telescope GOTO the comet. Viewed Comet Iwamoto, 102X. The coma was visible but no tail seen.

Mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus, focused on the star Regulus, and locked the 12" mirror. Slewed back to the comet using SkySafari Pro.

2011 MST: StarLock ON.

Took a 1 minute exposure of the comet but it was moving so fast that the comet was trailed in the image. Switched to exposures of 30 seconds. Comet C/2018 Y1 (Iwamoto), StarLock autoguided, 30 seconds exposure, ISO 5000, cropped:

This animation of two exposures (30 seconds, ISO 5000 and ISO 6400) shows the rapid motion of the comet in about 90 seconds:

2025 MST: StarLock OFF. 2029 MST: Stella OFF.

Removed the camera.

2035 MST: viewed Comet Iwamoto, 102X.

2037 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Monday, 11 February 2019, 2047 MST Temperature: 38°F

Session Length: 2h 28m Conditions: Clear, breezy

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I have posted my review of the Vello Extendá Plus Wi-Fi Camera Controller.

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