Solar System - Imaging

1. SUN: Sunrise, Sunset Azimuth Positions

The Sun does not follow the same path across the sky every day. In the summer at northern latitudes, the Sun is high at midday, and in the winter, it is low in the southern sky. By observing the relative positions of the Sun at dawn or dusk, one can establish that the Sun does indeed shift along the horizon. Note where the Sun sets or rises once a week for at least four weeks in the spring or fall and for 6 to 8 weeks in the summer or winter. Be certain to observe from the same position each time. Note the time, day, month and year of each observation. At what season is the shift most noticeable?

NAME OF PROJECT: SUN: Solar Eclipse
Project Begun: 8:30 a.m. August 21, 2017
Project Ended: 4:00 p.m. August 21, 2017
Seeing Conditions: 4/5

Telescope Type: Canon T7i and Vivitar 400mm telephoto lens
Focal Length: 400mm
Exposure: varied depending on when taken. The pictures are single frames with no post processing.
Location: Home, Chesterfield, MO
Longitude: 90 degrees 33 minute 7.84 seconds west
Latitude: 38 degrees 37 minutes 51.787 seconds north

Eclipse Type: Total eclipse August 21, 2017

Total Eclipse Duration: 1m 31s

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

The "Great American" eclipse as viewed from my front yard. I could have driven for a half-hour and gotten a minute more of totality with thousands of others, but opted to stay home with conveniences (and air conditioning), friends, and family. August in St. Louis can get really hot and humid. I'd estimate the temperature was in the mid-nineties by totality. There were ten of us in the front yard looking through a variety of my scopes. I wanted to experience and enjoy the eclipse so I didn't put a great deal of effort into the actual imaging. I just clicked away while looking through a hand held DSLR, tele lens, and Baader photographic white light filter while leaning back in a zero gravity recliner. There were clouds in the area but they stayed away until after totality was over. A good time was had by one and all!

Note: both six hours of field rotation and me moving around the yard lead to an inability to actually predict directions in the images.

3 SUN: Sunspots
(done-2/25)

Sunspots are slightly cooler locations on the sun that are places where strong magnetic field lines emerge from the surface. They can be observed using the projection method or with proper solar filters for your telescope. Never look at the sun without proper filtering, it can damage your eyesight permanently. The projection method involves using either a very small telescope or a piece of paper with a pinhole in it. In either case, sunlight passes through and is projected onto a white piece of paper. You then look at the image on the white paper. Observe the sun and make a full-disk sketch of the sun showing all visible sunspots. At least one sunspot is required. Note the umbrae and also the penumbrae that are visible. Record the date and time of your observation.

NAME OF PROJECT: SUN: Sunspots

Project Begun: 10:25 am CDT 8/27/2015
Project Ended: 11:44 am CDT 8/27/2015
Seeing Conditions: 3/5
Transparency: 5/10 with thin high clouds
Camera: Canon T2i
Telescope: Type: Apogee f/6.1 80mm refractor
Aperture: 80mm
Focal Length: 500mm
Location: Home, Chesterfield, MO
Longitude: 90 degrees 33 minute 7.84 seconds west
Latitude: 38 degrees 37 minutes 51.787 seconds north

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

Only one sunspot grouping in the upper right with nothing else anywhere.

The picture on the left was taken with my Canon T2i at ISO 400 and 1/125th of a second. The sun was viewed and imaged through a Seymour solar filter in a home made cell. I’m not sure it is the sharpest or if it degrades the image, but it is all I have and while not accurate, I do like the color.

The above image of the August 21, 2017 solar eclipse also has a sunspot but this one shows better. 

4 MOON: Maria
(done-3/25)

A naked eye or binocular view of the Moon shows two distinct types of lunar surface material, the maria and the highland areas. Both areas have their own visual characteristics. The highland material reflects light to a greater degree and appears very rough in character. The various mare areas are much darker and appear smoother. Before the telescope, these dark areas were speculated to be bodies of water, hence their name mare which is sea in Latin. Observe these "seas" or maria with your telescope. What evidence do you find that these are not bodies of water? If you are interested in further study of the moon, check into the AL’s Lunar Program and the Lunar II Program.

Note: I have completed both the Lunar and Lunar II Programs. The Lunar II program has been completed both visually and by imaging.

NAME OF PROJECT: MOON: Maria
Project Begun: 9:45 pm CDT 7/24/2015
Project Ended: 9:50 pm CDT 7/24/2015
Seeing Conditions: 3/5
Transparency: 4/10
Telescope: Type: C14 SCT
Aperture: 14"
Focal Length: 3900mm
Eyepiece Focal Length: 55mm (for flip mirror)

Brommelsiek Park orange 38.723N 90.815W 644 ft

Camera & Exposure Information:

Imaged with an AstroVideo System Mark III on a Celestron 14
60 seconds of video at 1/2000 gain 18
stacked with RegiStax 6

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

I was imaging some of the Lunar II Program features and decided to do a few of the projects for this program (the visual program). The moon was about 1st quarter and I spent some time looking at MARE CRISIUM (not imaged) and MARE SERENITATIS (the large area that dominates in this image).

DORSA SMIRNOVi shows up well in the image.

The craters in the mare don't contain ice (they’d be more reflective) and are not full of water.

5 MOON: Highlands
(done-4/25)

Examine the bright, rough areas of the Moon. These are called the Lunar Highlands. If we are to assume that craters formed everywhere on the Moon at approximately the same rate, what can you conclude about the relative ages of the Lunar Highlands and the darker Maria? Why?

NAME OF PROJECT: MOON: Highlands

Project Begun: 9:50 pm CDT 7/24/2015

Project Ended: 10:00 pm CDT 7/24/2015

Seeing Conditions: 3/5

Transparency: 4/10

Telescope: Type: C14 SCT

Aperture: 14"

Focal Length: 3900mm

Eyepiece Focal Length: 55mm (for flip mirror)

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.
Brommelsiek Park orange 38.723N 90.815W 644 ft

Camera & Exposure Information:

Imaged with an AstroVideo System Mark III on a Celestron 14
60 seconds of video at 1/2000 gain 18
stacked with RegiStax 6

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

There seem to be more craters in the highlands so the highlands must be older. The Maria may have had more craters in the past that may have filled in. I think the image to the left I took for the Lunar II program gives a picture of what I mean… few craters in Mare Nubium but many below it.

