Open: Friday, 24 May 2019, 1846 MST Temperature: 85°F

Session: 1353 Conditions: Clear

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

Camera:
D850 DSLR

After opening the observatory I relaxed on the observatory patio bench for awhile:

1924 MST: sunset.

1951 MST: back inside the observatory. Prepared the D850 DSLR for prime focus imaging.

1958 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Meade Stella Wi-Fi Adapter ON. Used SkySafari 6 Pro to GOTO Quasar 3C273 to check position. I planned to image it this session.

2009 MST: High Precision ON.

Slewed to NGC3344 (galaxy), which I hoped to image this session. The galaxy was faintly visible, 102X.

2013 MST: Wi-Fi OFF.

Began waiting for the sky to get darker.

2028 MST: slewed to NGC3351 (M95, galaxy) to check its position. Nice view, 102X. Then slewed to NGC3371 (galaxy) to also check its position. Another nice view, 102X. Also viewed M105 (galaxy), 102X.

2034 MST: slewed to the star Regulus, mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus of the 12" telescope, focused, SYNCed the AutoStar, and locked the 12" mirror. Slewed to NGC3351 (M95, galaxy).

2047 MST: StarLock ON.

Began imaging NGC3351. Unfortunately, seeing was bad again this night. Jet airliners crossing the sky near the galaxy's position in the sky didn't help. StarLock autoguiding was erratic. Could only get this 153 seconds, ISO 6400, White Balance 5000K, image:

As I wanted to get 5 minute exposures I gave up imaging galaxies due to the poor seeing.

Slewed to Omega Centauri (globular cluster). Tried to image it but seeing was too bad.

2123 MST: StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed Omega Centauri (globular cluster) and Centaurus A (galaxy), 102X.

2138 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Friday, 24 May 2019, 2148 MST Temperature: 63°F

Session Length: 3h 02m Conditions: Clear

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