The transparency last night at Fremont Peak was so good that the beautiful
razor-thin 1.1 day old moon was just visually superb hanging just above the
tree line to the west at dusk. This sight was a wonderful start for an
eventful evening at Fremont Peak!
This was my first evening in which I close to set up on one of the new park
observing pads. These pads worked out to be very functional for all of us
using them. They are level, powered up with 120 Vac and spacious enough for
two mid-sized telescopes per pad. The surface material for the pads was
explained by the park's engineer/designer to be a special mix of concrete
and tree oils, for bio-degradability. I still don't like the brightness of
the red lights, though. They're designed to be bright enough for the safety
of the visiting public on public nights at the observatory, but for deep sky
observing on non-public nights, they're too bright and hinder dark sky
adaptation. Perhaps, a variable rheostat can be added in-line to the lights
to lower the light intensity at will, per pad.
The seeing last night while observing Mars was variable. Between fuzzy
periods of seeing, my AP 10" f/14.6 Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope provided
me and a 100+ others more Martian surface detail than could be remembered or
sketched. I was using the Zeiss/Baaader Bino with two Takahashi 12.5mm LE
(Long Eye Relief) eyepieces, which are easy for the general public to look
into. I also screwed on each eyepiece a Baader Moon and Sky Glow filter for
a contrast improvement. This setup provided 370X which was adequate for the
seeing.
At midnight, the side of Mars that was facing us was located at CM 50°
(central meridian of Mars). The darker surface features named Mare
Erythraeum, Solis Lacus, Aurora Sinus, Sinus Meridiani, and the large Mare
Acidalium regions showed clearly with so much mottling detail from within
these areas. No canals connecting these features were noticed. All of these
areas together appeared to me as a large dark tarantula spanning the face of
Mars.
>From the observatory, the distant Santa Clare Complex fire to the north
(east of Mt. Hamilton) was crowning on top of the mountains exhibiting tall
bright orange flames. I'm wondering if the Mars God had anything to do with
that.
Peter Natscher
Monterey
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
> From: "James Turley - Sky Image Lab" <jturley@No-Spam>
> Organization: Sky Image Lab - Digital Astronomy Images
> Reply-To: jturley@No-Spam, The Astronomy Connection
> <sf-bay-tac@No-Spam>
> Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 10:32:44 -0700
> To: "'The Astronomy Connection'" <sf-bay-tac@No-Spam>
> Subject: [TAC] OR Peak, 8/28. Magnificent
>
> The Peak, 8/28
>
> In a word. Magnificent!
> Starchy Milky Way from dusk to dawn.
> Mars incredibly steady.
> RH dropping 80 at dusk, 95 peak, 24 early morning.
> Light wind, chilly...warming after midnight.
> Classic inversion layer forming
> Stupendous observing conditions.
>
> Highlights: Natcher's AP10" binoview of Solus Lacus
> and the Bull's Eye on Mars. Viewing an inky
> Black Ink Blot B86 in Sag. Thanks Albert!
>
> An enchanting Mars lecture under the stars beside
> the observatory.
>
> Archer manning my XT10 adopting families
> and first time kids all night. Such delight
> to see the kids push a scope the first time, and
> bag their first M.
>
> Two Russian guys on terrace offering XO Cognac
> at will to all smoking Cuban cigars in honor of Mars.
>
> Richard "The Mage" Crisp C14 AP1200 mighty rig imaging
> the Swan creating in narrow bands of exotic wavelengths,
> until the scope hits the mountain. Pioneering
> imaging techniques before my eyes.
>
> M31, 32, 110 through my scope Vx114ED all night.
>
> 200+ Public (customers as JVN would say) lining
> up at the 30". All polite. Almost no white light.
>
> Meeting the DPR designer/engineer who designed the
> pads and lighting. This was her first time to see
> the pads in action.
>
> Fantastic night. Thank you FPOA. Thank you DPR, and
> thank you Mars!
>
> James
>
> PS FPOA will be signing a new contract. Astronomy is
> alive and well at The Peak.