Friday afternoon, 29 May 2020, the sky became overcast, with thundershowers in the area. Cloudy skies continued for several days but there was not much rain at Cassiopeia Observatory: 30 May 0.03", 31 May 0.01". Monday afternoon, 1 June, there was some mammatus cloud structure over the observatory.

Cloudy skies continued until Wednesday, 3 June.

Open: Wednesday, 3 June 2020, 1900 MST Temperature: 93°F

Session: 1488 Conditions: Clear

Equipment:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
2" 14mm 100° eyepiece

Camera:
D850 DSLR

1906 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Slewed the 12" telescope to the waxing gibbous Moon which was still behind a tree.

Viewed the Moon through tree branches, 102X. Set tracking rate to "Lunar".

1914 MST: relaxed on the observatory patio bench while waiting for the Moon to rise above the tree.

1930 MST: sunset.

Viewed the Moon now clear of the tree, 102X.

Mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus + focal reducer. The Moon (1/320sec, ISO 100).

1943 MST: viewed the Moon, 174X. Entire disk was visible.

I set up the D850 DSLR with a 14mm UWA lens on the observatory patio.

1952 MST: relaxed on the bench.

2001 MST: began preparing for a pass of the International Space Station. It would be low in the northern sky against a still bright twilight sky. I projected the Moon onto the observatory dome using the Explore Scientific 2" 14mm 100° eyepiece (174X). I positioned the camera to get the best view of the dome, Moon, and ISS during its pass.

Moon on Dome with ISS (f/8, 30 seconds, ISO 500, 14mm UWA).

Click or tap on image for larger version

After the ISS pass ended I re-positioned the D850 DSLR for this photograph of the Moon on the Dome (f/8, 30 seconds, ISO 800, 14mm UWA). The constellation of Lyra can be seen just to the right of the dome.

Click or tap on image for larger version

I have previously imaged the Moon on the Dome, but I always used a Meade 2" 24mm UWA eyepiece (102X) or an OPT 2" 30mm eyepiece (81X) to provide a bright low magnification projection. With the bright wide field-of-view of the Explore Scientific 2" 14mm 100° eyepiece I decided to give it a try. I am happy with this higher magnification (i.e., larger projected image of the Moon) photograph.

Took a final look at the Moon, 102X.

2047 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Wednesday, 3 June 2020, 2057 MST Temperature: 82°F

Session Length: 1h 57m Conditions: Clear

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On my previous report I mentioned that I participated in an IDA Dark Sky Advocates video teleconference from the observatory. Here is what they saw.

I have submitted my reviews of the Bresser Smartphone Adapter and the Explore Scientific 2" 14mm 100° and 2" 5.5mm 100° eyepieces to Astronomy Technology Today. Once they are published in the magazine I will post my reviews on the Cassiopeia Observatory Reviews page.

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