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Reading the mail had convinced me I could find the group without much trouble. I go to FM.Peak knowing there will be company, friendly folks having a different and wonderful night together under the skies. I like that.
The road from the freeway, up the hill was a little more open. When I popped over the first hill and saw the lake, it all seemed farther from the big city than what it actually was.
When I arrived, several people were set up along the east bank. I picked a spot in the open on the west side. Then I saw an old friend Guillermo and made a plan to move over to the east vantage. It was a good choice, I used this big trailer that was parked there for a table. I’ve never had it so handy. While I was setting up Jim and John were chasing a raccoon on the other side of the truck bed. It seems I had left the window open on my truck. The raccoon had taken my bag of snacks and the boys were using my scones and muffins as ammo. I did get the cookies and crackers back still wrapped, I was glad they had been able to save some of my snacks. I only had to share, good deal.
It was almost dark when I got serious and started my alignment. I’m using an LX200 - 10 in. With a short tube 80 mm mounted above in a set of rings. I’ve been practicing polar alignments all summer. I’m only getting a little better, but Saturday I got it real good. In forty minuets to an hour at 66x a star would be just outside the guide box . This was as good as I have ever gotten things on the first try. Too bad it was nearly morning when I discoved that if I stacked my barlows it would give me 166x for guiding. I have to wait until next time for that one.
I spent some time enjoying the views and then shot several pictures both of M31 and M33. I have my hopes something will turn out. so far astro-photogaphy has been pretty much a grand experiment with interesting and mostly poor results. There is still hope.
After a while I went over to view with Guillermo on his 17.5 in. Obsession. I told him my life history and he let me get a taste of deep space. I actually saw IC something, I wrote it down and now can’t find my notes. I was pumped. M31 had looked so good in my scope I wanted to see it in the 17.5. Guillermo pulled out a 35 panoptic for a 1 degree view of a three degree object. The detail was fantastic for my eye. It was like looking at a photograph. I was seeing color and details like never before. Dark lanes a thickening at the end where the arm turns direction. This was particularly clear on one end. The core in the center looked almost like a single star a round bright spot right in the center. If someone had suggested globular I would have said “yeah.” Thanks Guillermo.
About 4:20 a.m. I was about to shoot one more photo when I saw it was getting light. I was surprised because it was so early. The sun wasn’t due for two and a half hours. It was as if the twilight was a broad finger or pointer that extended 25 degrees into the sky. Showing the path the sun would take later in the morning. It’s clear to me now, I was seeing-Zodiacal Light.
Not a bad night, I slept in my Pick-up from 5-7 am. and woke up to see Guillermo driving away. Before I packed I went over Mark’s way, told my stories, Mark introduced me to Mimi. I don’t think she was fully awake. It seemed for just a second maybe she wouldn’t recall the previous evening. When she smiled we had a consensus the night had gone well
Henry Coe? Sure!