6 MOON: Crater Ages
(done-5/25)

Twelve degrees south of the Lunar equator and about halfway from the eastern limb (Selenographic east, not east in Earth's sky) to the center of the Moon is one of the most prominent craters on the Moon. Theophilus is 100 km (62 miles) in diameter and has a terraced wall and a group of central mountains. Just to the south and west of Theophilus is another crater of equal size, Cyrillus. Remembering that the Lunar surface is constantly being eroded away by countless meteoroid impacts, which crater would you say is the oldest and why? Sunrise on Theophilus is five days after New Moon. A six or seven day old Moon should show the area well.

NAME OF PROJECT: MOON: Crater Ages
Project Begun: 10:00 pm CDT 7/24/2015
Project Ended: 10:05 pm CDT 7/24/2015
Seeing Conditions: 3/5
Transparency: 4/10
Telescope: Type: C14 SCT
Aperture: 14"
Focal Length: 3900mm
Eyepiee Focal Length: 55mm (for flip mirror)

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.

Brommelsiek Park orange 38.723N 90.815W 644 ft

Camera & Exposure Information:

Imaged with an AstroVideo System Mark III on a Celestron 14
60 seconds of video at 1/2000 gain 18
stacked with RegiStax 6

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

Cyrillus is the large eroded crater in the top left in the picture. Theophilus is below it on the left edge with the sharper rim. The walls of Cyrillus are much more eroded so it is much older. You can also see the Theophilus' crater wall extend into Cyrillus. 

7 MOON: Scarps
(done-6/25)

The Straight Wall, or "Rupes Recta" in Latin, is the best known scarp (fault area) on the Moon. When viewed less than a day after First Quarter, the fault's long thin dark shadow is hard to miss. Contrary to its appearance, it is a moderate slope and not steep. The Straight Wall is located at 22° South and 7° West. Just to the scarp's west is a small sharply defined crater called Birt. If Birt is known to be 17 km. (10.5 miles) in diameter, estimate the length of the Straight Wall.

NAME OF PROJECT: MOON: Scarps

Project Begun: 8:07 PM CDT 10/13/2013
11:00 AN CDT 8/13/2015 (calculation)
Project Ended: 8:21 PM CDT 10/13/2013 (image)
11:15 AM CDT 8/13/2015 (calculation)
Seeing Conditions: 3/5
Transparency: 4/10
Telescope: Type: C14 SCT
Aperture: 14” SCT
Focal Length: 3900mm
Eyepiece Focal Length: 20mm (flip mirror)

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.

Brommelsiek Park orange 38.723N 90.815W 644 ft

Camera & Exposure Information:

Imaged with an AstroVideo System Mark III on a Celestron 14
60 seconds of video at 1/2000 gain 18
stacked with RegiStax 6

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

Going over some past images taken for Lunar II shows Rupes Recta and Birt taken on 8/13/2013. In the image Rupes Recta is 6 1/3 times longer than Birt measured with a screen protractor. Since Birt is 17km (10.5mi) in diameter, Rupes Recta 6 1/3 larger or 108 km (66.5mi) in diameter.

Virtual Moon Atlas says Rupes Recta is 110km (67mi) so not too bad.

8 MOON: Occultations
(done-7/25)

Lunar occultations occur when the Moon, in its eastward path about the Earth, passes in front of stars or planets and eclipses them. The precise timing of the occultation concerns that instant when the occulted object seems to blink out behind the Lunar limb or reappears from behind the Lunar limb. These timings supply vital information regarding the Earth-Moon orbit and any changes in the velocity or distance of that orbit. Less frequent, +but neater to observe, are occultations by the moon of the naked eye planets. These events, both of stars and planets, are always highlighted ahead of time in the astronomy magazines. Occultations of stars in the Hyades cluster are fairly common. Periodically also, the Pleiades cluster is crossed by our natural satellite. If this type of observation is appealing to you there are resources available that tell you how to do really worthwhile and productive work. You will need to have a telescope available, however. See the resources in the back of the book. Note the name of the object occulted, the day, month, year, the universal time of the object's disappearance and reappearance, and the place of your observations.

NAME OF PROJECT: MOON: Occultations
Project Begun: 10:00 p.m. CDT 8/24/2020
Project Ended: 10:30 p.m. CDT 8/24/2020
Seeing Conditions: 2/5
Transparency: 4/10

Telescope: Type: Celestron C5
Aperture: 5 inches
Camera: ASI120mm with 2x Barlow
Exposures: 1 second

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.
Brommelsiek Park orange 38.723N 90.815W 644 ft

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

Star Occulted: Zeta1 Lib

Disappearance only. The moon set before Zeta1 Lib reappeared.

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

Don't believe the predicted time from SkySafari...use Occult4's from the IOTA.

I used a 1 second exposure so I could see the moon's limb.

9 MOON: Lunar Eclipse
(done-8/25)

Lunar eclipses happen twice a year and occur when at least some part of the moon moves into at least part of the Earth’s shadow. They occur only when the moon is in full phase. The types of lunar eclipse sand their meanings are:

• Penumbral Eclipse – The moon only slightly darkens. From anywhere on the moon you would see the Earth partially cover up the Sun.

• Partial Eclipse – Part of the moon becomes very dark, part of it remains bright. If you were on the moon in the darkened part, you would see the Sun completely covered by the Earth. From the bright part of the moon, the Earth would cover only part of the Sun.

• Total Eclipse – The entire moon becomes dark. From anywhere on the moon, the Earth would completely cover the Sun. Lunar eclipses can be rated as to how dark they really get. The ratings are the Danjon Scale. • L0 – Very dark: Moon is almost invisible, especially at mid-totality.

• L1 – Dark: Moon is dark gray or brownish, very hard to see details.

• L2 – Deep red of rust, dark center, edge is brighter.

• L3 – Brick red, rim is brighter and yellowish.

• L4 – Bright copper-red or orange, rim is bright and bluish.

Observe a lunar eclipse. Note the exact dates and times of: start of partial eclipse, start of total eclipse, end of total eclipse, and end of partial eclipse. Also include your estimate of the rating from the Danjon Scale if it is a total eclipse

10 MERCURY
(not attempted by imaging)

As an inner planet (closer to the Sun than the Earth), appearances of Mercury are fleeting, best seen just after sunset or just before sunrise. In compensation, this elusive planet can be seen, although sometimes with difficulty, several times a year. Mercury is never visible to the naked eye more than 28° above the horizon. Observations must therefore be accomplished during twilight, when Mercury is at or near its highest elevation for that particular apparition, or appearance. The result is we must observe through the thicker portion of Earth's atmosphere. For our purposes it will be sufficient just to locate this "Messenger of the Gods" on two different neighboring apparitions. Once in the morning sky and once in the evening sky. It may appear as a pinkish star-like object. Finding this elusive planet is its own reward. Watch for charts published in your favorite observing periodical. A pair of binoculars can be most helpful for the twilight observations, but you must wait until the Sun has sunk fully below the horizon. Record the time and date of the observations and the approximate azimuth (270°, 300°, etc.) and altitude (20°, 15°, etc.).

