Open: Saturday, 19 October 2019, 1836 MST Temperature: 87°F

Session: 1398 Conditions: Clear

Equipment Used:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
2" 30mm eyepiece
1.25" 15mm eyepiece
SkyTracker Pro

Camera:
iPhone 11 Pro Max

I set up the iOptron SkyTracker Pro with the iPhone 11 Pro Max + 8X clip-on telephoto lens on the observatory patio. The iPhone was attached to the ballhead using the Levenhuk adapter.

1752 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

1755 MST: viewed Venus, 102X. It's disk was nearly full.

1803 MST: viewed Mercury, 102X. It's disk was about 50% illuminated.

I then relaxed on the observatory patio bench while waiting for the sky to get darker.

1830 MST: I polar aligned the SkyTracker Pro.

1834 MST: viewed Jupiter and 4 moons, 102X. Then Saturn and 4 of its moons, 102X.

I then viewed some Messier Catalog objects, 102X: M15 (globular cluster), M29 (open cluster), M55 (globular cluster), M72 (globular cluster), M73 (open cluster), and M75 (globular cluster).

1854 MST: Dome OFF (onto the PZT).

1858 MST: re-attached the iPhone 11 Pro Max on the SkyTracker Pro.

1905 MST: began imaging M31 (Andromeda Galaxy) using the iOS app NightCap Camera.

1X Camera lens (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 12500, 1sec, 1 minute)

Mouseover or tap on image for labels

2X Camera lens (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 8064, 1sec, 5 minutes)

Mouseover or tap on image for label

1X Camera lens + 8X telephoto lens (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 12500, 1sec, 1 minute)

1931 MST: ended SkyTracker Pro imaging and returned to the 12" telescope.

1934 MST: High Precision ON.

Viewed M27 (Dumbbell Nebula), 102X and 81X. Locked the primary mirror. Mounted the iPhone on the 2" 30mm eyepiece using the Levenhuk adapter for these StarLock autoguided, afocal 81X images using NightCap Camera (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 12500, 1sec, 1 minute). 1943 MST: StarLock ON.

M27 (Dumbbell Nebula)


M29 (open cluster)


M73 (open cluster)

Switched to a 1.25" 15mm eyepiece for these afocal 163X images with NightCap Camera (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 6400/12500, 1sec, 1 minute).

M15 (globular cluster)


M71 (globular cluster)


M72 (globular cluster)


M75 (globular cluster)

2052 MST: StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF. Ended afocal imaging.

Viewed M75 (globular cluster), 102X.

2056 MST: Dome ON.

Mounted the iPhone on the SkyTracker Pro. Took this photo of M45 (the Pleiades), 1X lens + 8X telephoto lens, NightCap Camera (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 12500, 1sec, 1 minute.

Took this photo of the Pleiades (above center) and the sideways triangle of Taurus (bottom) using the 2X camera lens, NightCap Camera (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 8064, 1sec, 1 minute).

2121 MST: ended imaging.

2124 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Saturday, 19 October 2019, 2141 MST Temperature: 59°F

Session Length: 3h 05m Conditions: Clear

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I have begun re-imaging the Messier Catalog using my new iPhone 11 Pro Max.

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