As of Tuesday morning, 6 July 2020, the Bighorn Fire had burned 119,020 acres and was 75% contained. Oracle remained at the READY evacuation status.

Open: Tuesday, 6 July 2020, 1923 MST Temperature: 99°F

Session: 1497 Conditions: Mostly clear

Equipment:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
2" 30mm eyepiece

Camera:
iPhone 11 Pro Max

1937 MST: sunset.

I relaxed on the observatory patio bench to watch the stars come out.

2028 MST: I went back inside the observatory.

2030 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed the supernovae 2020nlb in M85 (galaxy) and 2020nvb in NGC4457 (galaxy), 102X.

Viewed M6 (Butterfly Cluster, open star cluster), 102X and 81X.

Mounted the iPhone 11 Pro Max on the 30mm eyepiece using the Levenhuk Smartphone Adapter.

2048 MST: StarLock ON.

Took these StarLock autoguided iPhone afocal 81X images for my Messier Catalog iPhone Astrophotography album using the iOS app NightCap Camera (ISO 6400 for star clusters, ISO 12500 for nebula, 1 second, 1 minute exposure, 1X lens).

M6 Butterfly Cluster, open star cluster


M7 Ptolemy's Cluster, open star cluster


M8 Lagoon Nebula


M16 Eagle Nebula


M18 open star cluster

2122 MST: eastern sky brightening from rising waning gibbous Moon.

2123 MST: StarLock OFF.

2136 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Tuesday, 6 July 2020, 2145 MST Temperature: 83°F

Session Length: 2h 22m Conditions: Mostly clear

---

In October 2019 I attended the First Annual David H. Levy Arizona Dark Sky Star Party. When I saw that Explore Scientific was selling a commemorative shirt I ordered one. It arrived on Monday, 6 July. (apologies for the wrinkles)

---

Comments are welcome using Email. Twitter users can use the button below to tweet this report to their followers. Thanks.

Tweet

---

Previous report

Cassiopeia Observatory Home Page