Clear, Dry Skies--Where Are They?

     I live in a humid temperate zone amidst the Great Lakes of Canada and USA (in Canada).  Clear nights with really fabulous seeing are rare, as my last two monthly sessions have proven.  I should restate that:  they are rare around new moon.  They seem quite abundant in and around full moon.  Not only do we suffer around here from hazy skies often loaded with humidity, but in spring, summer and fall that humidity brings out the pesky mosquitoes.  They carry West Nile Disease, too, so there is no such thing as an innocent bite.  In a person's wildest dreams, are there places to travel with one's telescope to have not only the best skies one could imagine, but also be free of pesky insects?  For this dreamer, there are three.

     Having come from northern Ontario, I fully realize that dark skies there are as dark as they come.  The only problem is that they don't come with any regularity or predictability.  Planning a week-long visit there (Manitoulin Island comes to mind) might yield one or two good nights, or seven, or none.  If I am going to drive far and plan a week-long astronomy orgy, I am also looking for certain guarantees that eastern North American cannot possibly provide.  You pick your dates and you take your chances.

     That brings me to consider western North America.  Not the far west of California, but the nearer west of Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico and parts of Texas.  During certain seasons (spring, fall, and winter) weather is reasonably predictable, enough to make planning a trip worth considering.  I am considering it for this autumn and next spring, and perhaps for ever more afterwards.  Things like seasonal hurricanes, which can seriously affect Texas and certainly cause clouds in New Mexico must be taken into account, but these events usually appear a week or so ahead.  Postponing a trip with advance warning is not that difficult to do.

     I have experienced dark skies in two of the three locations I am about to divulge.  The third location (Texas) is unknown to me, but comes with good recommendations.  New Mexico has the best skies I have ever encountered.  It is no coincidence that so many major telescopes are located there.  It is also the home of White Sands Missile Base (and White Sands National Monument).  Western Oklahoma, near the border with New Mexico, also boasts some of the best skies I have ever seen.  The famous annual Tex Okie Star Party is held here http://www.okie-tex.com/.

     Observers are welcome at Black Mesa State Park, OK (tell the ranger when you arrive).  Sky views from the campground, especially the tent sites up above the valley, are nothing short of stupendous.  Neighbouring campfires might be a nuisance, but there are so many places in the park one can set up, it should not pose a huge problem.  Ideally, I would camp here in early October from a Sunday night through Thursday.  Or, if you prefer star parties, head over to the nearby Okie Tex, also held during the new moon in Oct.
http://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.631  

     The New Mexico site is a much further drive for me, but at the end of the road a comfortable, astronomy-friendly B & B awaits.  Observe all night, and sleep in comfort all day.  The altitude is only around 5,000', so it should not cause flatlanders any undue distress.  The best skies I have seen are around 8,000' near here, but it gets chilly at night, especially in the fall or early spring.  April, May, October and November are tempting me right now.  Clear, very dry nights are almost a certainty.  Mosquitoes are rare to non-existent.  http://www.casitasdegila.com/astronomy.html

     My third site is also a B & B, this time in Texas.  A bit more affordable, too.  I have not seen the skies from here, but they sound spectacular and worth a try.  My goal is next April (galaxies, here I come!).  http://starrynight.homestead.com/

     If none of these sites excite you, or perhaps prove too far to get to, then perhaps this final website for today can help you find the best place near you.  Good luck, and may your skies be clear, dark and dry (and often).

http://www.observingsites.com/index.html

Mapman Mike

Monthly Summary 2 (mid-April/mid May 2013)

     The clear sky gods were not around much this past month, though now that the moon is waxing they seem more abundant.  I have had a disappointing spring session, though I've tried to make the most of the few decent nights we did experience.  Most disappointing has been my initial season observing all of the NGC objects in Leo, along with a healthy selection of double stars and such.  And once Leo was too far west, I had hoped to get a good start on Bootes.  Oh well, at least the planning is done and next year I should be able to start right back in again with Leo.  There is still a chance that I can score a few more galaxy hits there near the end of this month.

