Amazing night at Coe

by Mark Johnston

All together 4 observers which included Greg LaFlamme, Dan, Scott (sorry did not get last names), and myself. Zero clouds and very decent seeing down to about 20 degrees improving over the night. All of us were having a really good time sharing scopes like crazy and Scott was doing a few Canon 10D shots from time to time. In between all the other guys letting me see some real good views of things I completed the H400 objects in Bootes, Hercules, Libra (that is only about 7-8) and then on to assorted others in Sag (God I love that area).

Estimated skies were about 6 per minimum mag star (my favorite group of 4 stars right at Polaris which have a 5,5.8, and 7 on top of Polaris) Greg having the patience for a finish triangle count in Ursa Major area which was close to the meridian so I suspect to the East it would have been even better. Temp was ideal and measured wind was around 4-5mph typical with short periods up to 8mph from time to time (Greg: Did you do one of the triangles in prime viewing which was East at about 60 deg alt?)

Sag and Sco as well as summer triangle were outstanding with the milky way showing gobs of form. Only slight degradation on seeing (I have seen Coe better but it was not annoying).

As the moon was rising we were messing around on Jupiter and I found what I think is a cool trick to share. View the big guy with an O-III filter and you not only don't go blind but the belts jump out big-time.

Three of us held out till 3am and were treated to a great Cas and also of course M31 (yes, eye candy but some of the best) (by the time we tried for Stephans Quintet it was on the limits of wash-out from a rising moon, wish we had thought of it 30 minutes before ...)

Clear Skies,
Mark

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