11 VENUS: Low Power Crescent
(not attempted by imaging)

Earth's "sister planet" will show its crescent phase in a high quality binocular that is held perfectly still. You might try mounting it on a tripod. Consult the astronomy periodicals if you are unsure when or where to look. This observation will have to be accomplished when Venus is nearer the Earth and in its crescent phase. Galileo's observations of this the brightest of the planets provided crucial evidence for the triumph of the Copernican Sun-centered solar system. Since Venus exhibited phases it had to revolve around the Sun instead of the Earth. Can you repeat his observations? View before the sky gets too dark or Venus' brightness may obscure her phase.

AME OF PROJECT: VENUS: Low Power Crescent
Project Begun: 08/03/2020 at 4:00 a.m.
Project Ended: 08/03/2020 at 4:15 a.m.
Seeing Conditions:
Seeing: 3/5
Transparency: 4/10 with clouds in the area

Camera: Canon T7i
Lens: Celestron f/6 C5 SCT mounted on a tripod
Aperture: five inches
Focal Length: 750 mm

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

I won't try to count this one since it isn't a crescent and it isn't a good image, but since I started too late in the year to catch Venus in the morning sky as a crescent and it won't be one until December 2021 I'm posting a Venus here. It was taken about a week before the greatest elongation in the morning sky and is about 45% illuminated.

The camera/lens combination gives about 22x.

I woke up about 3:50 a.m. and noticed that the clouds had clearer a bit around Venus. I ran out to the garage and grabbed the camera/lens/tripod and took a few quick images of Venus. Not very spectular and the lens was a bit out of collimation. It needs to be better because it is the combination I plan to use it for the Jupiter sequence project. 

12 VENUS: Daytime Observation
(done - 9/25)

With a polar aligned telescope equipped with setting circles and a low power eyepiece, Venus can be readily observed during the day. Observing during the day can be a decided advantage. The planet's brightness will be subdued enough to not dazzle the eye. The planet is also high in the sky away from the denser portion of Earth's atmosphere. CHOOSE THIS PROJECT ONLY IF YOU HAVE A TELESCOPE PROPERLY POLAR ALIGNED AND CAPABLE OF LOCATING THE PLANET WITHOUT ENDANGERING EITHER THE INSTRUMENT OR YOURSELF - USE EXTREME CAUTION - EYE DAMAGE COULD RESULT.

In your favorite astronomy periodical note the right ascension and declination of the Sun and Venus. Center the Sun in your telescope by projecting the image onto a screen or the ground. Set your setting circles to that of the Sun and turn on your drive. Now offset the appropriate amounts to arrive at the coordinates for Venus. (Make sure your focus is correct, an out-of-focus planet may be impossible to see.) You should be able to see Venus in your finder scope. An orange filter in your main eyepiece will help increase image contrast. Describe your experience.

NAME OF PROJECT: VENUS: Daytime Observation
Project Begun : 8/17/2020 at 10:15 a.m. CDT
Project Ended 8/17/2020 at 11:45 a.m. CDT
Seeing Conditions
Seeing: 3/5
Transparency: 6/10
Telescope Type: SkyWatcher 12" dob
Aperture: 12"
Focal Length 1500mm

Camera: Canon T7i
Exposure: 1/500th second (no stacking)
ISO: 100

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

While it was fairly easy to find Venus it was very difficult to focus the camera/scope during the daytime due to light on the LCD, shaking, and the small size of Venus. Add to that the temperature was in the mid-nineties and it was pretty miserable out there.

Venus was about a week past the greatest western elongation so it shows as a 1/2 disk.

13 VENUS: Phases
(not attempted by imaging)

Like the Moon, Venus goes through phases. At Venus' brightest, about magnitude -4, it will be a thin crescent in your telescope. At its faintest the entire disk will be lit. This seeming contradiction is due to the fact that the thin crescent phase happens when our sister world is nearest us. The full phase happens when she is farthest away beyond the Sun. Try to watch Venus over about a two month period, making sketches. This will give you size and phase changes over about one forth of its orbit of 224.7 days. Keep them all at the same scale and always use the same eyepiece so you can get a feel for the changes in Venus' apparent diameter. Try to make them about a week apart. Viewing while the sky is still light will help cut down glare from the planet's brilliance and also help to eliminate atmospheric distortion because the planet will be higher in the sky. If the sky is still very light an orange filter will increase the contrast between Venus and the blue background and will also cut down Venus' glare.

Note the day/date/time and seeing conditions under each sketch on an 8-1/2X11 sheet of paper.

14 MARS: Albedo Features
(done--10/25)

Observing the planet Mars can be either exciting and rewarding or boring and disappointing. It all depends on where the red planet is in its orbit compared with the Earth. Every 26 months Earth catches up to and passes Mars in Earth's smaller, faster orbit, and it is during these times that Mars can best be seen. This point of "catch up" is called an opposition. This is the time when Earth and Mars is on the same side of the Sun, resulting in the Sun being on the "opposite" side of the sky from us as is Mars. During this time Mars rises as the Sun sets and sets as the Sun rises, and is at its highest point in our sky at midnight. All oppositions are not created equal, however. Mar's orbit is more elliptical than our own, and these variations in distance makes Mars appear as small as 13.5 arc-seconds in diameter, or as large as 25 arc-seconds.

A few months before or after these oppositions Mars can still be observed, depending on the objective size of your telescope. Consult your favorite observing periodical for favorable Mars observing times. Many helpful hints will be given and times suggested for successful observing.

Drawing the "god of war" can be literally an illuminating experience. Sketching can help train your eye to see more detail than you would have otherwise noticed. Examine the planet for several minutes. Try an orange filter to see if that helps image contrast. Use the first accompanying circle to sketch in the major features after first locating the polar cap or possible slight phase defect. Just outlining the major features will do. Try to place them as accurately as possible. Note to the nearest minute when you have completed these steps. The first sketch should give accurate positions.

A soft pencil can be used to make a more finished looking version on the second circle. The second can be completed away from the telescope if desired, although as soon as possible while the memory is still good. It can be more "artistic", shaded to give a B&W photo appearance. If done carefully a very satisfying rendition can be had, and you will not have to be an artist to have accomplished it.

To show the East-West direction of your sketches show with an arrow the direction of drift in your field-of-view without a drive running.

NAME OF PROJECT: MARS: Albedo Features
Project Begun: July 20, 2018
Project Ended: July 21, 2018
Seeing Conditions: 4/5
Transparency: 7/10

Telescope Type: Celestron 14
Aperture: 14"
Focal Length: 3900mm
Camera: ASI174mm

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.

