Open: Wednesday, 4 September 2024, 1808 MST Temperature: 85°F

Session: 2004 Conditions: Mostly clear

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

Camera:
D850 DSLR
iPhone 15 Pro Max

1812 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed the planet Venus, 102X. The thin crescent Moon was not yet visible in the bright sky before sunset.

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

I took a prime focus image of Venus (1/400sec, ISO 100). I then slewed the telescope to the Moon, low in the western sky.

1831 MST: Viewed Venus, 12x50 binoculars. The planet's disk was visible. The Moon was not yet visible.

1833 MST: Relaxed on the observatory patio bench while waiting for the Moon to become visible.

1840 MST: Viewed the Moon, finderscope.

1844 MST: Viewed the Moon, 12x50 binoculars.

1846 MST: Sunset.

1848 MST: Imaged the thin crescent Moon, prime focus (1/200sec, ISO 400). The inset shows Venus at the same scale.

Mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus + focal reducer for later imaging of Barnard Objects (dark nebulae).

1900 MST: Relaxed on the observatory patio bench.

Had a visitor to the observatory.

1932 MST: Venus and the Moon very low in the western sky. Picacho Peak is at the right. Taken with the Camera app (5X lens).

1950 MST: Back in the observatory.

1952 MST: High Precision ON.

Focused the telescope plus D850 DSLR on the star Antares, locked the primary mirror, and slewed to the first Barnard Object to be imaged this session.

1958 MST: StarLock ON.

Imaged the following Barnard Objects. Due to poor seeing, most were not autoguided. Exposures were 2 minutes, ISO 3200, and 30 seconds, ISO 6400.

2040 MST: StarLock OFF.

Viewed (or tried to) the following Barnard Objects, 102X: B249, B250, B251, B61, B252 (Dolphin Nebula; some nebulosity visible), B253, B62, B63, B64, B65, B66, and B67.

Viewed Saturn, 102X.

2128 MST: LX600 OFF.

2136 MST: Took a Sky Quality reading and reported the result to Globe at Night.

Close: Wednesday, 4 September 2024, 2140 MST Temperature: 79°F

Session Length: 3h 32m Conditions: Clear, SQM 20.75

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