Viewing Session: December 9th, 2009
Location: Kekaha, HI
Time: 7:36PM HWT
Weather: Clear - Calm
76 temp
12" Dob
25mm eyepiece
This was a night to remember: A dark moonless night on a rural beach in Kauai. My focus was the Andromeda Galaxy in all her glory. I have already cataloged M31 in October, 2008. For an amateur observer, M31 is an easy object to target and enjoy. More evasive is its neighbors M32 and M110. Using a 12” Dob with a 25mm eyepiece, M32 was small but noticeable within the haze of M31. Almost a pinpoint of light, M32 a dwarf elliptical galaxy and seen at 9.2 magnitude. Normally difficult to find in light polluted skies, M32 was easily targeted in Kauai. Also found was M110 another dwarf elliptical galaxy and also a satellite of Andromeda. M110 has a similar magnitude like M32 but sits off on the periphery of M31 and has been elusive up until this dark night. M110 is visually much larger than M32 but not as brilliant – thus why the two objects have similar magnitudes. Aloha Kauai and Mahalo until next time.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Kauai
The Island of Kauai boasts some of the darkest nights in America. Couple that with warm weather, few bugs and many clear views and this is the place for observational astronomy. My viewing area was in Kekaha on the west side of the Garden Island. There at Kekaha Beach Park most of the horizon is all ocean and unobstructed for thousands of miles, thus; some of the most amazing stellar vistas. With the moon waning the night sky was spectacular! It was almost as if the constellations of Orion, Taurus and Cassiopeia were in 3-D; jumping off the fabric of the sable heavens above.
I was fortunate enough to get in contact Roz Reiner, a Kauai resident and astronomy educator. Also known as "Rocket Roz", she is the webmaster for Astro Events -Stargazing Kauai http://rozhome.com/astroevents/?view. Roz hosts guided sky tours and offers an impressive variety of observational astronomy and Hawaiian celestial knowledge. If you are in Kauai and want to do some star gazing, contact Roz for a great viewing session. Thanks Roz!
Jupiter was impressive and we stole a look at Mercury as the sun set over the ocean. The Milky Way was like a swath of glowing light that looked like a painted stripe across the sky. Unlike my suburb viewing location here in Port Barrington the sky in Kauai is so dark that that open clusters in Cassiopeia could be seen with the naked eye. This included the Andromeda Galaxy and M42 in Orion which were even more impressive with binoculars. Orbiting satellites could be seen whizzing across the heavens and errant meteors were commonplace.
I was fortunate enough to get in contact Roz Reiner, a Kauai resident and astronomy educator. Also known as "Rocket Roz", she is the webmaster for Astro Events -Stargazing Kauai http://rozhome.com/astroevents/?view. Roz hosts guided sky tours and offers an impressive variety of observational astronomy and Hawaiian celestial knowledge. If you are in Kauai and want to do some star gazing, contact Roz for a great viewing session. Thanks Roz!
Jupiter was impressive and we stole a look at Mercury as the sun set over the ocean. The Milky Way was like a swath of glowing light that looked like a painted stripe across the sky. Unlike my suburb viewing location here in Port Barrington the sky in Kauai is so dark that that open clusters in Cassiopeia could be seen with the naked eye. This included the Andromeda Galaxy and M42 in Orion which were even more impressive with binoculars. Orbiting satellites could be seen whizzing across the heavens and errant meteors were commonplace.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Barrington Moon
My wife Annamarie took this picture with our new Canon PowerShot SX10IS. The image was photographed at dusk in South Barrington on November 30th, 2009. It is always a bonus when the better half takes an interest in Astronomy.
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