Brommelsiek Park orange 38.723N 90.815W 644 ft

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:
Here's an Elysium Planitia image for the AL's Mars InSight special award taken the morning of Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 2 a.m. I'll furnish more information if you needed it, but the basics are 3 minutes of video with FireCap using an IR on a C14 with 2x barlow and ZWO monochrome camera. The best 5% of the frames were stacked with 50% sharpening in AutoStakkert 3 and minor wavelets in Registax 6. I had RGB data, but it didn't seem to help show any more detail so just the IR submitted.

FWIW I was able to pull Deimos out at about 8:30 in a highly stretched image.

Imaging Data:

Camera: ASI174mm

OTA: C14 with a 2.5x PowerMate

Focal Length: 9350mm

Frames captured: 120

Filter: L

Date: 7/21/2018

Time: 2:04 a.m. CDT

Length of video: 2 minutes

Shutter speed: 1 sec

Gain: 300

Capture Software: FireCap

Stacking Software: AutoStakkert 3 

15 MARS: Retrograde Motion
(not attempted by imaging)

Early naked eye observers had a problem. The planet Mars, slowly drifting west to east from night to night, when seen against the background stars, would once a year act very strangely. As Mars approached opposition it would suddenly slow down, reverse itself, drift westward for a while (retrograde motion), before again reversing to assume its normal (prograde) eastward motion. We now know that this is an illusion caused by the motion of the Earth catching up to and passing the slower Red Planet, causing Mars to appear to be moving backward. You are to plot the apparent motion of Mars through this regrograde loop. Determine what constellation Mars will be in at the time of opposition. This can be done by consulting the astronomy periodicals. Make a copy of that area out of a star atlas. For example, Will Tirion's Star Atlas 2000.0. Then watch Mars beginning about a month before opposition until a month after opposition. Plot the planet's daily position on your copy by comparing its position to the fixed stars of the constellation. After these two months you should be able to trace out Mars' retrograde motion. Fortunately for us, the Copernican Revolution solved nicely the odd behavior of Mars, and also the behavior of Jupiter and Saturn, the other classical outer planets which exhibit a lesser amount of retrograde motion.

Include Copy of Your Map of Mars Retrograde Motion.

16 CERES: Locating
(done -- 11/25)

With the IAU’s creating of the new classification of Dwarf Planet, Ceres the Asteroid was promoted to Ceres the dwarf planet. The difference between a dwarf planet and a planet (according to IAU) is that a dwarf planet does not have enough gravity to clear other debris from its neighborhood. Locate and observe Ceres, and sketch the starfield from your observation. Note the time and date of your observation.

NAME OF PROJECT: CERES: Locating
Project Begun: 8/12/2020 10:30 p.m.
Project Ended: 8/13/2020 7:30 a.m.
Seeing Conditions: 4/5
Transparency 7/10
Telescope: Type: 80mm f/6.1 refractor
Aperture: 80mm
Focal Length: 500mm

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.
White Memorial WA green 39.171 N 91.005 W 802 ft

Date: 8/13/2020
Time: 12:24 p.m. CDT (end exposure)
Camera: ASI385mc
Exposures: 20~30 seconds at gain 135 (unguided)
Stacking: Live stacking with an ASIAir Pro

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

Not much difference between Ceres and Pallas (below).
I saw six Perseid meteors while the camera took the exposures.

17 ASTEROIDS: Course Plotting
(done --12/25)

Finding and following one of the small rocky planetoids that accompany the major planets around the Sun can be a most satisfying project. The small size of asteroids can make them a challenge to find, however. Although the largest, Ceres, is about 1000 kilometers (620 miles) in diameter, most range from about 100 kilometers (62 miles) to 200 k (125 miles) across, down to one kilometer (0.6 mile) or less. This means they all remain starlike even in the largest of amateur scopes. The four largest can be found in binoculars under dark skies especially at opposition when they are the brightest. All four are magnitude 8.5 or brighter. Since they are stellar in appearance their true nature can only be discerned by their movement compared to the background stars from one night to the next. Each year the daily or weekly positions for these fascinating little worlds are published in the astronomical periodicals. Using the information thus obtained, find and track an asteroid over a period of 3-5 nights. As little as three nights may be acceptable if weather is a problem. Copy an appropriate section of a star chart, preferably one that has a fairly large scale such as Will Tirion's Star Atlas 2000.0 or the Uranometria 2000.0. From your observations mark the asteroids position as close as you can comparing it to the position of the background stars. Observe it again the following night locating and marking it again on the same star chart. Do this for three to five nights, then connect the dots showing the direction of the asteroid's movement with an arrow. Note the time and date of each asteroidal position in your notes. SEE ALSO THE NEXT PROJECT. If you are interested in further study of the asteroids, check into the AL’s Asteroid Program.

18 ASTEROIDS: Measuring their Movement
(done --13/25)

Having plotted an asteroids pathway among the background stars for at least three evenings you can now figure out its approximate hourly movement. Using a finely graded ruler such as a millimeter rule, measure the distance from the dot representing your first observation to the dot representing your second observation. If these two observations were, for example, about 24 hours apart, divide that measurement by 24 (or whatever the time interval was in hours) to find out how far the asteroid traveled in one hour. Do the same thing for each subsequent observation. How far did the asteroid move in one hour? Using the same rule, measure the width of one degree on your star chart. If, for example, your asteroid moved 2mm in one hour and if a degree on your chart is 32mm wide, your asteroid was moving one degree in 16 hours. How long did it take your asteroid to move one degree? This determination is only a rough one, of course, but non-the-less it can be fun to do, and it will give you a sense of familiarity with YOUR asteroid.

19 COMET: Observing
(done --14/25)

Comets are dirty snowballs that get too close to the sun and when they heat up, they leave a trail of dust and gas pointing outward from the sun. Comets originate from the Kuiper Belt (out past Neptune) or from the Oort Cloud (thousands of AUs from the sun). Short Period Comets, usually from the Kuiper Belt have orbits that bring them past the sun every 200 years or less. Long Period Comets are those with periods over 200 years and are usually from the Oort Cloud. Comet Halley is the most well known of the short period comets, returning every 76 years or so. Observe a comet. This may be done naked-eye, with binoculars, or with a telescope. If the comet has a coma and a tail, sketch what you see. If it is starlike, then take two observations on two different nights and sketch the starfield including the comet. Note the date and time of your observation and the name of the comet. If you are interested in further study of comets, see the Astroleague's Comet Program webpage.

