Open: Friday, 2 March 2018, 1823 MST Temperature: 79°F

Session: 1209 Conditions: Clear

Equipment Used:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece

Camera:
iPhone 8 Plus
D850 DSLR

1823 MST: Sunset.

1827 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

1830 MST: viewed Venus, 102X.

Set up D850 DSLR + 150-600mm lens on house front patio to photograph the conjunction of Venus and Mercury low in the western sky.

I viewed the conjunction using 12x50 binoculars. Pretty sight.

1900 MST: took this handheld iPhone 8 Plus photo (slightly cropped) of the western sky, 2X telephoto, NightCap Camera (ISO 250, 1/8sec):

Mouseover or tap on image for labels

1905 MST: Venus, Mercury, and Picacho Peak (31 miles away) taken with the D850 DSLR (f/8, 1/2sec, ISO 200, FL 150mm):

Mouseover or tap on image for labels

Venus and Mercury will be even closer (1.1°) Saturday evening, 3 March.

1914 MST: returned to the observatory. Viewed M42 (Great Nebula in Orion), 102X.

1916 MST: eastern sky was beginning to brighten from the soon to rise 1 day past Full Moon.

SYNCed the AutoStar on the star Regulus. Viewed M95 (galaxy), 102X, low in the east.

Then began waiting for the Moon to rise over the hill.

2008 MST: D850 DSLR photos of the rising Moon (cropped), f/6.3, 1/250sec, ISO 100, FL 600mm):

2017 MST: Moon with D850 (cropped), f/16, 1/100sec, ISO 100, FL 600mm:

I continue to be impressed by my new Nikon D850 DSLR.

2023 MST: last look at the Moon, 102X.

2024 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Friday, 2 March 2018, 2030 MST Temperature: 54°F

Session Length: 2h 07m Conditions: Clear

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