Open: Saturday, 8 November 2025, 1730 MST Temperature: 87°F

Session: 2108 Conditions: Clear

Equipment:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
2" 30mm eyepiece

Camera:
iPhone 15 Pro Max

SYNCed observatory clock to WWV time signals.

1739 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

1741 MST: Wi-Fi ON.

Used SkySafari 7 Pro on the iPhone to GOTO Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon). The comet was not yet visible in the bright twilight sky.

1744 MST: Relaxed on the observatory patio bench.

1800 MST: Back inside the observatory. Comet Lemmon was visible, 102X and 81X.

1802 MST: Wi-Fi OFF.

Attached the LiDAR Cover on the iPhone 15 Pro and mounted the iPhone on the 2" 30mm eyepiece using the Accuview 3-Axis Smartphone Adapter.

Began imaging Comet Lemmon using the iPhone.

1816 MST: Viewed Comet Lemmon, 12x50 binoculars. The tail appeared to be ~1/2° long.

1822 MST: StarLock ON.

1826 MST: Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), afocal 81X, StarLock autoguided. Image taken with the Camera app (Night Mode, 30 seconds, 1X lens).

Removed the iPhone from the eyepiece and viewed M33 (Triangulum Galaxy), 81X. Then remounted the iPhone on the 30mm eyepiece.

M33 (Triangulum Galaxy), afocal 81X, StarLock autoguided. Image taken with the Camera app (Night Mode, 30 seconds, 1X lens).

1845 MST: StarLock OFF.

Viewed NGC253 (Sculptor Galaxy), 81X, low in the southeastern sky.

1850 MST: Relaxed on the observatory patio bench while waiting for the Sculptor Galaxy to rise higher. It was very pleasant to view the night sky with my post cataract surgery eyes.

1901 MST: M31 (Andromeda Galaxy) was easily seen with the naked eye, but M33 (Triangulum Galaxy) was not quite visible. Took this handheld iPhone 15 Pro Max photo showing both galaxies (Night Mode, 10 seconds, 2X lens).

Mouseover or tap on image for labels

1920 MST: Back in the observatory.

Viewed NGC253 (Sculptor Galaxy), 81X. Mounted the iPhone on the 30mm eyepiece.

1927 MST: StarLock ON.

NGC253 (Sculptor Galaxy), afocal 81X, StarLock autoguided. Image taken with the Camera app (Night Mode, 30 seconds, 1X lens).

1935 MST: StarLock OFF.

Viewed NGC253 (Sculptor Galaxy), 81X and 102X. Nice views. Then viewed Saturn, 102X.

1942 MST: LX600 OFF.

Close: Saturday, 8 November 2025, 1954 MST Temperature: 64°F

Session Length: 2h 24m Conditions: Clear

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