NAME OF PROJECT: COMET: Observing
Project Begun: 8:00 pm CST 7/23/2020
Project Ended: 10:00 pm CST 7/23/2020
Location: Brommelsiek Park
Seeing Conditions: 4/5
Transparency: 6/10 and windy

Image taken: 7/23/2020 at 9:51 p.m.
Camera: Canon T7i
Lens: Canon 75-300mm zoom @ 75mm
Exposure: 10 seconds at ISO 1600
Processing: Histogram adjustments and sharpening in Canon's Digital Photo Pro

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

Name: C/2020 F3 (Neowise)

Humid, no breeze, kind of miserable if you moved at all. Clouds spoiled the Neowise view for some of the time. The camera was mounted piggyback on my 12" SynScan goto dob. A goto centered the comet and I manually offset the comet lower in the frame for better display.

Center (RA, Dec): (165.339, 44.974)
Center (RA, hms): 11h 01m 21.315s
Center (Dec, dms): +44° 58' 26.493"
Size: 16.4 x 10.9 deg
Radius: 9.855 deg
Pixel scale: 9.84 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: Up is 300 degrees E of N

Measured coordinates (Astrometry.net plate solve then Aladin):

RA: 10 48 18.06
Dec: +43 01 52.0

https://theskylive.com says:
RA: 10h 48m 19.2s
Dec: 43° 02' 00.8" (J2000)

20 JUPITER: The Great Red Spot
(done --15/25)

Jupiter is by far the easiest planet to observe. Its giant disk offers the most detail to the amateur observer. Even at its smallest it is 30 arc-seconds in diameter, and at opposition it can be almost 50 arc-seconds, twice the size of Mars even though Jupiter is ten times further away from us! You are to time the rotation of the Red Spot across the center of the disk of the planet Jupiter. In the "Calendar Notes" column in Sky and Telescope magazine the dates and times are given when this famous feature on Jupiter is due to cross the Central Meridian of the planet. The Central Meridian (CM) is a line drawn from the planet's north pole to its south pole dividing the great globe into two equal eastern and western sections. This project will require three timings. The first is the time at which the leading edge of the spot crosses the CM. The second is the time at which the spot appears centered exactly on the CM. The third is the time at which the trailing edge of the spot reached the CM. Use the S&T column to guide your observing sessions. If you can only make one timing, make it number two, the central transit time. Access to a WWV time signal is preferable but if this is impossible, the observation is still acceptable. State if WWV or another standard time source was used in making your report. Do not forget to convert to Universal Time. During the past few years the Great Red Spot has been very pale and should perhaps be known as the Great Pale Salmon Colored Spot!

NAME OF PROJECT: JUPITER: The Great Red Spot
Project Begun: 8:00 p.m. CDT 8/24/2020
Project Ended: 9:20 p.m. CDT 8/24/2020
Seeing Conditions: 2/5
Transparency: 4/10
Telescope: Type: Celestron f/6 C5 with 2x Barlow
Aperture: 5 inches
Focal Length: 750mm (1500mm with Barlow)
Camera: ASI1120mc
Exposure: varies with image

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

I'll start by saying I'm red/green colorblind and the only way I've ever seen the GRS is with a blue filter. Knowing that in advance I took images every 10 minutes starting at 8:30 p.m. CDT hoping to get the ones needed to meet the requirements. I think I've succeeded.

Transparency was pretty bad... the moon lit up the sky with all the high altitude smoke from the fires in the west.

Image 1: 8:40 p.m. CDT.

The GRS is in the top band on the left.

Imaging information:

I got the time that the GRS was to be on the CM from SkySafari. It wasn't very close to the actual time, but did give me a place to start.

I captured one minute of video at about 115 fps for each image using a ROI of 640x480. The images were processed with AutoStakkert 3.0

21 JUPITER: --Galilean Satellites
(done --16/25)

Ever since Galileo it has been noted that the planet Jupiter and its four brightest and largest satellites form a kind of miniature solar system with a speeded up time scale. This magnification of time scale makes the system specially interesting to those who study potential changes in orbital mechanics. We have observing data on Jupiter's moons going back about 300 years. This consists of the recorded times when a satellite disappeared on entering Jupiter's shadow or reappeared upon exiting from it. Studying this data makes it possible to determine if Jupiter' satellite's orbits, and by inference, planetary orbits, change over periods of time. These eclipses are spectacular phenomena to watch in a small telescope. Since timings require a WWV time signal receiver. For this exercise we will only ask you to sketch the satellite positions on the this page for six consecutive nights identifying each satellite in your sketches. Include a copy of them in your report. As much as possible, try not to skip more that one night between consecutive viewings. The "Jupiter's Moons" chart in the Almanac section of astronomy magazines each month will help you to identify the individual moons

To show the East-West direction of your sketches show with an arrow the direction of drift in your field-of-view without a drive running.

Night 3

Date: 8/3/2020

Time: 8:42 p.m. CDT 

North is towards the upper left corner.

West is towards the upper right corner.

Seeing: 4/5

Transparency: 5/10 with thin clouds and near full moon

Collimation remains an issue 

Night 4

Date: 8/4/2020

Time: 9:02 p.m. CDT 

North is towards the upper left corner.

West is towards the upper right corner.

Seeing: 3/5

Transparency: 5/10 with thin clouds that show in the image

I spent about a half an hour today working on collimation. It is much better. The next hurdle is focusing. 

Night 5

Date: 8/5/2020

Time: 8:45 p.m. CDT 

North is towards the upper left corner.

West is towards the upper right corner.

Seeing: 3/5

Transparency: 6/10

Finally got everything working fairly well. It was still light when the image was taken so the sky was blue. 

Night 6

Date: 8/6/2020

Time: 8:45 p.m. CDT 

North is towards the upper left corner.

West is towards the upper right corner.

Seeing: 4/5

Transparency: 6/10

I almost didn't get Jupiter tonight. There were clouds in the area and Jupiter kept winking in and out. The clouds were heavy enough that Jupiter completely disappeared at times. 

Night 7

Date: 8/7/2020

Time: 8:40 p.m. CDT 

North is towards the upper left corner.

West is towards the upper right corner.

Seeing: 3/5

Transparency: 6/10

Something strange in that image....

Between Jupiter and Ganymede there is a bright spot just off Jupiter. It looks like a moon, but Io is in transit over on the other side of the planet. Neither SkySafari or Stellarium show a star in the area either. 

NAME OF PROJECT: The Cloud Belts

Project Begun: 9:00 p.m. CDT 07/23/2020
Project Ended: 9:15 p.m. CDT 07/23/2020
Seeing Conditions: 4/5

Telescope: Type: SkyWatcher 12" SynScan Dob
Aperture: 12"
Focal Length: 1500mm
Camera: ASI120mc
Gain=27
Exposure=0.005641 seconds/exposure
Number of frames=2000
Best 50% stacked with AutoStakkert
Cropped and sharpened in PhotoShop.

