Cloudy skies returned on Sunday, 27 December 2020. Monday, 28 December, was partly cloudy but had strong wind. The wind died down at sunset but the sky was overcast. Tuesday, 29 December, had some rain (0.08") early morning, but the sky was mostly clear by sunset.

Open: Tuesday, 29 December 2020, 1816 MST Temperature: 48°F

Session: 1580 Conditions: Mostly clear

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

Camera:
D850 DSLR

1820 MST: viewed Jupiter with three moons visible and Saturn, 12x50 binoculars. The planets were still a nice sight in binoculars.

1821 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed Saturn and two moons, then Jupiter and four moons, 102X. Viewed Mars, 102X.

Viewed the Full Moon, 102X. No terminator was visible.

Set up the D850 DSLR on a camera tripod and took this photo (f/11, 15 seconds, ISO 6400, FL 32mm) of the Full Moon projected onto the observatory dome. The planets Jupiter and Saturn are visible to the right of the dome.

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Back inside the observatory I mounted the D850 DSLR on the 12" telescope at prime focus + focal reducer. This cropped photo (1/400sec, ISO 100) shows the Full Moon.

I removed the camera and viewed the Full Moon, 102X.

1857 MST: LX600 OFF.

Back outside of the observatory I took this D850 DSLR photo (f/4, 10 seconds, ISO 800, FL 24mm) of the closed observatory in the moonlight with stars shining overhead.

Close: Tuesday, 29 December 2020, 1916 MST Temperature: 39°F

Session Length: 1h 00m Conditions: Clear

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28 December 2020 was the 15th anniversary of my 11th visit to "Oracle Observatory".

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