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Subject: Observing Notes – 2007 Jan. 20 (UT)An “Early Owl” Observing Session was held for those who could make it at Hodgson Observatory because declining weather was threatening for the normal New Moon Saturday Night SEAC observing night. John Johnson, Brook Moyer, Faythe Weber, Nancy and Dick Hodgson attended. The sky was completely clear as it had been all day, the winds calm. Because of a 3 to 6-inch snow cover it was a cold night. Initial temperature was about + 20 F. Observations began about 6:45 p.m. CST (00h 45m UT) with alignments of the instruments. Initial conditions were extremely steady (seeing 8 or 9 out of 100), and transparency was also excellent right down to the horizon. As the temperature dropped toward its +5 or +4 degrees when observations ended (about 9:40 p.m. CST, 03h 40m UT) near the end, seeing and transparency quality dropped rapidly, and heavy frost descended on all exposed surfaces. Through the course of the evening John Johnson’s 510mm (20-inch) Obsession observed a wides range of objects. He searched in vain for the Horsehead Nebula in Orion — none of us have seen it yet! He showed us excellent views of Messier 42 (M42), the Great Nebula in Orion, the Clown Nebula, and later in the evening when conditions were declining, the Great Galaxy in Andromeda (M31) and its companion satellite galaxies, M32 and M110. The Pinwheel Galaxy in Triangulum (M33) was not as distinct as it might be because of sky conditions, but its remarkable globular cluster NGC 604, visible as a distinct hazy patch of light in spite of a distance of 2.7 million light years, showed the capabilities of his instrument.Brook Moyer also showed us a number of objects through the evening. Most impressive to this writer’s eye, was a very fine view of the Pleiades (M45). He got the whole open star cluster in his view, and the detail was excellent!
The 625mm (25-inch) Obsession telescope of Hodgson Observatory also had a memorable night. After a brief view of the multiple star Castor in Gemini (which was split at 84x at best moments of seeing), this instrument turned to an extremely remote globular cluster belonging to our own Milky Way Galaxy, NGC 2419 in Lynx. At 84x it was just a fuzzy spot, but at 201x at best moments of seeing a few of the brightest stars in this globular cluster were glimpsed repeatedly. These were the best observations of NGC 2419 by us yet.
Following this the 625mm Obsession looked at the Trapezium in the Great Nebula in Orion (M42). Sky conditions were good, but at 201x the image of that small star cluster was not as crisp as it might be — an early evidence of the decline that would happen later. After a lower power look at the whole of M42 at 84x, the telescope turned to the well-known variable star R Leporis, one of the reddest stars visible in the night sky. Years ago Dick Hodgson had recorded the variations of R Leporis and reported them to the AAVSO (American Association of Variable Star Observers). Since R Leporis, with a period of ~ 420 days, had just reached its minimum in 2006 December (according to a report received), it would be about at its reddest (coolest), and make a spectacular object, especially in a large aperture. It was. It truly was. It is known as “Hind’s Crimson Star” and it truly was crimson. Each of us present examined it, and agreed it was truly red, the reddest star we had ever seen! No one looking at the field of view needed prompting to find it!
Other objects of interest viewed with the big Obsession included excellent views of Praesepe, a famous open star cluster also called “The Beehive,” and M67, a very old open star cluster. For the latter cluster it was the best view ever in my experience!
After 9:15 p.m. (03h 15m UT) we began to observe Saturn, rising in the eastern sky, but sky conditions were rapidly declining. Saturn’s image and rings, even at a low power of 84x, were a glare, and appeared to wobble!! Frost was rapidly accumulating, and our feet were getting cold. We all closed down. But overall it had been a great night for all of us!
Dick Hodgson
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