Wednesday, 11 December 2024, was cloudy. There was a nice lunar halo that night. Taken with the iPhone 15 Pro Max Camera app (Night Mode, 3 seconds, 1X lens).

The sky mostly cleared on Thursday, 12 December.

Open: Thursday, 12 December 2024, 1808 MST Temperature: 64°F

Session: 2049 Conditions: Mostly clear

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

Camera:
D850 DSLR
iPhone 15 Pro Max

Prepared the D850 DSLR camera for imaging the waxing gibbous Moon.

1815 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Mounted the D850 camera at prime focus of the 12" telescope. Slewed to the Moon.

The Moon (1/200sec, ISO 100). The image shows what the eye sees through the telescope. Mouseover or tap on the image to see a highly color saturated image showing different minerals on the Moon's surface.

Mouseover or tap on image to see colors

I then viewed the Moon, 102X.

I projected the Moon's image through the telescope onto the observatory dome. This handheld iPhone 15 Pro Max photograph was taken with the Camera app (Night Mode, 10 seconds, 1X lens).

Click or tap on image for larger version

Viewed Jupiter, 102X. The four Galilean Moons were visible. The Great Red Spot (actually, more of a Small Pale Pink Spot now) was also visible.

Viewed Saturn, 102X.

Viewed Venus, 102X.

1852 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Thursday, 12 December 2024, 1859 MST Temperature: 55°F

Session Length: 0h 51m Conditions: Clear

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