Saturday, 5 September 2020, was clear until late afternoon when clouds began coming down from the north. As sunset approached, the GEOS satellite view showed the clouds seemed to be decreasing, although the National Weather Service reported that there was a strong thunderstorm embedded in the clouds. As the storm was a long ways away I decided to open the observatory.

Open: Saturday, 5 September 2020, 1826 MST Temperature: 91°F

Session: 1515 Conditions: Partly cloudy

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

Camera:
None

1831 MST: relaxed on the observatory patio bench to monitor the clouds in the northern sky.

1844 MST: sunset.

1845 MST: the view of the clouds approaching Cassiopeia Observatory from the north.

The clouds were rapidly increasing and had arrived in the southeastern sky. I decided to take some quick looks at Jupiter and Saturn before the clouds hid them.

1848 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

1850 MST: viewed Jupiter, Great Red Spot, and three moons, 102X.

Breezes increased.

1855 MST: viewed Saturn, 102X.

The seeing was bad as clouds were approaching the planets.

1903 MST: the clouds were now in 3/4ths of the sky. Decided to close.

1904 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Saturday, 5 September 2020, 1915 MST Temperature: 88°F

Session Length: 0h 49m Conditions: Mostly cloudy, breezy

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