Hodgson Observatory

Because of extensive travels from “Harvard Yard in Massachusetts to Harvard Glacier in Alaska” by the Hodgsons in May and June, the preoccupation of SEAC members in the construction of the Astro-Lodge meeting place on Hodgson Observatory grounds (see pictures posted elsewhere on this website), and frequent adverse weather, observations were relatively few this summer.

MAIN OBSERVATORY observations with the 645mm reflector and 120mm refractor included Saturn before and after sunset and deep-sky objects M104 (Sombrero Galaxy), NGC 4361, a planetary nebula in Corvus, and NGC 4038/39 (the Ringtail Galaxies) in Corvus on May 4.

[On May 5 (CDT) the striking observation of the umbral ring shadow on Saturn was made. This is separately described above.]

On May 7 Saturn was re-observed, along with M65, M66, and NGC 3628, all galaxies in Leo; NGC 4147 in Virgo, an often neglected globular cluster, was partly resolved at 201x; M53, a bright globular cluster in Coma was moderately resolved; M64 (the Black-Eye Galaxy) in Coma was also observed.

On August 20 and 23 Jupiter and its Galilean satellites were observed at length. On August 30, during the South Dakota Star Party, both Jupiter and Neptune were observed, but rising winds cut observations short. (All dates are CDT time.)

The WIDE SKY OBSERVATORY with its 203mm reflector and 80mm refractor were used for brief observations during the summer. The reflector with its full aperture solar filter was used to examine the Sun’s disk many times. No sunspots were seen throughout the summer, raising the prospect of a possible long minimum in coming years.

Probably the most exciting observation at Hodgson Observatory in the summer of 2008 was the unexpected sight of the jet black ring shadow of Saturn’s C Ring falling on the globe of the planet! Dick Hodgson, a long-time Saturn observer, saw it for the first time in his life when observing alone on May 5 (CDT).

The shadow made an extremely dark, narrow line across the planet’s atmosphere. Due to the narrowing of Saturn’s rings the ring shadow was not then “penumbral” letting some light through, but had intensified to umbral, so that region as seen from Saturn’s upper atmosphere would be equivalent to our total solar eclipse. What a striking black line it was!

Sky & Telescopes’s Alan MacRobert, commenting on the observation said, “This is indeed just about the best time this year for seeing the shadow of Saturn’s rings as a thin black lkne on the globe…. In most scopes, when the shadow is here it just gets blended with the dusky shading of the C ring. Your 25-inch is clearly a superior scope to be able to resolve so sharply…!” The observation was also confirmed a few nights later by SEAC member Rein Vander Hill of Orange City, Iowa, with his 20-inch Obsession telescope.