Open: Saturday, 20 April 2024, 1803 MST Temperature: 94°F

Session: 1955 Conditions: Clear

Equipment:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
12x50 binoculars

Camera:
D850 DSLR
iPhone 15 Pro Max

1808 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed the waxing gibbous Moon in the bright blue sky, 102X.

Prepared the D850 DSLR for imaging. Mounted the D850 at prime focus of the 12" telescope.

1822 MST: The Moon (1/320sec, ISO 100).

1825 MST: Relaxed on the observatory patio bench.

1831 MST: Using the DoubleTake app, I did this video using the 1X and front cameras of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Click to view video

1844 MST: Moon and dove, iPhone 15 Pro Max Camera app (5X lens, 11.3 digital zoom).

1859 MST: Sunset.

1916 MST: Back in the observatory.

1918 MST: Mineral colors on the Moon (1/200sec, ISO 100, highly saturated).

1920 MST: Began relaxing on the bench while waiting for the twilight sky to darken. Viewed the Moon, 12x50 binoculars.

1956 MST: Viewed the Orion Nebula (M42), 12x50 binoculars.

1957 MST: Sighted Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, very low in the western twilight sky, 12x50 binoculars. A faint coma was visible.

1958 MST: Back in the observatory.

2002 MST: High Precision ON.

Focused on the star Minkar and locked the 12" primary mirror using the ScopeStuff LX600 12" Primary Mirror Lock. Slewed to NGC3621 (galaxy) to image Supernova 2024ggi in the bright moonlit sky.

2009 MST: StarLock ON.

My first image, 2 minutes, ISO 3200, was way overexposed due to the bright moonlit sky. Reduced the exposure.

2019 MST: StarLock autoguided, prime focus image (slightly cropped) of NGC3621 (galaxy) with Supernova 2024ggi (1 minute, ISO 1600).

Mouseover or tap on image for pointer to supernova

2020 MST: StarLock OFF.

Viewed Supernova 2024ggi, 102X. The host galaxy NGC3621 was not visible in the bright moonlit sky. The supernova was visible, but definitely seemed fainter than on previous nights.

2031 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Saturday, 20 April 2024, 2041 MST Temperature: 66°F

Session Length: 2h 38m Conditions: Clear

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