iPad Tripod Mount tests, Cloud Shortened Session

iPad Tripod Mount tests,
Cloud Shortened Session
Posted: 23 August 2020

A very hazy sky continued on Saturday, 22 August 2020, with increasing clouds during the day until late afternoon when the clouds began decreasing.

Open: Saturday, 22 August 2020, 1807 MST
Temperature: 89°F

Session: 1509
Conditions: Partly cloudy

Equipment:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
2" 30mm eyepiece

Camera:
iPad Pro 9.7"
iPhone 11 Pro Max

Several times this year I have participated in Zoom videoconferences with other IDA Dark Sky Advocates. Some of these were done from the observatory using my iPad Pro 9.7", but I could never find a good location for the iPad that provided a nice view of me inside the observatory. As it is likely that I will be doing more video conferencing from the observatory I decided to get a Yoassi Tripod Mount for iPad. I got the model with the Bluetooth Remote. Here is the iPad in front of the observatory.

This is what the iPad saw from this location.

1820 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed the Moon, 102X and 81X.

I then began relaxing on the observatory patio bench.

1829 MST: clouds from a severe thunderstorm to the northeast were increasing. 1841 MST: the clouds had now reached the Zenith. It was obvious than my planned session in the observatory was going to be cut short by the clouds so I returned to the 12" telescope.

I tested the Yoassi Bluetooth Remote with my iPhone 11 Pro Max and it worked fine.

I moved the iPad and tripod closer to the observatory. This is an iPad photo of me at the telescope.

Storm clouds were now visible in the southeast as well.

1900 MST: sunset (time approximate due to clouds).

1902 MST: an iPhone wide-angle photo of the northern sky.

Mounted the iPhone on the 30mm eyepiece using the Levenhuk adapter. 1906 MST: afocal 81X photo of the Moon taken with the iOS app NightCap Camera (ISO 32, 1/610sec, 1X lens).

1912 MST: the clouds had now reached the Moon.

1915 MST: final look at the Moon, 102X.

1916 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Saturday, 22 August 2020, 1925 MST
Temperature: 86°F

Session Length: 1h 18m
Conditions: Mostly cloudy

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