     Here are the details.  All 16 new NGC objects logged this past month were galaxies.  15 of them were in Leo, and 1 was in Bootes.  A few were large and spectacular, some were reasonably bright and interesting, and several were so faint they could barely be seen with averted vision.  As it was last month, the highlight was the Leo Triplet, consisting of M 65, M 66, and eg 3628.  Last month I was able to sketch and log M 65, so this month M 66 and eg 3628 seem new, even though they have been observed many times before.  Until the sketch and notes of an object are entered into my observing logbook, I do not consider it as seen.  Two other galaxies within easy star hop of the triplet also provided highlights for the month.  Eg 3593 is large and bright, and lies within a notable star pattern, making it easy to find again once it has been located for the first time.  Eg 3596 is a bit north and considerably fainter, though also large.  The galaxy has become a marker for me for good seeing.  If this round object can be easily seen, then the hunt for much fainter galaxies is on.

     Another trio of galaxies provided me with a few nights of thrills.  This group marks my third triplet in Leo, even though I have barely begun my explorations there.  Egs 3607 and 3608 are a stunning and close pair, very bright and quite large in a 12".  Visually they are mag. 9.9 and 10.7, respectively.  3607 is considerably brighter, and has a bright inner core.  Its nearly circular shape is offset by a slightly oval 3608, an object that is also considerably smaller.  The third member is the smallest and faintest, but is fair game for an 8" mirror or higher.  Eg 3605 is just south preceding 3607, perhaps a bit more oval than 3608, though similar in shape.  An interesting group of faint stars is just south following eg 3607, including a close, faint double star.

eg 3605 is the smallest of these three galaxies in Leo.

eg 3607 is largest and brightest.  eg 3608 also fits

into my view at 150x.  South is at the top.

Image from http://www.astrosurf.com/benoit/ngc.html

     Most of the rest are very faint galaxies, showing little detail except perhaps shape.  These include the following:  egs 2913, 2919, 2923, 2928, 2933, 3805, 3592, and 3598.

     Only one galaxy was logged in Bootes.  Eg 5490 is visually mag. 12, with a much dimmer surface brightness due to its modest size (13.7 mag.).  I was pleased with finding this one from my back deck under a 6-day old moon.  I even saw an extremely faint 2nd galaxy directly north of it, though I cannot find a name for this object.  I had been searching for 5490C, but this was not it.  Nor was it "B".  Perhaps I shall call it 5490D.  Alas, what is life without little mysteries?

     Also this month I managed a few close looks at different parts of the lunar surface, as well as a few superb views of Saturn, mostly around midnight when the air had settled down.  I also viewed a whole slew of large, bright galaxies, double stars and the wonderful globular M3 as part of my scope's computer tours (see previous blog entry for details).

     In other news, the Astroscan 4" has been sent off to Edmund Scientific in NY.  Either they will be able to clean the mirror or they will replace it.  Deb and I look forward eagerly to its return, hopefully for the next dark moon phase.

Mapman Mike

Fun with "Push To" Features

     I admit to being a confirmed star hop observer, preferring to start my night's session at a bright star or object, and travelling ever onward from there.  However, my newest telescope came with a very seductive little feature, and I do find it useful from time to time.  "Go To" telescopes are the rage now, with remote control location of objects.  Enter M 66 into the keypad and within a few moments you will be looking at a very fine galaxy, having expended little or no effort to get there.  "Push To" scopes work in a similar fashion, except you have to physically move the scope yourself, using arrows and numbers on the key pad to zoom in on the desired object.

     If I want to visit M 66 using the Push To, here is what I must do.  First, I must align my scope with two bright stars, after turning on the keypad and pointing my scope to vertical position.  Lately I have been using Regulus as my first star and Polaris as my second.  I recently switched to Arcturus as my first star.  This is done only once per night.  Then I select "M" object on the keypad, punch in 66, then "Enter", and I am off.  The key pad tells me how far to move the scope in r.a., and then in declination.  Within seconds, I have located M 66.  It is much faster than a Go To, since I can move the scope at any desired speed I wish, and the key pad runs smoothly on a single 9-volt battery.  So I sometimes use this handy feature to get to my starting object.  But what else can it be used for?

