Open: Sunday, 10 May 2026, 1811 MST Temperature: 87°F

Session: 2134 Conditions: Clear

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

Camera:
iPhone 15 Pro Max

1820 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed Jupiter, 102X and 163X. Viewed Venus, 163X.

Tweaked the alignment of the two finderscopes.

Updated the TLE for the pass of the International Space Station (ISS).

Selfie

1831 MST: Relaxed on the observatory patio bench.

1916 MST: Sunset.

Back in the observatory I prepared to image the ISS through the telescope. I used the planet Venus which was of similar expected brightness of the ISS to adjust the iPhone 15 Pro Max exposure settings the Final Cut Camera app. Attached the LiDAR Cover and mounted the phone on the 15mm eyepiece.

Just prior to the ISS pass beginning the star diagonal on the visual back rotated. (Lately I've had this problem occasionally. I will try to fix that.) Unfortunately there was not enough to refocus if needed. And then as tracking began I locked onto what I thought was the ISS when it appeared in the finderscope. I discovered that tracking was terrible. I then realized I had locked onto the bright star Sirius! So this ISS pass was a bust!!!

I then viewed Jupiter and the four Galilean Moons, 163X.

1944 MST: Back to the bench to watch the stars come out.

2026 MST: In the observatory.

2029 MST: High Precision ON.

Viewed NGC5248 (galaxy), 102X and 163X. Although it was faint I attempted to image the galaxy using the iPhone afocal 163X. However, I didn't like the resulting image. I will image it on the next session at less magnification.

Slewed to M104 (Sombrero Galaxy). It was brighter at 163X.

Took this iPhone 15 Pro Max, StarLock autoguided, afocal 163X image of M104 (Sombrero Galaxy) using the Camera app (Night Mode, 30 seconds, 1X lens).

2056 MST: StarLock OFF.

Viewed the Sombrero Galaxy, 163X and 102X.

Switched to the 2" OPT star diagonal, which I have not used in several years. I always kept it as a backup to my Meade 2" star diagonal.

Viewed the Sombrero Galaxy, 102X. Good view, so the OPT diagonal is still OK.

2105 MST: LX600 OFF.

2116 MST: Took a Sky Quality reading and reported the result to Globe at Night.

Close: Sunday, 10 May 2026, 2120 MST Temperature: 76°F

Session Length: 3h 09m Conditions: Clear, SQM 21.04

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