Tuesday night, 24 September 2024, was clear. I was at Oracle State Park, our local International Dark Sky Park, to do a special stargazing session with the Artist-in-Residence, Tatiana Crespo. I also worked with Park Ranger Michael Bain to checkout their new telescope. Finally, we watched a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Milky Way


Lagoon Nebula using Unistellar Telescope


Falcon 9 Rocket Launch

Wednesday, 25 September, was cloudy. Thursday, 26 September, dawned clear, but clouds began arriving mid-day. Unforecasted clouds continued on Friday, 27 September. Saturday, 28 September, was mostly clear during the daytime.

Open: Saturday, 28 September 2024, 1738 MST Temperature: 86°F

Session: 2014 Conditions: Mostly clear

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

Camera:
D850 DSLR

Prepared the D850 DSLR for imaging.

1752 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed Venus, 102X.

1756 MST: Relaxed on the observatory patio bench.

1813 MST: Sunset.

1910 MST: Back in the observatory. Mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus + focal reducer, focused on the star Antares, and locked the 12" telescope primary mirror.

1917 MST: High Precision ON.

Slewed to this session's first Barnard Object.

1920 MST: StarLock ON.

Took the following StarLock autoguided images of several Barnard Objects (dark nebulae), 30 seconds, ISO 6400.

2000 MST: StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed Saturn, 102X.

2007 MST: LX600 OFF.

2015 MST: Took a Sky Quality reading and reported the result to Globe at Night.

Close: Saturday, 28 September 2024, 2019 MST Temperature: 83°F

Session Length: 2h 41m Conditions: Clear, SQM 20.67

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I have posted my review of the Laserglow Galileo green laser pointer.

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