Election Night Activities

by William G. Schultz


As I told Jamie, the Tuesday sky looked great to me, even with the moon. Humidity read higher than I expected, but there were no rings like we had Saturday at Coe. The RH figure started in the 70s and gradually working upward. San Jose temps dropped from the 40s to 37 chilly degrees.

I still enjoyed every minute.

The Herschels were still my target, and when in town I have to work high in the sky, with fences, trees and all that. I was able to bag 1857 and the remainder of the objects in Auriga.

Camelopardalis objects were a challenge. Just navigating the dim constellation through the light pollution was challenge enough. I wasn't able to find 1961, 2403 or 2655. These will have to wait for darker skies out in the country.

As the moon began to descend, I homed in on Orion, and ticked off 1788, 1980, 1999, and 2024. 2022 and 2169 turned out to be my favorite new finds of the night: 2022, a beautiful PlN through OIII at 165X, included a glimpse of the central star; and 2169, the great "37" cluster. What a way to get your number in lights.

Since I've had a cold lately, I just don't have the stamina to complete the night. I finished with 2244, the OCl inside the Rosette. It was 3:30, time for an election results check and a little sleep before sunrise.

This observing is a special activity. And I have 40.7 percent of the Herschel. Not quite a majority, but I already feel like a winner.