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.

Brommelsiek Park orange 38.723N 90.815W 644 ft

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions

My mount was being a bit flaky during the exposure. It would drift about two planetary diameters then pop back to the middle over a ten second period. AutoStakkert apparently handled the problem. 

23 JUPITER: Satellite Discovery done
(done --18/25)

On January 7, 1610 Galileo Galilei observed the planet Jupiter with his fourth and latest telescope. He had "spared no time and expense" in its production. With it he saw three small bright stars near the bright planet and assumed that they were fixed background stars. The next night he observed the Jovian planet again and was amazed to discover that the "stars" had changed their positions relative to the planet's disk. Very perplexing! Within a week he had seen all four of what we now call the Galileian satellites of Jupiter.

Galileo was using a primitive simple telescope magnifying about twenty times. Can you duplicate his feat with the modern lenses of a pair of binoculars?

It is important that the binoculars be held perfectly steady for the eye to pick out the tiny moons next to Jupiter's glare. Any movement, even the blood pumping through your veins will make them difficult to see. Try bracing your binoculars against a solid structure like a telephone pole or the roof of a car. Better yet, mount them on a tripod. Observe the satellites for several days and then describe your experience.

NAME OF PROJECT: Satellite Discovery
Project Begun: 8/1/2020 at 9:00 p.m. CDT
Project Ended: 8/2/2020 at 11:00 a.m. CDT
Location: Home Chesterfield, MO
Seeing Conditions: 2/5
Transparency 3/10
Camera: Canon T7i DSLR with Celestron f/6 C5 as lens
Exposure: 1 second
ISO: 3200
Aperture: 5 inches
Focal Length: 750 mm

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

I look at this project as a low power attempt to image Jupiter's moons. I believe that this image is about 22x based on the focal length of the C5 and diagonal of the T7i. That is only slightly more that Galileo's 20x scope and the 20x binoculars I used to complete the binocular version of the Solar System Program.

Since this project was focused on Jupiter's moons I massively over exposed the planet to show the moons. They too are over exposed, but they easily show in the image. The picture is a single image taken on a tripod while Jupiter was less than four degrees from a virtually full moon.

I had a variety of issues grabbing this image. The 2nd hand scope/lens had never been sharp and I found out the next day that it was poorly collimated. I gave it a shot the next day and hopefully over the period of doing Project 21 sharpness will improve. Finding the right adapters to mate the DSLR to the C5 was also a problem. Eventually everything worked out and I plan to use the combination to complete Project 21 since I can do it all from home and don't need to drive the twenty miles and back from my normal observing site at Brommelsiek Park.

24 JUPITER: Satellite Shadow Transits
(done -- 19/25)

Shadow transits occur quite often and are a phenomenon that can easily be seen by the amateur. The shadows cast by the Galilean satellites are seen as tiny black dots slowly proceeding across the cloud tops of the giant planet.

Your task is to determine which of the four largest Jovian moons is casting the shadow. First you need to know if Jupiter is approaching its yearly opposition or if opposition has already passed. If Jupiter is moving toward its opposition then the shadow precedes the satellite. The moon's shadow will fall on the planet while the moon itself is still nearing the planet's limb. If opposition has passed, the moon will cross the planet's disc first, followed by its shadow. By consulting a Galilean Satellite Chart in an astronomy periodical you should be able to determine which satellite is casting the shadow. Which satellite was it?

NAME OF PROJECT: JUPITER: Satellite Shadow Transits
Project Begun: 8/17/2020 at 8:00 p.m. CDT
Project Ended: 8/17/2020 at 10:30 p.m. CDT
Seeing Conditions: 2/5
Transparency; 7/10
Telescope Type: Celestron 8 SCT
Aperture: 8 inches
Focal Length: 2030 mm

Imaging data:
Date: 8/17/2020
Time: 9:48 p.m. CDT
Camera: ASI120mc
Exposure: .00386 seconds
Gain: 70
Frame Rate: 120/sec
Frames: 6531
ROI: 320x240
Software:
Capture: SharpCap 3 Pro
Stacking: Best 5% in AutoStakkert 3.0.14

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

I had hopes of doing the Red Spot, Shadow Transit, and Satellite Transit activities tonight but others wanted to talk while I tried to set up and poor seeing with wind hindered the satellite transit.

While the wind was less than 10 m/hr it was enough to cause a noticeable vibration in the videos limiting sharpness.

Lessons Learned:
Don't stack frames with time stamps
Use a flip mirror with my C8 and ASI120mc
Use a better focusing technique than a Hartmann mask

As a final insult for the evening my EQ mount decided to do a pier flip two minutes before Europa's transit ended and I couldn't grab a video of the event.

25 JUPITER: Satellite Transits
(done -- 20/25)

Watching the Galilean Moons transit the disk of Jupiter is considerably more of a challenge than watching their corresponding shadows. The tiny little disks are similar in color to their parent planet so the satellite quickly gets lost from view in its frontal passage. The satellites can often be seen under the right conditions with larger apertures, for a few minutes, while still on the edge of Jupiter's limb. The limb tends to be slightly darker than the face of the planet itself. The contrast between the two helps the satellite to show up. The slow ingress or egress varies with each satellite. Io and Europa, being inner satellites, take only about two and a half minutes to ease onto or off of Jupiter's limb. Ganymede moves much more slowly, taking seven minutes, and Callisto crawls across the limb for nine minutes. If you are able to detect these ingresses or egresses, time them with a stop watch and compare the times with those just given. An alternative project would be to time the ingress or egress of one of the satellites into or out of Jupiter's shadow. What satellite did you time?

NAME OF PROJECT: JUPITER: Satellite Transits

Project Begun: 10:15 p.m. CDT 8/24/2020

Project Ended: 10:55 p.m. CDT 8/24/2020

Seeing Conditions: 2/5

Transparency: 4/10

Telescope Type: Celestron f/6 C5

Aperture: 5 inches

Focal Length: 750mm (1500mm with 2x Barlow)

Camera: ASI120mc

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

Poor seeing caused Europa to jump all over the place but I'd estimate that the time in the images are correct for first and second contacts. The ingress took 2 minutes 25 seconds. 

