Category Archives: Observation Log

Observation Log

Crescent Moon and Venus/Where am I?

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Well, so much for my triumphant return to the amateur astronomy blogworld. I would say my observing season is about two-thirds over and I haven’t gotten the new scope out ONCE. It’s not that I don’t want to because I really do, it’s just that I’ve never been so busy with work in my life – that in conjunction with the conspiring elements out to thwart me on the few observing opportunities I do have.

The only thing I can share with you at this time are some photos I took of the crescent Moon and Venus… LAST month (Yes I haven’t even had time until now to post these). I was (of course) on my way out to work right around 7 PM on January 20th and was stopped dead in my tracks by the crescent Moon and Venus hanging low in the West. I ran in and grabbed my camera.

I’m sorry these aren’t annotated on the image.

Both shots are from Saturday January 20th, Canon EOS 300D, 300mm telephoto (balanced on the roof of my van)


f 5.6 shutter: 1.6 sec. ISO: 400


f 4.5 shutter 2.5 sec. ISO: 400

I love my job (and money) so I’m glad to be busy, but I’m really jonesing for “a fix” with the scope!

Images, In the News, Observation Log, Video

Night Launch

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This past Saturday they had a night launch of the shuttle (Discovery STS-116). I was on my way off to work but I delayed 15 minutes to bring the video camera outside and catch it. There were some hazy clouds near the horizon that weren’t visible to me until illuminated by the launch. I’m about 150 miles from the space center as the crow flies, so any launch from there takes about 10-15 seconds to clear my horizon and come into view.

I’m sure you’ve all seen amateur video of small objects moving against the sky and mumbled to yourself “Why couldn’t this idiot keep the camera still and in focus?” Well, mostly-still wasn’t too hard but the focus? …Sheesh! I tried to keep some foreground objects in the frame but it didn’t help much. My next camcorder is going to have a manual focus option if such a thing exists!

Here’s the video from my front yard. Watch it HERE (5.7 MB).

You’ll need Apple – QuickTime to view this movie file.

For some really spectacular on-scene photos visit For the Birds: Night Launch

I have the next 4 nights in a row off so I hope to finally see first light on the new scope. Keep your fingers crossed.

Observation Log

Mercury Transit 2006

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We’ll I’m happy to say that the skies miraculously cleared and I was able to pull the scope out and get some shots of the November 8th solar transit by Mercury. The sun was perched right above my neighbors heat radiating rooftop so it could have been better, but I’m glad to have seen it. Mercury was one of the 3 remaining planets I’d yet to image in some form or fashion. In fact I’d only even laid eyes on it once… by accident. A few years back during an evening Mercury-Venus conjunction just after sunset.

Here are a few shots I took if the transit event.

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When I had the Canon EOS 300D at prime focus I took about 3 dozen shots at various settings hoping I get one at a decent exposure and focus. After viewing them it occurred to me I might make an animation from the shots. In this animation there is about a 15 minute gap where I was shooting through and eyepiece with an Olympus D460 and answering a phone call. If I’d realized I might make an animation I’d have taken more care to shoot images at regular intervals. All in all it came out OK.

click for larger (3.1 MB)

Due to my frantic work schedule these days I don’t now how much scope time I’m going to be getting this season. I’m typically rolling into the driveway between 1 and 3 AM, then it’s up a 6:30 AM to get the boy off to school. After 4 or 5 days in a row of this the only thing I really want to do on my off days is SLEEP.

At any rate, I was really pining for a nap and almost didn’t take the scope out for this. I’m most certainly glad I did.

Observation Log, Thoughts & Ramblings

My imminent return

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With the temperatures finally beginning to fall (mid 70s overnight), I once again begin my observing season. Last week before the full moon I was able to pull the scope out in manual mode and snap this portrait. The upper and lower halves of the image were snapped 10 seconds apart, + and – 5 seconds of the stated time in the annotation.

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Moon - October 4, 2006

Although I have been reading “astro-blogs” throughout the year, it will be nice to once again be a contributing member of the “sphere.” See you again soon!