Cloudy skies continued. Friday night, 14 February 2025, had a trace of rain. The sky cleared on Saturday, 15 February. I removed the Dome Cover that had been on since 10 February based on the forecast of a lot more rain.

Open: Saturday, 15 February 2025, 1806 MST Temperature: 69°F

Session: 2071 Conditions: Mostly clear

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

Camera:
iPhone 15 Pro Max
D850 DSLR

1809 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed the following planets at 102X: Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and the four Galilean Moons, and Mars.

1830 MST: High Precision ON.

Slewed to NGC206, a star cloud in the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). This is a massive star forming region in the Andromeda Galaxy. The galaxy was not yet visible in the bright twilight sky.

Prepared the D850 DSLR for imaging.

1907 MST: Took this handheld iPhone 15 Pro Max photograph of the LX600 telescope inside Cassiopeia Observatory. The constellation of Cassiopeia is just to the right of the telescope.

I then mounted the D850 DSLR at prime focus of the 12" telescope, focused on the star Mirach, locked the 12" primary mirror, and slewed to NGC206.

1923 MST: StarLock ON.

This is a StarLock autoguided, 5 minutes, ISO 3200, exposure of NGC206 (center). Several dust lanes in the Andromeda Galaxy are visible. The nucleus of the Andromeda Galaxy is out of the field-of-view towards the upper left.

I then mounted the D850 camera at prime focus + focal reducer. Slewed to the star Betelgeuse, focused, locked the mirror, and slewed to the Great Nebula in Orion (M42).

This is a single StarLock autoguided, 1 minute, ISO 800, exposure of the Orion Nebula.

This is a stack of 10 StarLock autoguided, 30 seconds, ISO 800, exposures.

2011 MST: StarLock OFF.

Viewed the Orion Nebula (M42), 102X.

Clouds were increasing.

2019 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Saturday, 15 February 2025, 2027 MST Temperature: 48°F

Session Length: 2h 21m Conditions: Partly cloudy

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I have posted my review of the NEEWER Lens Removal Tool Kit. If you need to tighten the retainer ring on eyepieces, filters, and camera lenses, check it out.

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