Open: Sunday, 2 June 2024, 1911 MST Temperature: 82°F

Session: 1980 Conditions: Mostly clear

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

Camera:
D850 DSLR

1919 MST: Relaxed on the observatory patio bench.

1929 MST: Sunset (time approximate due to clouds along the western horizon).

2000 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision ON.

Slewed to Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3).

2004 MST: Dome OFF.

Comet not yet visible in the telescope due to the bright twilight sky. Prepared the D850 DSLR for imaging.

2011 MST: Back to the bench while waiting for the sky to get darker.

2030 MST: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was now visible, 102X. The short tail was very evident.

Mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus, focused on the star Denebola, and locked the 12" primary mirror.

2038 MST: StarLock ON.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3), StarLock autoguided, 1 minute, ISO 3200, exposures every 2 minutes to show comet motion.

2050 MST: StarLock OFF.

2053 MST: Saw the first Kissing Bug of the season inside the observatory. Terminated.

Viewed the comet, 102X.

2055 MST: Next, I resumed my Barnard Objects (Dark Nebulae) Project. Slewed to B228. Viewed B228 low in the southeastern sky, 102X.

2110 MST: Dome ON.

Mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus + focal reducer. Then returned to the bench while waiting for B228 to rise higher. Did some sky observing, 12x50 binoculars.

2200 MST: Back in the observatory.

Focused on the star Antares, locked the mirror, and slewed to B228.

2206 MST: StarLock ON.

Barnard Object B228, StarLock autoguided, 2 minutes, ISO 3200.

2217 MST: StarLock OFF.

2225 MST: LX600 OFF.

2236 MST: Took a Sky Quality reading and reported the result to Globe at Night.

Close: Sunday, 2 June 2024, 2242 MST Temperature: 71°F

Session Length: 3h 31m Conditions: Clear, SQM 21.06

---

Comments are welcome using Email. Please read the Email Etiquette guidance.

---

Previous report

Cassiopeia Observatory Home Page