Open: Saturday, 25 April 2026, 1531 MST Temperature: 87°F

Session: 2130 Conditions: Mostly cloudy, windy

Equipment:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
10x30 monocular
12x50 binoculars
Focal reducer

Camera:
D850 DSLR
iPhone 15 Pro Max

1538 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed Venus, 102X. Since the Moon was currently obscured by clouds I hoped to use Venus to focus the D850 DSLR camera.

Prepared the D850 DSLR for imaging. Mounted the camera at prime focus + focal reducer. However, I could not view Venus well enough to use it for focusing. Slewed to the Moon and hoped the clouds would clear enough to focus before the Occultation of Regulus began at 1637 MST. I was able to get a reasonable focus using the Moon, but clouds, atmospheric turbulence from the wind, and low contrast made it difficult. Regulus was not visible in the camera.

I used a Swift 10x30 monocular to view the Moon. Regulus was not visible in the bright sky. I bought the monocular in 1963 using money I saved from my allowance.

1620 MST: Viewed the Moon, 12x50 binoculars. Still no Regulus visible.

1630 MST: Just before thin clouds began obscuring the Moon I took this D850 DSLR image, prime focus + focal reducer, 1/250sec, ISO 100, cropped. Regulus is marked with an arrow.

1632 MST: iPhone 15 Pro Max photo of the sky, the Moon, and clouds. Taken with the Camera app (0.5X lens).

I began video recording the disappearance of Regulus two minutes before it was scheduled to go behind the Moon's non-illuminated limb (at 1637 MST). Click the image below to view the video (1080p, 60fps, 1/250sec, ISO 100, 24 seconds). Regulus is marked in the image to assist in seeing it in the video, which was hampered by clouds. Background music was playing on my iPod Touch in my SkyShed POD observatory.

Click or tap on image for video

The thickest clouds were at the time of the disappearance. The area around the Moon cleared immediately after the occultation began!

1649-1730 MST: Relaxed on the observatory patio bench.

Caught this airliner passing near the Moon. Taken with the iPhone Camera app (5X lens, cropped).

The sky was clear for the reappearance of Regulus from behind the Moon, as seen in this iPhone photo (0.5X lens).

1749 MST: Click the image below to view the reappearance video (1080p, 60fps, 1/250sec, ISO 100, 32 seconds). Regulus is marked in the image to assist in seeing it in the video.

Click or tap on image for video

1754 MST: Still image of the Moon and Regulus, D850 DSLR, prime focus + focal reducer, 1/250sec, ISO 100, cropped.

After removing the camera, I viewed the Moon and Regulus, 102X.

1802 MST: Handheld iPhone afocal 102X image of the Moon and Regulus.

1808 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Saturday, 25 April 2026, 1817 MST Temperature: 72°F

Session Length: 2h 46m Conditions: Partly cloudy, windy

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