26 JUPITER: Satellite Eclipses
(done -- 21/25)

Eclipses of the Galilean satellites occur as they move into or out of Jupiter’s shadow. This is different than an Occultation (see next requirement). Time the disappearance or reappearance of one of these satellites by using a radio tuned to the WWV National Time Standards signal out of Ft. Collins, Colorado. Then compare it to the time printed in the astronomy periodicals. Note the time when the satellite completely disappears into or reappears from behind Jupiter's shadow. Timing a reappearance is much more difficult since you do not know precisely when or where it will appear. Note the name of the moon that you observed.

NAME OF PROJECT: JUPITER: Satellite Eclipse

Project Begun: 10/07/2020 6:55 p.m. CDT

Project Ended: 10/07/2020 6:55 p.m. CDT

Seeing Conditions: 7/10

Transparency 6/20

Telescope Type: Samyang Mirror Lens

Aperture: 72mm

Focal Length: 500mm

Camera: Canon T7i

Exposure: single frames -- 1/2 second @ ISO 400

Location: Home

Satellite Eclipse--Ganymede

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions

A quick grab just after Civil Dusk. I wasn't sure it was going to be dark enough to pick up the moons but it worked out OK.

Using a 10 second timer to reduce camera shake on the tripod limited how often I could make exposures. 

27 JUPITER: Satellite Occultations
(done --22/25)

Occultations of the Galilean satellites occur as they move behind or out from behind the planet Jupiter. This is different than an Eclipse (see previous requirement). Time the disappearance or reappearance of one of these satellites by using a radio tuned to the WWV National Time Standards signal out of Ft. Collins, Colorado. Then compare it to the time printed in the astronomy periodicals. Note the time when the satellite completely disappears or reappears from behind Jupiter. Timing a reappearance is much more difficult since you do not know precisely when or where it will appear. Note the name of the moon that you observed.

NAME OF PROJECT: JUPITER: Satellite Occultations
Project Begun: 08/19/2020 at 8:00 p.m. CDT
Project Ended: 08/19/2020 at 9:00 p.m. CDT
Seeing Conditions: 3/5
Transparency 7/10
Telescope: Type: SkyWatcher 12" Collapsible Dob
Aperture: 12"
Focal Length: 1500mm

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev. Brommelsiek Park orange 38.723N 90.815W 644 ft

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

I deliberately overexposed Jupiter so I could see Callisto. I started recording video at 8:42 p.m. CDT because SkySafari said the end of the occultation was to be at 8:44 p.m. I didn't actually see Callisto until 8:47 p.m. CDT.

Imaging Data:
Camera: ASI120mc
OTA: SkyWatcher 12" Dob
Focal Length: 1500
Frames captured: 6000 (8 minutes of video)
Date: 8/19/2020
Time: 8:42 p.m. CDT
Length of video: 8 minutes
Size of video: 21.6 GB
Shutter speed: .080019 seconds
Gain: 40
Capture Area: 1280x960
Capture Software: SharpCap 3.1
Stacking Software: Not stacked, individual timestamped frames were used.

28 SATURN: The Rings
(done --23/25)

Saturn is the most impressive object in the solar system and surely one of the most beautiful. Saturn is the only ringed planet whose rings are visible in the amateur's telescope. On a clear steady night, nothing rivals the sharp divisions and contrast seen in Saturn's ring system. Because of Saturn's considerable distance, high powers must be used. Under average conditions use a power of about 40X per inch of telescope aperture. However, do not sacrifice a clear image for the sake of a larger one. Make a sketch of what you see. Using a pre-drawn outline for your drawing can save a lot of time and effort at the eyepiece. The "Planetary Data" section of the astronomy magazines is an excellent resource for this. Place an arrow on your drawing to indicate the direction of drift when your scope is not tracking. Include a copy of your sketch in your report.

NAME OF PROJECT: The Rings
Project Begun: 7/20/2018 11:30 p.m. CDT
Project Ended: 7/21/2017 1:30 a.m. CDT
Seeing Conditions: 3/5
Transparency 6/10
Telescope: Type: Celestron C14
Aperture: 14"
Focal Length: 3900mm

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.

Brommelsiek Park orange 38.723N 90.815W 644 ft

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

Imaging Data:

Camera: ASI174mm

OTA: C14 with a 2.5x PowerMate

Focal Length: 9350mm

Frames captured: 4338

Filter: L

Date: 7/21/2018

Time: 12:41 a.m. CDT

Length of video: 5 minutes

Shutter speed: 69 msec

Gain: 200

Capture Software: FireCap

Stacking Software: AutoStakkert 3 

29 SATURN: The Cassini Division
(done --24/25)

Within the three major rings that can be seen through the amateur telescope is the prominent gap known as the Cassini Division. It separates the "B" Ring, the brightest ring, from the "A" Ring and appears as a fine black line circling the planet. It is most easily seen on the two protrusions of the rings on either side of the planet known as ansae.

The axial tilt of Saturn and the inclination of Saturn's orbit compared with the Earth's, combine to cause the plane of Saturn's rings to change their tilt. About every 7.25 years the rings go from edge-on to fully open. Your ability to see the Cassini Division will vary depending on how "open" or "edge-on" the rings are. Seeing and aperture size will also affect your ability.

Describe your view of Cassini's Division. Can you see it? Can you barely see it or does it "jump out at you?" How complete a circle of the rings can you detect?

NAME OF PROJECT: SATURN: The Cassini Division
Project Begun: 7/20/2018 11:30 p.m. CDT
Project Ended: 7/21/2017 1:30 a.m. CDT
Seeing Conditions: 3/5
Transparency 6/10
Telescope: Type: Celestron C14
Aperture: 14"
Focal Length: 3900mm

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.

Brommelsiek Park orange 38.723N 90.815W 644 ft

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

Imaging Data:
Camera: ASI174mm
OTA: C14 with a 2.5x PowerMate
Focal Length: 9350mm
Frames captured: 4338
Filter: L
Date: 7/21/2018
Time: 12:41 a.m. CDT
Length of video: 5 minutes
Shutter speed: 69 msec
Gain: 200
Capture Software: FireCap
Stacking Software: AutoStakkert 3

30 SATURN: Disk Markings
(done --25/25)

At first glance the face of Saturn's disk seems rather boring, a bland creamy-yellow ball. Less than half the apparent diameter of Jupiter with proportionately duller markings, Saturn requires diligent study and a tranquil night of seeing. The greater your observing skill or equipment, the more subtle are the details you will see.

You should be able to tell that one hemisphere is decidedly darker than the other Can you tell which one? Be certain you know if your telescope shows an upright or an inverted image. Belts, zones and spots similar to Jupiter's can sometimes be glimpsed through the planet's top layer of obscuring haze. They are subtle. What do you see? Record your impression

NAME OF PROJECT: SATURN: Disk Markings
Project Begun: 7/20/2018 11:30 p.m. CDT
Project Ended: 7/21/2017 1:30 a.m. CDT
Seeing Conditions: 3/5
Transparency 6/10
Telescope: Type: Celestron C14
Aperture: 14"
Focal Length: 3900mm

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.