     No doubt from a really dark sky, it can be used to locate objects much fainter than M 66.  The entire NGC and IC catalogue are programmed into the computer, as well as nearly 7000 stars.  From suburban skies, however, this is not a big advantage over star hopping.  However, there is a feature I like, called "Sky Tour."  Each month has a set program of 12 showpiece objects.  Last night I entered "May" into the tour feature, and was treated to an amazing group of galaxies (mostly, as it is the season), a globular, a planetary nebula, and a double star.  In case you are interested, here is the list of objects in the Orion May Sky Tour. 

1)   M68--eg 4590 (too low from my site--blocked by trees)

2)  M104--Sombrero Galaxy

3)  M60--eg 4649 (twin galaxies!)

4)  M84--eg4374

5)  M99--eg 4254

6)  M64--Black Eye Galaxy

7)  M51--Whirlpool Galaxy

8)  M101--eg 5457

9)  M3--gc 5272--too amazing!!

10) M97--Owl Nebula.  Superb in the 12"!

11) eg 4565--one of the very finest galaxies, edge on!

12) Cor Coroli:  double star:  2.9-5.4/20".  I see white and yellow.  A stunning pair.

     Not only is the monthly object list great for star parties or drop-in visitors (who may not fully appreciate the beauty of a 14th mag. galaxy), but I like to use it later in the night when I am tiring of searching out extremely faint objects.  It makes a wonderful finale to a night of observing, or before going on to view Jupiter or Saturn, which usually puts a stop to one's night vision.  I try to observe the list more than once during the month, too.  Nothing like a second (or third) look.  So far, these objects have not become part of my formal observing program, and I do not report on them.  Perhaps once I have completed the entire cycle of 12 months, I will begin to log their appearance in the 12".  Many of them have been reported on with the 8" from previous years. 

     Last night, the objects were bright enough (except for M101 and M97) to see even as the 6-day old moon was shining, so I actually began my night with this program as I awaited moon set.  I also had time to try out another feature of the Push To.  I was able to easily find the list on the computer of the best double stars in Bootes, which was beautifully placed later on.  I pushed my way through 13 remarkable double stars.  My collimation was not perfect, but I managed to split 12 of them!  There are many totally amazing double stars in Bootes!  It may not have any Messier objects or brighter NGC objects, but it sure has a glorious selection of doubles.  The Push To list follows.

1)  1:  Mag. 6-9/4".6 separation.  White and blue, seen at 100x, 200x.

2)  39:  6-6.5/2".9.  Split at 100x, 150x.  Both white.

3)  44:  5.5-6/1".5.  Viewed at 200x.  Both ivory.

4)  Epsilon (Izar):  2.5-5/2".9.  Viewed at 60x through 200x.  Yellow and pale lilac.  One of the most   beautiful doubles!

5)  Iota:  5-7.5/39".  60x.  Ivory and lilac.

6)  Kappa:  4.6-6.5/13".  60x, 120x.  Pale yellow and lilac.

7)  Mu:  4.5-6.5/108".  Wide pair is yellow and lilac at 60x.

     Mu-b: 7-7.5/2".  Close pair minute at 100x, whites at 200x.

8)  Pi:  5-6/6".  60x, 100x.  White and yellow.

9)  Xi:  5-7/7".  60x, 100x, 120x.  Yellow and orangey-red.

10)  Zeta:  4.5-5/0".9 (also a 10.5 comes at 99").  Not split!  Wide pair is white and purple.

11)  Struve 1785:  7-7.5/2".8.  100x, 200x.  Both golden.

12)  Struve 1834:  7-7/1".1  200x.  Orange pair.

13)  Struve 1835:  5.5-7/6".2.  60x, 100x.  White and pale lilac.

