SWAOG Dark Site Visit - 8/31/07
 

 

 

 

You are visitor #
Counter

 

 

Keith (N9YA), Scanner Eric, Scanner Chuck and John (KN9R) went to the dark site on Friday August 31.  After a perfectly clear day, the night started out clear, calm, cool and no mosquitoes - just right for observing.  And observing is what we did - everything just seemed to pop out at you - including a fuzzy milky way early in the evening.  Scanner Eric and Scanner Chuck were going after dark sky objects with their Dobs, comparing and trading eyepieces.  Keith was looking through his spotter scope at Jupiter and for the asteroid Vesta which was nearby.  I concentrated my LX-90 on the teapot area as I cannot view this part of the sky from home.  Chuck saw a huge fireball in the northern sky that I thought was someone lighting a cigarette.  The sheriff also stopped by and had a peek through Chuck's Dob. 

We knew we had to hurry our observing as moonrise was early that night.  After a beautiful orange moonrise over the trees, things began to get a little wet.  Scanner Eric got hit first.  We noticed fog over the airfield.  I took several pictures and the fog looks worse that it really was.  We then did some moon and star cluster observing.  Everything got pretty wet by 11pm and so we all packed up - happy to have the chance to observe what we did.

PS - Good luck to Scanner Eric who will take the Tech exam this Saturday. Hopefully we will have another ham in part because of SWAOG and one more ex-scanner!

Clear Skies and 73s,
John - KN9R

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scanner Chuck checking out those DSOs
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Scanner Chuck looking for just the right eyepiece
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Keith - N9YA looking for a place to set up  (notice the light in the background)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The fog rolls in - now look at that light in the background!
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Some heavy fog
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Scanner Eric in the heavy fog
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Scanner Eric (looks frustrated!)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Is that a UFO ???
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Scanner Chuck packing things away
--------------------------------------------------------------------
He's still a happy camper!
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Scanner Eric, Scanner Chuck, & Keith - N9YA
--------------------------------------------------------------------
John - KN9R
 -------------------------------------------------------------------

Scanner Eric took a couple of shots of the Moon
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Close-up!
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
photos courtesy of John - KN9R & Scanner Eric
 

 

CLICK HERE to download a copy of the monthly Sky Map  (very helpful aid in learning the night sky!)