Using the Mighty ETX, More Herschel 400 observing

Using the Mighty ETX,
More Herschel 400 observing
Posted: 5 January 2023

Year 2023 began with cloudy skies and rain (1.12") on Sunday, 1 January. More rain (0.47") occurred on Monday, 2 January. Tuesday, 3 January, was mostly cloudy with some early morning rain (0.03"). The sky was mostly clear on Wednesday, 4 January. I took the Dome Cover OFF that afternoon.

Open: Wednesday, 4 January 2023, 1812 MST
Temperature: 56°F

Session: 1817
Conditions: Mostly clear

Equipment:
ETX-125 Observer
1.25" 26mm eyepiece
1.25" 15mm eyepiece
1.25" 9.7mm eyepiece
1.25" 40mm eyepiece
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece

Camera:
iPhone 13 Pro Max

After opening the observatory, I set up my Meade ETX-125 Observer telescope on the observatory patio. I wanted to do some tests with it in preparation for using it at a local star party later this week.

1821 MST: ETX-125 Observer ON. Did an AudioStar Easy Align.

Viewed Venus, low and behind a tree, 73X. Viewed Saturn and its moon Titan, 73X, 127X, and 196X. Viewed Jupiter and the four Galilean Moons, 73X, 127X, and 196X. Viewed Mars, 73X, 127X, and 196X.

I then used the ETX to view the Double Cluster (open star clusters), 73X and 48X.

Next, I viewed the waxing gibbous Moon, 48X and 73X. I took these handheld iPhone 13 Pro Max afocal 48X and 73X photos of the Moon using the iOS app NightCap Camera (ISO 34, 1/5000sec and 1/4400sec, 1X lens).

Some clouds hampered the views.

I used the ETX-125 Observer to view two more Deep Sky Objects: M31 (Andromeda Galaxy), 48X, and M42 (Orion Nebula), 48X and 73X.

1910 MST: ETX-125 Observer OFF.

It is always fun to use one of my Mighty ETX telescopes!

1912 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF.

Using the 12" LX600 I viewed some more Herschel 400 Catalog objects, 102X. Due to the bright Moon I limited this night's observing to the following open star clusters: NGC559, NGC637, NGC654, NGC659, NGC663, and NGC752. After beginning this new project on 18 October 2022, I have now observed 68 of the Herschel 400 Catalog objects.

1929 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Wednesday, 4 January 2023, 1942 MST
Temperature: 46°F

Session Length: 1h 30m
Conditions: Mostly clear

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