General Session - March 25/26, 2019

Constellations: Canis Major, Gemini, Lepus, Eridanus
Satellite: ISS
Planet:  Mars
Clusters: Melotte 111
Messier Objects: M35, M42, M44, M67
Stars:  Meissa, φ¹ Orionis, φ² Orionis, HR1883
Zodiacal Light

Identified & Not entered into Logbook or database:
Constellations: Auriga, Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, Comma Berenices, Corvus, Leo, Orion, Orion Nebula, Perseus, Taurus
Asterism: Winter Circle
Clusters: Hyades, Pleaides
Messier Objects: M31

Location: Home of Bruce & Melody Hamilton, Litchfield, NS
Date: 2019-03-25/26
Time: 6:40 PM - 1:15 AM  AST
Equipment: Visual + Binoculars, 10x42 IS
Transparency: Very Good (4)
Seeing: Very Good (4)
Temperature: 0º C - 1º C
SQM: 19.25

Jerry and I were invited to the Hamilton home for an overnight observing session. Given their clear skies and incredible horizon, we accepted their invitation. 

Zodiacal Light
We watched the Sun set and saw the Zodiacal Light (ZL) rise on the western horizon. Beautiful! In the Atacama, Mars was centred in the base of the ZL but in Litchfield it was east of the ZL.

Mars
Time: 7:15 PM - 1:00 AM ADT
Equipment: Visual + Binoculars 
Mars was first sighted SW of Aldebaran and south of the Pleiades. Although the relative placements of the stars and planet remained consistent, it was amazing to see how far the planet had 'travelled' during this session - approximately 30º - 40º to the NW horizon. WOW.

Satellite (ISS)
Time: ~ 9:08 PM ADT
Equipment: Visual + Binoculars 
Noticed the ISS travelling towards us. The path was from above Aldabaran, above the Pleiades, over Cassiopeia, and then disappeared to the left and below the handle of the Big Dipper. Very bright throughout its entire path. Could see a sort of diamond shape through the binoculars, but could not clearly see the 'wings'.

M42 / Orion Nebula / NGC 1976 Time: 9:40 PM ADT S&T Chart Reference: 16 Equipment: Visual, Binoculars  Orion was very clear above the treeline in the sky opposite from Melody's observatory. Used my binoculars to very easily see this object.
M44 / Beehive Cluster / Praesepe Time: not recorded S&T Chart Reference: 23, 25 Equipment: Visual, Binoculars  Located the star Ascellus Australis in Cancer to find M44 adjacent. I could actually see this open cluster visually. Also viewed it with binoculars	M67 Time: not recorded S&T Chart Reference: 23, 25 Equipment: Visual, Binoculars  Located the star Acubens in Cancer to find the grey fuzzy M67 nearby. RASC Halifax Centre had thrown out the challenge to members to look for M67. Dr. Roy Bishop had provided a chart for us to determine their magnitude limits. All 4 of us attempted to use the chart but could not see the variation in the stars to the degree depicted in the chart.
Orion's stars Time: 12:00 AM AST S&T Chart reference: 14 Equipment: Visual + Binoculars  I noticed a very bright object above Orion that formed a triangle with Betelgeuse and Bellatrix, something that was never obvious from our home. Turned out to be Meissa, φ1 Orionis, φ2 Orionis and HR1883. The cluster of stars was the most brilliant I had ever seen them.

M35 / NGC 2168 Time: 1:12 AM ADT S&T Chart Reference: 23, 25 Equipment: Visual, Binoculars  Sitting in their living room, I noticed an arch of stars above Orion. Turned out it was the 'feet' of the twins in Gemini. Knowing that, I used my binoculars to easily find the fuzzy M35.
Canis Major Time: not recorded S&T Chart Reference: 27 Equipment: Visual All the stars were very clear and for the first time I actually saw a "dog" formation, complete with tail.
Eridanus Time: not recorded S&T Chart Reference: 6. 16, 17 Equipment: Visual  Melody pointed out this constellation that began at Orion's Rigel. We were able to identify a little less than half of the stars in this large constellation. In the Atacama, we had seen the end star Achernar, but only a portion of the "river" could be seen here.

Gemini
Time: not recorded
S&T Chart Reference: 23, 25
Equipment: Visual 
Sitting in the warmth of their living room, I noticed an arch of stars above Orion. I soon realized it was the "feet" of Gemini. Looking further up were the stars Castor and Pollux, their bodies, arms, and legs - all clearly seen and identifiable.

Lepus
Time: not recorded
S&T Chart Reference: 16
Equipment: Visual  
All the stars of this constellation were clearly visible below Orion. Ne need for binoculars!

Melotte 111
Time: not recorded
S&T Chart Reference: 45
Equipment: Visual + Binoculars
Jerry noticed this first and then I used our binoculars to view it. It was amazingly bright visually and certainly very bright in binoculars. Melody used her telescope to find it and I had a brief viewing of it through it.