Friday mid-day, 28 February 2025, clouds arrived. Saturday, 1 March, was windy with a dusty sky during the day and cloudy at night. Wind and clouds continued on Sunday, 2 March. Same on Monday, 3 March. The sky cleared on Tuesday, 4 March.

Open: Tuesday, 4 March 2025, 1802 MST Temperature: 72°F

Session: 2078 Conditions: Mostly clear

Equipment:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
2" 9mm 100° eyepiece

Camera:
iPhone 15 Pro Max

1805 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed the planet Venus, 102X and 271X. A nice thin crescent phase was visible.

Attached the LiDAR Cover on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and mounted the iPhone on the 2" 9mm eyepiece using the 3-axis adapter.

1816 MST: This afocal 271X image of Venus was taken with the NightCap Camera app (ISO 64, 1/12000sec, 1X lens).

I then used the Final Cut Camera app (ISO 100, 1/8000sec, 1X lens) to do a 10 seconds video recording (240fps) of Venus, afocal 271X. This is a stack of 2518 video frames.

Watch for my upcoming review/tutorial of the Apple Final Cut Camera app.

1835 MST: Viewed the planet Mercury, low in the western sky, 271X and 102X. A slight gibbous phase was visible.

Viewed the Moon, 102X.

1843 MST: Took this handheld iPhone afocal 102X image of the Moon using the Camera app (1X lens).

1845 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Tuesday, 4 March 2025, 1854 MST Temperature: 55°F

Session Length: 0h 52m Conditions: Mostly clear

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For those Site visitors in Arizona, watch for the April 2025 issue of PHOENIX Magazine, on newsstands in March. Look for this article. (hint, hint)

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