Wednesday, 24 April 2024, was overcast. Thursday, 25 April, was partly cloudy (the forecast said "clear") but very windy. Strong winds remained in the forecasts into the weekend. Friday, 26 April, was also partly cloudy and very windy. Saturday, 27 April, was the same until after sunset when the sky cleared and the winds died off.

Open: Saturday, 27 April 2024, 1944 MST Temperature: 66°F

Session: 1957 Conditions: Clear

Equipment:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
Focal Reducer
2" 30mm eyepiece
2" 50mm eyepiece

Camera:
D850 DSLR
iPhone 15 Pro Max

1948 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

1957 MST: Viewed the Leo Triplet of Galaxies, 102X. M65 and M66 were visible, but NGC3628 (Sarah's Galaxy) was not yet visible in the twilight sky.

Prepared the D850 DSLR for imaging some quasars for my Quasars Astrophotography Album after the end of Astronomical Twilight (2032 MST).

2013 MST: Viewed the Leo Triplet, 81X and 49X. All three galaxies were now visible in the same field-of-view. The best view was with the 30mm eyepiece (81X).

2020 MST: High Precision ON.

Mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus + focal reducer, focused on the star Capella, and locked the primary mirror. Slewed to the first quasar to image.

2034 MST: StarLock ON.

Took the following quasar images, StarLock autoguided, 5 minutes, ISO 6400, slightly cropped.

Quasar PG 0804+761 (Mag. +14.1, 1.3 Billion Lightyears)


Quasar He 1029-1401 (Mag. +14.0, 1.14 Billion Lightyears)


Quasar PG 1116+215 (Mag. +14.4, 2.3 Billion Lightyears)

2102 MST: StarLock OFF.

Viewed the Leo Triplet, 81X. Attached the LiDAR Cover on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and mounted the iPhone on the 30mm eyepiece using the Accuview 3-Axis Smartphone Adapter.

2119 MST: StarLock ON.

Took this StarLock autoguided, afocal 81X, iPhone image of the Leo Triplet using NightCap Camera (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 50000, 1sec, 1 minute, 1X lens). M65 is at the bottom left, M66 bottom right, and NGC3628 (Sarah's Galaxy) top.

Switched to the 50mm eyepiece and took this StarLock autoguided, afocal 49X, iPhone image of the Leo Triplet using NightCap Camera (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 50000, 1sec, 1 minute, 1X lens).

2135 MST: Viewed NGC3621 (galaxy) and Supernova 2024ggi, 81X.

Took this StarLock autoguided, afocal 81X, iPhone image of NGC3621 (galaxy) and Supernova 2024ggi using NightCap Camera (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 50000, 1sec, 1 minute, 1X lens).

Mouseover or tap on image

2142 MST: StarLock OFF.

Viewed NGC3621 (galaxy) and Supernova 2024ggi, 102X.

2149 MST: LX600 OFF.

2157 MST: Took a Sky Quality reading.

Close: Saturday, 27 April 2024, 2200 MST Temperature: 52°F

Session Length: 2h 16m Conditions: Clear, SQM 21.00

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I had been hoping to resume observing and photographing more Dark Nebulae for my Barnard Objects Project. My last work on the Project was 11 March 2024. But since then weather, Moon, and Total Solar Eclipse travel kept delaying it. I plan to restart the Project in June.

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