A little somethin', somethin'

[quincy]

Friday 5/31/2019

After a few days of thunderstorms, my yard really needed attention. I hate when my lawn looks more like a hay field than a lawn. So I mowed. When I was done, I felt like I was run over by a train, and when I stood back up, a semi-truck decided I still had some energy left and run me over just to make sure I was beaten.
I hate when that happens.

I set up early with the thoughts of grandeur. A clear night! But I was a tired puppy.
Well, it was clear, but the atmosphere decided I could not have that much fun. The transparency was yucky.
So, here's what I managed:

Flare (UV Cet) Stars:

CR Dra (AAVSO 1614+55): In Draco. Medium orange color. Around 10.4 mag. Secondary not observed (separation is at .1”)

DP Dra: In Draco. Light, boarding medium orange color. Around 10.2 mag. Secondary not observed (separation is at .3”)


Symbiotic Stars:

T CrB (AAVSO 1555+26): Symbiotic star. In Corona Borealis. Medium orange color. Appears to brightened slightly. Estimated around 9.7 mag.

AG Dra (AAVSO 1601+67): Symbiotic star. In Draco. Medium orange color. Appears to dimmed to around 10.0 mag.


Carbon Stars:

T Dra: One of the double stars which the primary is a carbon. Over time, this carbon has lost it's luster. Now a light, bordering medium orange color. But still one of my favorite carbons to observe. Around 10.6 mag. The secondary is white, separation at 17.3”.


Planetary Nebula:

NGC 6543 (Cat's Eye Nebula): Since I was fooling around Draco, I had to take a peek. The central star would dim in and out. Transparency was not the best. Though, a nice view.

M57 (Ring Nebula): A fun to visit. Just wish the transparency was better.

Globs:

Took in M13 & M92. Always love to visit these beauties.

Finished the night with a long look at Jupiter and the moons. Actually my first view of this season for me. It was a bit disappointing view, being washed out with it's low altitude right now, and a lot of water vapor in the air. But I'll take it. It could be much worse.

[helicon]

Nice session Jim considering the less than optimal conditions. A good haul of different star types and you managed a couple of planetaries as well. You remind me that I need to mow the backyard today and also do some weed whacking. Hopefully I will not be too tired to take the scopes out as it looks like it might be clear this eve.

[quincy]

Nice session Jim considering the less than optimal conditions. A good haul of different start types and you managed a couple of planetaries as well. You remind me that I need to mow the backyard today and also do some weed whacking. Hopefully I will not be too tired to take the scopes out as it looks like it might be clear this eve.

Look out for those trains and trucks. They seem to sneak up on you.

[Juno16]

Very nice report Jim!

You managed some really nice targets despite the lousy transparency.

I admire your stamina! When I get beat down, it is really hard to get up for a session. It’s especially hard when the sky has been bad for awhile.
You done good!

Great report!

Thanks,
Jim

[quincy]

Very nice report Jim!

You managed some really nice targets despite the lousy transparency.

I admire your stamina! When I get beat down, it is really hard to get up for a session. It’s especially hard when the sky has been bad for awhile.
You done good!

Great report!

Thanks,
Jim

With this weather, I try to observe whenever it's available. Never know when the next good night will pop up.

[chicagorandy]

Kudos on the sightings. I have a tiny yard between my Chicago bungalow and the garage. I 'don't do' farming so my 'usual' yard-work protocol involves apathy, inertia and procrastination. As a result I had to shag three goats and a small pony hiding out there in the yard two days ago before I could attack the substantial very tall growth of mostly weeds with a few blades of grass mixed in.

I actually ended up not using my small electric mower and instead used a 15" electric string trimmer/weed whacker. MUCH easier and actually more effective against the tall standing crop of doom. I swear one of these days if I come into some $$$ I'm gonna just pave the durn thing and be done with it. You don't have to mow asphalt. lol

Chicago too has had pretty much nothing but rain for the whole month of May. All next week is forecast for more of the same. My neighbor, a normally nice old guy named Noah, had me up all darn night with his sawing and hammering. I wonder what the heck he's building?

[Lady Fraktor]

A good session Jim, nothing but scorching heat in the day and thundershowers in the evening the last few days here so no viewing joy to be had.

[quincy]

All this rain and thunderstorms are something.
But today is the official Hurricane season. I wonder what's in store for us.

[quincy]

Kudos on the sightings. I have a tiny yard between my Chicago bungalow and the garage. I 'don't do' farming so my 'usual' yard-work protocol involves apathy, inertia and procrastination. As a result I had to shag three goats and a small pony hiding out there in the yard two days ago before I could attack the substantial very tall growth of mostly weeds with a few blades of grass mixed in.

I actually ended up not using my small electric mower and instead used a 15" electric string trimmer/weed whacker. MUCH easier and actually more effective against the tall standing crop of doom. I swear one of these days if I come into some $$$ I'm gonna just pave the durn thing and be done with it. You don't have to mow asphalt. lol

Chicago too has had pretty much nothing but rain for the whole month of May. All next week is forecast for more of the same. My neighbor, a normally nice old guy named Noah, had me up all darn night with his sawing and hammering. I wonder what the heck he's building?

I know many Amish folks where I live. You made me remind of Noah. He's not the sharpest in the knife drawer.
Another Amish gent I know farms. He's sharper than Noah, but if you don't look at him while he speaks, you'd swear you're talking to Droopy (the cartoon dog).

[bladekeeper]

Glad you got out, Jim!

I've had one peek at Jupiter so far as well, and your description matches mine to the letter.

So much moisture in the air. Supposed to be clear for a bit this evening, but I can see the cloud bullpen from my front window to the west, and it looks like they are just waiting for me to pull a mount out.

[Don Quixote]

That's a nice little somethin' Jim.
I'm sittin' on the side of the road here with my scope in the passenger seat and I think I'm smellin' somethin'.
I think it's a skunk.
Yup...I've been skunked...clouds all over me.

Well, it was nice to read your report ! :-)
Bravo, and cheers !

[Bigzmey]

Nice catches there Jim, despite some not so nice conditions. You are right we should take what we can.

[helicon]

While Saturday looked good for awhile it ended up being foggy both Saturday and Sunday night. A bane of living on the coast. I've hauled out the 6" scope this afternoon in hopes that there will be some observing, or as one might call it - a race against the fog.

[SKEtrip]

Well done in tough conditions Jim.
I had the same hopes Friday and Saturday night - Friday was a test of will and comedy of equipment errors.
Saturday started great, but we got smoked out by the wildfires our Canadian Brothers and Sisters are enduring.
Bad enough that if I didn't know better & had to guess I'd of though Mars was at a close opposition.

Well done, keep swinging!

[Kanadalainen]

Hi Jim,

Good for you to do some observations even despite the workday. That takes grit...