Fremont Peak pulls through with a half-night winner

Mark Johnston

Fremont Peak SW Lot 5Apr08 Conditions: (After 11) Naked eye spotting to mag 6 stars by 12 at zenith. Darkness was 20.94M/Asec2 by 11:45pm (vert)
Scope: 18" f/3.7 StarMaster with ParaCorr
Observers: Tony, Mike (12.5" classic casigran), Mark (Holister) with big SCT maybe 11"

When Tony got there it was 70% or more covered with clouds and I was calling from San Juan B. below By the time I got there it was mag 2 type conditions had it been dark with a few slightly open areas and fog rolling over the hills towards the pads. Just before dark the pads were under fog but the SW lot being 200 feet higher was still ok. It was bleak till about 10 or 10:30 and POOF! It transitioned to mag 6 skies or better by 11pm.

Tony and Mike located a satellite that seemed to be tumbling with blinking about midnight. I think there were somewhere below Ursa Major but I did not get location details myself.

About 6 wandering folks looking for views in the early hours once it cleared. I showed 4 of them some highlights and then when I showed them Saturn ... 'Wow ... and so on' That planet is a knock-out because most people don't realize we can see it with most any scope.

Funny fog story:
Tony left around 1:30 or so and I was to finish 5 more objects. I finished 3 and was taking notes when I looked up and I was in fog. This took 3 minutes or less to roll in over the top of the peak and cover me.

It was time to go home at 1:40am but it was a fantastic bit of fun (after the wait)

Bagged 16 H400/DeepMap and other NGC objects along the way for deep space targets.

Eye Candy:
M101 12:30 Was showing large amounts of detail in the arms AMAZING
M51 12:50 Cannot get over the amazing detail in this one AMAZING
Double Cluster, M35/2158, and M13 (later in night)

Clear Skies,
Mark