Resort Astronomy
Tag: observing
Observing from the Pali
With four nights in the park I planned to do a little observing along with the planned hikes. situated on the south face of the island the park offers a view of southern skies objects that cannont be matched anywhere else in the 50 states.
The plan was simple… Getup in the wee dark hours and drive the 20 minutes to the Maunaiki Trailhead. I could then setup my little 6″ travel scope and observe the southern sky.
Arriving I at the trailhead I was not happy, unusual morning clouds covered the sky, not a star to be found. This is the Kaʻu Desert!! It is supppose to be dry and clear in the morning. My cursing had no effect on the clouds.
A quick look at the satellite imagery and I headed further down the road to the Halina Pali Overlook with some hope. It was dicey, but I was already driving around in the middle of the night, why not?
And behold… Clear skies. Somewhat. It had clearly rained in the night as everything was wet. But at least some of the sky was beautifully dark and clear. As long as the rainclouds looming in the east held off I could do what I suffered such an early alarm for.
Quickly setting up the little scope I found conditions were not bad, though I did have to hop about a bit to avoid some drifting clouds. There was usually some part of the sky clear… Use it!
NGC 5286 – Bright and obvious, small at 2′ diameter, unresolved, round with a bright center, the 4.6 magnitude M Cen is 4′ southeast
M68 – Bright and obvious, 3′ diameter, rich, not resolved, round with a bright and well concentrated core
NGC 4361 – Small, bright and obvious, a round 1′ disk with a bright central star and well defined extents, no color noted, no other structure noted
NGC 5139 – A spectacular swarm of stars, very bright and easy to sweep up, large at 30′ diameter, resolved, extremely rich, well concentrated with a exceptionally dense center that fades radially into a fine mist of stars, one cannot fathom such a region of the cosmos, a place where our mere common sense fails utterly
6″ RFT Makaiki Mk2, Hilina Pali Overlook HVNP, 9 Jan 2025
Close to astronomical dawn the clouds swept across the sky, a curtain to end the show. A few scattered raindrops had me hurrying to pack the gear back in the vehicle. I was considering what to do next when the rain came in ernest, a steady rain that washed over the windshield.
The drive back into the main section of the park proved fruitful as I found the usually crowded trails deserted in the early morning rain.
Driveway Sky
Awaiting Dark
A Misty Night at Kaʻohe
While I have gotten plenty of telescope time lately, it has usually been morning sessions with the old Astrola in my driveway. This is a low effort and thoroughly enjoyable practice that I engage in about half a dozen times each month. Such sessions do mean that my 18″ telescope languishes for far too long in the garage.
I really need to change that.
Thus when my fellow staff at Symbrosia start asking for another star party it made a good excuse to get the big ‘scope out of the garage and under a dark sky.
Continue reading “A Misty Night at Kaʻohe”Solo Stars at Kaʻohe
Morning Observing
First quarter moon… Telescope time.
I find myself reliably rising early, often around 4am, something that seemed to have begun during the pandemic. Those who knew me in my younger years may find this a bit unbeliveable, I used to hate mornings, but now?
The other factoid about island mornings. It is almost always clear. The afternoon and evening clouds have dissipated and clear skies are the rule.
Combine these bits with a love of the sky and the result is morning observing sessions, often half a dozen mornings will be spent out with a telescope in those couple weeks the Moon is absent from the morning sky.
Get up, shrug on some ratty old clothes, and wheel the telescope out of the garage. The ‘scope of choice is almost always the old Astrola, even with larger and more sophisticated telescopes available there is just something about using that old manual ‘scope that I find satisfying.
Perhaps the lack of computer or digital setting circles means it is my own skill enabling my path among the stars. The Astrola does have manual setting circles, but I rarely use those. A star chart, a finder, and starhopping allow me to wander through rather than jump about… I just see more, often stumbling across unexpected bits of beauty.
I have upgraded the Astrola a bit lately, adding a larger finder ‘scope with a wide field eyepiece. It is a 50mm 3D printed finder of my own design allowing me to see more sky at once with fainter stars.
There are a few more days until the bright Moon crosses into the morning sky, a few more mornings you will likely find me out with the ‘scope.
A Solo Night at Kaʻohe
A dark clear night at Kaʻohe, just the thing I needed. A telescope… A dark sky.
There had been plans of a few friends from work, but with a virus rampaging through the crew a social event did not seem like a great idea. Will have to do the invitations another time. This evening would be a solo run.
No big production… Toss the gear in the vehicle… The Nexstar 11″ ‘scope, a few munchies and a thermos of hot tea, a table, a notebook, and go.
The night was nearly perfect, no wind, not all that cold, a few wisps of cloud that dissipated after sunset.
I would work the southern horizon this night, as low as I can go from 20°N latitude. From the Kaʻohe site due south is right over the summit of Mauna Loa. Just above the shadowy outline of the caldera I would catch stars and galaxies as they transited. Constellations unknown and inaccessible to northern observers… Pavo, Grus, and Phoenix. Some of the objects I observed were in the lower -60° declinations…
φ2 Pav Pale yellow, no companion noted, φ1 Pav is visible 33′ west
Andrew Cooper, 7 Oct 2023
NGC 7582 Bright and obvious, extended 5′ x 2′ northwest-southeast, brighter to the center without a notable core, NGC 7590 and NGC 7599 visible 10′ northeast, NGC 7552 visible 28′ southwest, the Grus Quartet makes an entrancing field with four bright galaxies
NGC 45 Quite faint and diffuse, difficult, about 5′ diameter, a slight brightening to the center, a 10th magnitude star in the southeast quadrant, the 7th magnitude star HD 941 is about 5′ southwest
NGC 7155 Small, faint, round with a stellar core, at the center of an east-west 15′ arc of 11th to 12th magnitude stars
A good night out with a telescope, packing it in about midnight as to not totally wreck my sleep pattern. Still, I got in five hours of observing.
Driveway Telescope
I have been getting quite a bit of telescope time in lately, mostly in the driveway, usually using the old 8″ Astrola. I find myself awake at 4am often enough, and can get in a pleasant hour of observing before dawn.
Oregon Star Party 2023
A large star party is an experience worth seeking out… Hundreds of people, hundreds of telescopes, all under a dark sky.
A star party is a meeting of geeks. Technical talk of optics, electronics, and fabrication techniques like 3D printing abounds. In the afternoon and evening you will find small conversations in the shade, pull up a chair and join the discussion.
The plan was something I had executed successfully before… Fly into Portland, spend some time with my folks, then borrow the family camper for the trip out to the Ochoco Mountains for the star party.
Continue reading “Oregon Star Party 2023”