This week I focused on the Moon as it was a young crescent beginning on Monday June 23. The shadows cast about the surface were extraordinary and spectacular during the week. With my new Meade LX-90 10" ACF scope, I was able to see greater detail and stability I the image. The image that I provided is just from a simulation program as I am not equip at this time to take a good photo image. As I viewed the lunar surface on June 24, I was able to see a spacecraft fly in front of the Moon. This really surprised me as I did not expect to see the detail that I did through the eyepiece. I wish I could tell you what spacecraft it was, and I was so excited that I did not note the time. What a Rookie, right!
I Also began looking at Jupiter and Saturn during this observation period. Jupiter was brilliant and the four moons Callisto, Ganymede, Europa, and Io were see ass illustrated in the image shown. Three color bands were visible. The viewing conditions were fair as there was some haze in the area, and being that Jupiter and Saturn were still low in the horizon and obstructed by light pollution. Saturn was also a wonderful site with its moon Triton visible. I showed my wife and daughter the fire, and they were very surprised of the detail that they experienced. This was the first time my daughter was able to see Saturn through a telescope, which made me think about the first time I experienced viewing Saturn for the very first time through a telescope.
Also during this observation period, I viewed the Lagoon Nebula, M5, M7 Star Clusters, and M11Galaxy Deep Sky Objects. I realize the I do need to get an Oxygen and Nebula filters to view such object. I was able to see M5, but it was a faint fuzzy ball. With an Oxygen filter I would be able to make out a bit more detail of the image.
It has been many year since I peered into the sky with a telescope, and I was still floored by the sites and the detail that I experienced. There will be many more nights to make observations and soon I will be able to capture what I see through an imager to share here on his site. Until next time, Keep Your Head Toward the Heavens.
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