Open: Tuesday, 20 October 2020, 1806 MST Temperature: 91°F

Session: 1543 Conditions: Clear, hazy (smoke)

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

Camera:
D7200 DSLR

1811 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed the Moon, 102X and 174X.

Mounted the D7200 DSLR at prime focus + focal reducer. Moon, 1/320sec, ISO 400.

Viewed Jupiter and three moons, then Saturn and four moons, 102X.

Next, I did troubleshooting for the iOS app SkySafari 6 Pro Wi-Fi connection issue that I had when imaging two asteroids on 16 October. I first turned on the Meade Stella Wi-Fi Adapter. Although the battery had been fully charged (supposedly) there was insufficient power for the Wi-Fi to be fully operational. I connected the AC adapter to the unit and then I could make a Wi-Fi connection using the iOS app ScopeBoss. So I knew that the Stella adapter was working. I then used SkySafari 6 Pro and attempted to connect to the Stella Wi-Fi network. The connection failed. I then recalled that the recent iOS 14 update had changed how some security settings worked. I went to the iOS Settings app on my iPhone 11 Pro Max and selected SkySafari Pro. There was a setting for "Local Network", which was disabled. I enabled it.

I then had SkySafari Pro connect to Stella and it worked. I now had a connection to the LX600 telescope via SkySafari Pro. Since I use that connection method when imaging asteroids and comets I am glad I found the solution.

1850 MST: I relaxed on the observatory patio bench while waiting for the sky to get darker and for the planet Mars to rise higher. I had planned to do some more piggyback imaging of the Heart and Soul Nebulae but as the sky got darker it actually didn't get much darker due to the Moon illuminating smoke particles in the atmosphere. I decided to postpone the imaging until the Moon and smoke were less a factor.

1921 MST: back inside the observatory. Viewed Mars, 102X.

1928 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Tuesday, 20 October 2020, 1938 MST Temperature: 74°F

Session Length: 1h 32m Conditions: Clear, hazy (smoke)

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