by Jeff Crilly
When I arrived, Phil was looking at the sun, so richard and I took some pictures -- http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=719470&a=6648294&p=22235072
Paul was taking photos of the sunset/moon/mercury and it seemed like a good idea, so I followed his lead...
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=719470&a=6648294&p=22235074
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=719470&a=6648294&p=22235057
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=719470&a=6648294&p=22235061
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=719470&a=6648294&p=22235064
The night started out with a bit of wind and high clouds. However, by sunset the clouds dissapated; the light breeze dropped to nil by midnight. The light dome seemed a bit intense -- I think the sky was hazy making the light dome more pronounced.
I mostly observed galaxies in the rising eastern constellations... No notes, but I recall these... Hercules: ngc620, I think I also saw 6487, looked for 6482 but it was too difficult), cepheus :ngc6951, pegasus: 7331(we couldnt see stephens quintet - not dark enough?) 7332 and others -- This is the first time I've observed those galaxies over there, and they are quite small. I was using skymappro for the first time and I must say, using a map program is effective.
In the 9x63 binoculars I had fun looking at the bright stuff -- m81/82, the dumbell, M31, M33, and M101. M33 and M101 were faint and patchy -- it will be interesting to see these at Lassen.
Around 3am the fog had rolled in over san jose and most of morgan hill/gilroy. The western sky looked a bit better, and the now-overhead milkway started showing dark lanes. Also, the temperature seemed noticably warmer. And it was very dry -- no dew whatsoever. At about 3:30am a racoon came around and started pestering for something. I managed to get a few decent pictures in the darkness...
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=719470&a=6648294&p=22235067
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=719470&a=6648294&p=22235065
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=719470&a=6648294&p=22235069
At about 4am we started getting a bit of light pollution in the east and it was time to pack up and head home.