Brommelsiek Park orange 38.723N 90.815W 644 ft

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

Imaging Data:
Camera: ASI174mm
OTA: C14 with a 2.5x PowerMate
Focal Length: 9350mm
Frames captured: 4338
Filter: L
Date: 7/21/2018
Time: 12:41 a.m. CDT
Length of video: 5 minutes
Shutter speed: 69 msec
Gain: 200
Capture Software: FireCap
Stacking Software: AutoStakkert 3

31 SATURN: The Satellites

Of all the satellites of Saturn, only six of them can be seen in telescopes with moderate sized apertures. How many can you spot?

Mag Orbital Period (Earth Days) Recommended

Enceladus 11.8 1.37 8-inch
Tethys 10.3 1.9 6-inch
Dione 10.4 2.7 6-inch
Rhea 9.7 4.5 3-inch
Titan 8.4 15.9 2-inch
Iapetus 10.2-11.9 79.3 8-inch

How many satellites you will be able to see will depend a great deal on atmospheric conditions. For example, I have seen all of them in a six-inch. In contrast with Jupiter, where all four moons orbital plane is nearly a straight line from Earth's viewpoint, Saturn's equatorial plane is considerably more tilted. This means that the orbits of the satellites can vary from a nearly straight line configuration to that of nearly a 30° ellipse depending on where Saturn and Earth are located in their orbits. This inclination changes at about a 15 year interval. Finder charts can be found in astronomy periodicals that will help you determine which of the Saturnian satellites you are seeing.

A note on Iapetus. The magnitude variation can be explained by the fact that it has two vastly different hemispheres. One reflects light almost two magnitudes brighter than the other. What satellites did you see?

32 URANUS: Locating
(done --26/25)

In 1781 the first non-classical planet was discovered by amateur astronomer William Herschel. The discovery changed Herschel's life forever and was a blow to astrologers who by their "craft" had no inkling that a seventh planet existed. Actually the planet had been seen and charted years before on no fewer than seventeen different occasions. Uranus is visible to the dark adapted naked eye under good skies. But the astronomers simply added it to their charts just like any other sixth magnitude star. It was Herschel who finally had enough resolving power and the observer's eye who could tell it had, in fact, a tiny disk, and was not a simple star-like point. He first suspected the tiny object to be a distant comet and took a series of measurements of its position. It was somewhat later that he realized its true nature.

It is much easier today for you and I. The 3.8 arc-second greenish disk shines at a magnitude of 5.7 and can be readily found using locator charts published in the astronomical periodicals. Give a verbal description your eyepiece impression.

NAME OF PROJECT: URANUS: LocatingProject
Project Begun: 8/12/2020 10:30 p.m.
Project Ended: 8/13/2020 7:30 a.m.
Seeing Conditions: 3/5
Transparency 7/10
Telescope: Type: 80mm f/6.1 refractor
Aperture: 80mm
Focal Length: 500mm

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.
White Memorial WA green 39.171 N 91.005 W 802 ft

Date: 8/13/2020
Time: 12:38 a.m. CDT (end exposure)
Camera: ASI385mc
Exposures: 20~30seconds at gain 135 (unguided)
Stacking: Live stacking with an ASIAir Pro

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:
The activity say locate Uranus so I'm going to opt for the 50x28 arcminute field of view with my ASI385mc and 80mm f/6.1 refractor. It is the same setup that was used for Neptune above and Pluto below.

Uranus is much larger and more disk like than Neptune below. The patch of light 4 o'clock from it is probably the moon Titamia at magnitude 14.0. Neither Oberon or Ariel at magnitude 14.2 can be seen.

33 NEPTUNE: Locating
(done --27/25)

Although similar in size and appearance as Uranus, Neptune's distance averages over one billion miles further from the Earth. This great distance makes it's apparent diameter about 2-1/2 arc-seconds, a little over half the size of Uranus.

The 7.6th magnitude bluish dot will probably look stellar, for its tiny disk is near the resolving limit of most amateur telescopes. Consult your favorite astronomy periodical to find out where it is currently located. Write a verbal description of your impression.

NAME OF PROJECT: NEPTUNE: Locating
Project Begun: 8/12/2020 10:30 p.m.
Project Ended: 8/13/2020 7:30 a.m.
Seeing Conditions: 3/5
Transparency 7/10
Telescope: Type: 80mm f/6.1 refractor
Aperture: 80mm
Focal Length: 500mm

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.
White Memorial WA green 39.171 N 91.005 W 802 ft

Date: 8/13/2020
Time: 12:14 a.m. CDT (end exposure)
Camera: ASI385mc
Exposures: 20~30seconds at gain 135 (unguided)
Stacking: Live stacking with an ASIAir Pro

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:
The activity say locate Neptune so I'm going to opt for the 50x28 arcminute field of view with my ASI385mc and 80mm f/6.1 refractor. It is the same setup that was used for Uranus above and Pluto below.

Neptune is almost dead center in the image with a faint blue color. The tiny dot to the left of Neptune is the moon Triton at magnitude 13.7.

34 PLUTO: Locating
(done --28/25)

When the IAU made their decision to include a new class of objects in the Solar System called Dwarf Planets, Pluto was demoted from Planet to Dwarf Planet. Besides Ceres, it is the only Dwarf Planet that may be visible in a backyard telescope, but at magnitude 13.8 it may require a large telescope. The third Dwarf Planet, as of mid-2008 is Eris. It is located far beyond Pluto and far beyond the capabilities of backyard telescopes. Locate and observe Pluto, and sketch the starfield from your observation. Note the time and date of your observation

NAME OF PROJECT: PLUTO: Locating
Project Begun: July 28, 2020 @ 9:00 p.m. CDT
Project Ended: July 28, 2020 @ 11:30 p.m. CDT
Seeing Conditions: 4/5
Transparency 5/10
Telescope: Type: Apogee 80mm f/6.1 refractor
Aperture: 80mm
Focal Length: 500mm

Observing Location: Bortle Latitude Longitude Elev.

Brommelsiek Park orange 38.723N 90.815W 644 ft

Date: 7/28/2020
Time: 10:55 p.m. CDT (end exposure)
Camera: ASI385mc
Exposures: 30~30seconds at gain 199 (unguided)
Stacking: Live stacking with an ASIAir Pro

Observational Notes, Comments and Impressions:

I'd always thought that Pluto was beyond my reach, both visually and via imaging. I'm surprised how well it stood out in the image with only a 30 second exposure.