Skydome Observers' Group

Skydome Observers' Group Meeting Report - 5 February 2008 9:15 to 11:30pm Six members and a special guest came out tonight despite the changeable weather clouds. We started by hunting for Mars as it tantalised us from behind the clouds. While we waited in anticipation of better weather we discussed the first draft of the list of items for our first grant application. If anyone has any suggestions of useful things for the grant, please e-mail me with an approximate price and store where it can be sourced from and we will try and include it in the second grant. Currently we are including things like deck chairs, binoculars, telescopes, eyepieces, a laser etc on the first grant. I will send an e-mail round with specific details once we have received all the quotes. Objects viewed in Massive Binoculars Mars, Orion Nebula, Pleaides (M45), Hyades, (M44) - Beehive, Southern Pleaides - IC2602 - on the corner star of the diamond cross NGC4755 Jewel Box (aka - Shark's tooth)- - below the Southern Cross Eta Carinae (C92) & the Humuncules Red star NGC 3766 - Open cluster near to I2944 I2944 - Open Cluster with Nebulosity between Southern Pleaides & Acrux NGC3293 - Open Cluster - smaller NGC 3532 - "The Pin Cushion" NGC3114 - Deborah's "Sea Urchin" - above Eta Carinae NGC2156 - Deborah's "Batmobile" (on the southern end of the False cross) Objects in 8"SCT Saturn, Mars, Beehive (M44) Objects in 14" Mars, Orion Nebula, Jewel Box - fantastic at high power We identified Castor & Pollux in the "Twins" and the curved hook of Hydrus. We learned that 'Aldeberan' (a red supergiant)- the eye of the bull, means 'the following one' referring to it always following the Pleaides star cluster. We also saw a satellite and several meteors (shooting stars) from the Alpha Centaurids meteor shower which peaks on Thursday. We named the 7 main stars of the Pleaides and looked for some double and triple stars, as well as recognisable patterns in the Pleaides. We packed up only with reluctance as by 11 the night sky was perfect and absolutely brimming with dark skies.