One Eye Open

Vega, it taunts you.

As I awoke at 4:50 am, Vega it taunted me, looking at me through the bedroom window, calling me.....its clear out, come out and see us.

Well, how could I resist that, clear after what seemed like an eternity of cloud.

Dressed for the cold, as it was -13C outside, observing log in hand, portable telescope to be remounted in the observatory, and solar log book too boot(just getting prepared), I headed off to the observatory.

Just a dusting of snow on the ground, and a clear sky above, what more could you ask for, it was a breath taking.

Well, as all good intentions go, the lock was frozen shut, yanking several times, even with several applications of lock deicer this did not work, so I gave up going inside the observatory. I went in and got the binoculars and sat on the ground to observe. One was not giving up the chance to observe.

In the short 1 hour that I was outside, I had observed 2 satellites, names unknown , just circling our globe. There were 3 meteors, the first at the zenith going west to east , very fast, the second a short fast one in the summer triangle going west to east, and the third a long slow white, yellow mag -2 meteor that stretched from east to west across the zenith. Checking with the meteor sources, these may have been a couple of showers that are current right now, like the The Coma Berenicids (COM), which may have been the 3rd meteor I seen. The first two either were from the Anthelion radiant or sporadics.

I observed three planets, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, with binoculars, Mercury and Venus were still below the horizon.

While looking at Saturn the Bee Hive Open Cluster M44 naked eye and dazzled in binoculars. Gee I wonder if I have that one in my messier count.

By 6:00 am, the transparency was starting to go, but it was so nice to just stand and look up and see the many stars, constellations, and wonders of the morning sky.

Oh, when we got home last night, I could not help but go out and find the comet (Comet Machholz). It was around 2.5 bincular fields north of the Pleiades. It was bright, and the tail could be seen pointing to the SW, very broad tail though. I can hardly wait for tonight, and see it in the Venor.

Well, I hope that I may have enticed you a bit to go out and look up tonight. Can't wait to see what Planetary Nebula that Ken will have us looking at.

till later, clear skies, and keep looking up.