Astrolog

Equipment: Orion Skyview 6 Deluxe EQ, using the 32, 25, 15, 10, 6, and 4 mm eyepieces and the broadband,  ultrablock, and OIII filters.

New objects observed: Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009), M103, Double Cluster (NGC 884 and NGC 869), Stock 2, Blinking Planetary Nebula (NGC 6826)

Previously observed objects: M31, M32, Owl Cluster (NGC 457)

Notes:

Better observing this night than the previous couple of nights observing, but there seemed to be some seeing issues. The Saturn Nebula, sadly, did not show enough resolution to show the weird lobes on the side, but it was kind of cool nonetheless. After I found the Saturn Nebula I tried to find M72 and M73, but they were sadly right below the top of the wall of my viewing shelter in that direction, and I didn't feel like moving the curtain. I'll have to get those a different night.

After I was done with the Saturn Nebula and trying to find M72 and M73, I turned my attention to Cassiopeia. After some fumbling around I figured out which bright stars were which, and observed the Owl Cluster again. I then observed M103 for a bit, and while trying to move my scope to observe a group of clusters further down from M103 (I was looking for NGC 659, 663 and 654), I managed to get lost and ended up finding the Double Cluster by accident. Fortunately it's a lovely sight and well worth finding. I was also able to observe the somewhat obscure open cluster Stock 2, which was pretty big but nothing to really write home about.

At this point in the night clouds were beginning to come in from the north, so I swung south to M31 and M32 again in hopes of finding M110 again. M31 and M32 were fine, but once again I was unable to see M110. I half heartedly tried for M33 while I was in the neighborhood, but not surprisingly had no luck there.

To wrap the night up, I swung my telescope towards Cygnus and quickly spotted the Blinking Planetary Nebula. I wasn't actually able to get it to blink, but I observed it for a little while before the clouds got too menacingly close.

Equipment: Orion Skyview 6 Deluxe EQ, using the 32, 15, and 10 mm eyepieces and the broadband and ultrablock filters. New objects observed: M28, Lagoon Nebula (M8) & NGC 6530, M20 (kinda), M21, M54. Notes: Another night of below average conditions. The only reason I went out for a little while in the evening was to try out the viewing shelter I'd build since my mom was nice enough to come and help by making the curtains for it (more on that later), and I decided to do some more observing around Sagittarius.

Equipment: Orion Skyview 6 Deluxe EQ, using the 32, 25, and 10 mm eyepieces and the broadband and ultrablock filters. New objects observered: M22 Previously observed objects: M31, M32 Notes: The night of the 17th was partly cloudy and had poor transparency, so I didn't go out for very long. I had originally intended to look for M81 and M82 briefly, but clouds were obscuring that part of the sky.  I turned by scope towards Sagittarius, but misidentified what part of the constellation I was looking at.

I've decided to keep a running log of what I've been observing here. This initial entry is, sadly, from memory over the last couple of months, so no dates are provided. It's just a list from what I've been able to see from my backyard in Tacoma, WA. Hopefully once the shelter I'm working on (more on that later) gets done, I'll be able to see more things. Equipment: Telescopes: Celestron AstroMaster 76 EQ, Orion Skyview 6 Deluxe EQ; Filters: Polarizing, set of color filters, Broadband, H-Beta, OIII; Eyepieces: 32mm, 25mm, 20mm correcting, 15mm, 10mm, 2 9mm, 6mm, 4mm