Using the RASC Toronto Centre 8-inch Dobsonian and four included eyepieces. Thought something wrong with the focuser. Aligned the finder scope and Telrad. There wasn't anything in the kit for doing a collimation. But then maybe John B wants it that way.
9:25 PM. Split Izar with the 15mm, 10mm, and 7.5mm.
80% humidity on the OW.
9:39. I thought I'd try for Messier 94 (in Canes Venatici) but it was too bright still. I could barely see α (alpha) Canum Venaticorum.
9:45. I decided to do a Beginner's Observing Guide exercise. I ranked the stars in Ursa Major according to their brightness in a sketch. Fascinating! I've added the magnitudes...
- ε, 1.8, double, variable
- η, 1.9, suspected variable
- ζ, 2.0, multi-star system, suspected variable
- α, 1.8, triple, possible variable
- γ, 2.4, suspected variable
- β, 2.4, double, suspected variable
- δ, 3.1, double, suspected variable
Needed my Messier Card to find M94.
I wondered why I was writing notes down, in the little note book, when I was at home, with computers at my disposal...
Lots of mosquitoes! I was hot. I had so many layers on it was making me sweat. Ha ha. A reason for a Lee Valley bug suit! Then I could wear shorts. And avoid chemicals.
9:53. Virgo was setting and the paws of the Big Bear were behind the houses and trees.
Sitting at the picnic table, under the big umbrella, fumbling with flashlights, I considered ideas for lighting. Perhaps I could make a red light to somehow suspend from the umbrella! I could tap into the power from the garage...
10:03. I was getting fed up! Lit some mosquito coils!
10:06. Double star 24 Com was too low, at least for city viewing.
10:20. Tried to star hop to κ (kappa) Herculis aka 7 Her. Took me a moment to realise the finder scope was not lateral inverted, despite the little mirror diagonal. Then I read the label: Orion 9x50 correct image finder. Duh. There you have it. Huh. That makes things a lot easier.
Star hopped from Alphecca to γ (gamma), δ (delta), and ε (epsilon). Then headed toward the equator and to π (pi) and ρ (rho) Serpens. The bright star (QY Ser) near ρ formed a straight line to 5 Her and finally κ. Nice. A wide double in the wide angle 32mm ocular. The main star is yellow; the companion dark yellow. Or orange. Both are faint.
WD = 1.
283° pre-lim. This was hard. The Dob was sticking. 282°.
DAMN! It was going behind the garage.
11:24. 1012mb, 80% hum, 22.4°C.
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