Open: Monday, 4 September 2023, 1842 MST Temperature: 82°F

Session: 1919 Conditions: Clear

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

Camera:
D850 DSLR

1846 MST: Sunset.

Prepared the D850 DSLR for imaging. I then relaxed on the observatory patio bench to watch the stars come out. Reviewed my plans to begin my Barnard Objects Project based on what I learned from The Barnard Objects: Then and Now.

1956 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision ON.

Viewed M17 (Swan Nebula), 102X.

2000 MST: Began observing some Barnard Objects (dark nebula), 102X: B279, B280, B83a, B84, B281, and B282.

Mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus + focal reducer, focused on Altair, locked the telescope mirror, and then slewed to B279 using its Right Ascension and Declination coordinates.

2029 MST: StarLock ON.

Imaged the following Barnard Objects, StarLock autoguided, 5 minutes, ISO 1600. For each object the telescope was slewed to the object's Right Ascension and Declination coordinates. Where available, I compared my image to those on the The Grasslands Observatory web site. In homage to E.E. Barnard (1857-1923), the images are shown in black-n-white.

B279


B83a, B84, and B280


B281


B282

I then did a StarLock autoguided image of M17 (Swan Nebula), 5 minutes, ISO 1600.

2127 MST: StarLock OFF.

I observed some more Barnard Objects, 102X: B284, B283, B285, B286, B287, and B289. Observing Barnard dark nebulae is challenging. With most items I observed this night, and probably most of the objects I will observe in the future, I could detect only a dark area with no structure. Some objects I try to observe in the future may not be visible to the eye. The images will show structure.

Lastly, I viewed Saturn, 102X.

2156 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Monday, 4 September 2023, 2207 MST Temperature: 72°F

Session Length: 3h 25m Conditions: Clear

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