Open: Monday, 22 May 2023, 1904 MST Temperature: 83°F

Session: 1871 Conditions: Clear

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

Camera:
iPhone 13 Pro Max
D850 DSLR

Prepared D850 DSLR for imaging.

1921 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

1923 MST: Sunset.

Viewed Venus, 102X. Viewed the crescent Moon, 102X and 81X.

1928-2015 MST: Relaxed on the observatory patio bench and enjoyed the view of the western sky with the crescent Moon, Earthshine on the Moon, and the planets Venus and Mars, as seen in these iPhone 13 Pro Max photos.

Mouseover or tap on image for labels

Back in the observatory, I mounted the iPhone 13 Pro Max on the 2" 30mm eyepiece using the Levenhuk adapter. Took these NightCap Camera afocal 81X images of the Moon and Earthshine (ISO 34 1/40sec and ISO 100 1 second, respectively).

2030 MST: High Precision ON.

Viewed M101 (galaxy) and its recently discovered supernova 2023ixf, 81X. The supernova was easily seen. I mounted the iPhone on the 2" 30mm eyepiece using the Levenhuk adapter.

2036 MST: StarLock ON.

Took this StarLock autoguided NightCap Camera afocal 81X image (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 32000, 1sec, 1 minute, 1X lens).

Mouseover or tap on image for labels

For comparison, this iPhone 13 Pro Max of M101 was taken in May 2022.

I then mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus, focused on the star Arcturus, locked the mirror, and slewed to NGC3610 to begin imaging more Herschel 400 galaxies. Autoguiding was poor at times. Most images are StarLock autoguided, 5 minutes, ISO 3200. NGC3631 was starlock autoguided, 2 minutes, ISO 5000. NGC3686 was not autoguided using exposures of 30 seconds, ISO 12800.

NGC3610 (galaxy)


NGC3613 (galaxy)


NGC3631 (galaxy)


NGC3665 (galaxy)


NGC3675 (galaxy)


NGC3655 (galaxy)


NGC3686 (galaxy)

2222 MST: StarLock OFF.

Then observed the following Herschel 400 galaxies, 102X: NGC3726, NGC3729, NGC3813, NGC3877, NGC3893, NGC3898, and NGC3810.

2251 MST: LX600 OFF.

2258 MST: Took a Sky Quality reading.

Close: Monday, 22 May 2023, 2300 MST Temperature: 68°F

Session Length: 3h 56m Conditions: Clear, SQM 20.97

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