Constellations: Cassiopeia, Ophiuchus, Serpens Caput, Serpens Cauda
Asterism: Big Dipper, Coathanger, Leaping Minnow, Summer Triangle, Teapot
Stars: Alkaid, Alcor-Mizar, Alioth, Aldebaran, Altair, Arcturus, 14 Aur, 16 Aur, 17 Aur, 18 Aur, and 19 Aur, Aur, Capella, Deneb, Dubhe, β Elnath, Merak, ζ Ophi, Rasalgethi, Vega
HD Stars: 2993, 3678, 4127, 4902, 5163
SAO Stars: 54053, 54091
Messier Objects: M10, M12, M31/Andromeda, M45/Pleaides, M36/NGC 1960/ Pinwheel Cluster
Clusters: Hyades/Melotte 25
Planets: Jupiter + 4 Galilean Moons, Mars, Saturn + Rhea and Dione
Identified, not Observed & Not entered into Logbook or database:
Aquila, Auriga, Capricornus, Cetus, Cygnus, Taurus
Location: Battery Provincial Park, NS
Date: 2022-09-19
Time: 7:30 PM - 11:58 PM ADT
Equipment: Visual, 10x42 IS Binoculars
Transparency: not recorded
Seeing: not recorded
| Time | SQM | Temp |
| 8:09 PM | 19.32 | 11° C |
| 10:23 PM | 21.01 | 6° C |
| 11:45 PM | 21.02 | 5° C |
We had a campsite on the waterfront that looked south over St. Peter's Bay. We were not far from the historic St. Peter's Canal. We enjoyed a small campfire after dinner before turning our attention solely observing.
Vega
Time: 7:36 PM
Equipment: Visual
S&T Chart: 63
The first star seen this evening - straight overhead.
Arcturus
Time: 7:45 PM
Equipment: Visual
S&T Chart: 44
The second star seen this evening.
Cassiopeia
Time: 7:55 PM
Equipment: Visual
S&T Chart: 1, 2, 3
Could identify its signature "W" shape with all 5 stars.
Summer Triangle, Big Dipper
Time: 7:58 PM
Equipment: Visual, binoculars
S&T Chart (Dipper): 43
The three stars comprising the Summer Triangle were now all visible - Vega, Deneb and Altair. The Big Dipper's 3 handle stars and its 2 pointer stars (Dubhe, Merak) were visible naked eye. I also noted the double stars Alcor-Mizar in the handle and noted their orientation; they were fairly well separated in the binoculars.
Coathanger / Brocchi's Cluster, Collinder 399
Time: 8:00 PM
Equipment: Binoculars
S&T Chart (Dipper): 64, 66
I used Altair in Aquila and Vega in Lyra to locate the Coathanger. It was very faint but I did find thew 10-star asterism starting at Altair and heading towards Vega.
| M31 / Andromeda Galaxy Time: 8:00 PM Equipment: Binoculars S&T Chart: 3 I used the large "V" in Cassiopeia that points to a bright star at FOV 6 o'clock. I then had one more move southward to find the Galaxy. I then proceeded with SkySafariPro to identify some of the star field near it. |
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Ophiuchus, M10, M12, Serpens Caput, Serpens Cauda
Time: 8:39 PMM36
Equipment: Visual, Binoculars
S&T Chart: 56
Ophiuchus was well above the horizon. The arc of stars at its base was unmistakable and made it easy to identify the snake's upper body and head (Serpens Caput) and its lower boy and tail (Serpens Cauda). Both very easily seen and well defined. With the central star of the arc (ζ Ophi) at 6 o'clock in my FOV, I went up 1.5 FOVs to find the faint fuzzy M10. The faint fuzzy M12 was 1 FOV to the right.
Around 9:15 PM, the skies was becoming a little murky. Consequently, the Dipper and Teapot disappeared from the sky.
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Jupiter (in Cetus) Saw its location visually before viewing it with binoculars. The 4 moons were visible and they were in a curve formation, all on one side.
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Saturn (in Capricornus) Saw its location visually before viewing it with binoculars. There were two bright objects also visible; I think they were two of its moons - Dione and Rhea. |
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Rasalgethi (Alpha Herculis A / α Her A in Hercules) Rasalgethi is a visual binary, and on this night I could make them out! Both components seen appeared to be white and of equal brightness; one was larger than the other. There were other bright stars in the vicinity but I could not identify what they were. |
Aldebaran, Hyades/Melotte 25, M45/The Pleaides
Time: 11:45 PM
Equipment: Visual, Binoculars
S&T Chart: 15
Once Aldebaran was identified, it was easy to identify the Hyades - the V-shaped open cluster in the Taurus. The Pleaides were then located a distance away; although it could visually be located, it was better seen with averted vision. I also used the binoculars to view these beautiful open clusters. The nebulosity of the Pleaides always impresses!
Mars
Time: 11:56 PM
Equipment: Binoculars
S&T Chart: 15
When viewing the area above the Hyades in Taurus's horns, I had noticed a reddish orb. I went back for a closer look. Using SkySafariPro, I discovered it was Mars!
Capella, Leaping Minnow, M36
Time: 11:58 PM
Equipment: Binoculars
S&T Chart: 12
After observing objects in and around Taurus, I then noticed Capella in Auriga. One of my favourite asterisms, the Leaping Minnow, is found in the area above and between β Elnath and ι Aur. Seven stars comprise the Minnow, including 14 Aur, 16 Aur, 17 Aur, 18 Aur, and 19 Aur. With just a slight adjustment of the binoculars, I was easily able to view the small grey fuzzy M36.
The skies really deteriorated at midnight. This ended the observing session for me (and the time-lapse for Jerry).