With rain and snow in the forecasts, Wednesday afternoon, 5 March 2025, I put the Dome Cover ON. Friday mid-morning, 7 March, the precipitation arrived, first as sleet and then after the temperature crashed, snow. The snow soon melted. Total precipitation was 0.29" on Friday, with an additional 0.07" early Saturday morning, 8 March. The sky mostly cleared about sunset on Saturday, 8 March, but I did not open the observatory. Sunday, 9 March, was clear. I removed the Dome Cover.

Open: Sunday, 9 March 2025, 1751 MST Temperature: 77°F

Session: 2079 Conditions: Clear, breezy

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

Camera:
iPhone 15 Pro Max

1758 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Tried to observe Mercury but it was not visible in the bright western sky.

1802 MST: Observed Venus, 102X and 271X. A nice thin crescent was visible.

Attached the LiDAR Cover on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and mounted the iPhone on the 2" 9mm eyepiece. I took this afocal 271X image of Venus using the Camera app (1X lens).

I then used the Final Cut Camera app (review/tutorial in work) to image Venus. This is a stack of 2521 video frames (ISO 64, 1/8000sec, 1X lens).

1830 MST: Sunset. Calm now.

Viewed the gibbous Moon, 102X. Took this handheld iPhone afocal 102X image using the Camera app (1X lens).

Next, I did some lunar observing, 271X. Then mounted the iPhone (with LiDAR Cover) on the 9mm eyepiece for this afocal 271X image (Camera app, 1X lens) of Crater Copernicus.

I used Final Cut Camera for this afocal 271X image of Copernicus (2523 video frames stacked, ISO 64, 1/250sec, 1X lens).

I then did some more lunar observing, 271X.

Next, I observed Jupiter and the four Galilean Moons, 102X and 271X. I then observed Mars, 102X and 271X. The North Polar Cap was visible. Mars showed an obvious gibbous phase.

1859 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Sunday, 9 March 2025, 1909 MST Temperature: 60°F

Session Length: 1h 18m Conditions: Clear

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For Site visitors in Arizona: The April 2025 issue of PHOENIX Magazine is available on newsstands.

Look for this article. (hint, hint)

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