     Now, finding and splitting all of these wonderful pairs in 15 minutes or so is possible using the Push To.  Of course I take my time, though, never rushing from object to object, but it is nice sometimes to just be able to see a series of beautiful deep sky objects in wide and various parts of the sky in a short amount of time, and without having to use the finder scope, red flashlight and the atlas (I do enough of that, believe me).  By observing the Bootes doubles last night, I also obtained a good sense of the size of Bootes, and exactly how far it extends.  By contrast, in a usual night of observing for me I would be confined to one small part of the constellation.  So the Push To feature gets me out and about, so to speak.

     In conclusion, when I first used the scope last October I thought the Push To would be a feature I would use rarely and only for special searches of objects not near any bright starting point.  I do use it for that, but I now really like the monthly features, and also have easy access to all of the finest doubles and variables in each constellation, and some of the finest deep sky objects in any given month.

Mapman Mike

Beginnings (dedicated to William T. Olcott)

     My love for astronomy began over two cold nights in early November, 1968.  It was a hunting weekend and I was at the cottage with my dad.  With interest growing at the time about the lunar surface (the first manned lunar landing was to be in July, 1969), I went up on a nearby mountain with my 6x30 binoculars, lay down on the cold ground and gazed at the moon.  It was full, but I was intrigued by what I saw.  I went up again the next night, and made some notes about the craters, ray structures, and dark areas that I saw.

     The next Monday morning I went to my high school library.  It had one astronomy book, and I checked it out for a week.  "Field Book of the Skies," by William T. Olcott, had maps of the moon at different phases, as well as maps of constellations and what could be seen in them.  It was also a complete prep course on astronomy.  I read it cover to cover about seven times, checking it out week after week.  Over the long, cold Sudbury, Ontario winter I developed a strong thirst to see for myself what the skies had to offer.

     When March finally arrived, my favorite uncle provided me with my first telescope.  He had received it as a gift when he was a child.  It was a 3" reflector, a plastic model of the Hale 100" Telescope.  The mirror was crap, the eyepiece was plastic, and it was colored a garish red and blue.  But to a 15 year old kid, that first view of the lunar surface at 30x sent me into ecstasy!  I saw mountains, craters, mare, and other things I could not describe.  I saw Jupiter and 4 moons.  I was suddenly in with the in crowd!  I was an astronomy geek!

My first telescope, a small 3" reflector modeled on the 100"

Hale Telescope.

The toy scope was once featured in a Gumby cartoon!

     It did not take long to figure out that I needed to upgrade if I wanted to do some serious observing.  I soon had a Tasco 4.5" reflector on back order.  It would take an agonizing month to get to me, so I went to K-Mart and bought a 40mm refractor for the interim.  It was quite serviceable with its table-top tripod, especially at 15x.  I had my first clear view of the Orion Nebula, and even M 41, the amazing open cluster in Canis Major.

     When the Tasco reflector arrived, I felt like I had my own private observatory for the first time.  Despite crappy eyepieces, that telescope showed me (for years!) the possibilities.  Summers at the cottage, under the darkest northern Ontario skies one could imagine, brought me unforgettable visual image after image.  To this day the best view I've had of M 101 was with that telescope, spiral arms and all, in a sky so dark that binoculars would have likely shown the galaxy.  The Mars opposition of 1971 was also very memorable, at least until the planet-wide dust storm obliterated all detail!

     Throughout all this I was struggling with the little constellation diagrams in Olcott, somehow managing to use them to learn to see and to love the night sky.  What an improvement to my observing life when the same uncle (Jimmy Whitehead) that gave me his toy telescope also bought me Norton's Star Altas and the Menzel book "Stars and Planets."

     But it was Olcott's book that really captured my imagination and got my interest in observing to a fever pitch.  As we packed up our gear last night after an incredible and highly successful session, we saw Antares rising in the southeast, heralding the arrival of summer.  I will now conclude this entry with a wonderful quote from his book:

     "Recreation, in the widest sense of the word, includes intellectual pleasure, enjoyment of sheer beauty, mental relaxation, and the fun of sight-seeing.  If the sight of the first robin or the first crocus in spring brings you delight, you can experience the same exultation by being able to recognize the seasonal return of various celestial objects of beauty, such as Spica, as they return to our night skies."

William T. Olcott (1873-1936)

May your skies be dark and clear until next time.

Mapman Mike