2022-04-02

• Condition: VG6
• Location: Cabin: 44.31, -103.88

/Stayed up with Soren and Gwen to show them some constellations and the Orion Nebula. They started getting cold around 8:30pm and went back to the cabin. I came back out after./

9:00PM

• Target: M 1, Crab Nebula
• Const: Taurus
• RaDec: 05h34m +22.1
• Type: Supernova Remnant
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 32x

M1 was very hard to see. I could make out what looked like a star whose light was diffused by a dark “splotch”. With other tiny “splotches” surrounding it.

9:30PM

• Target: M 35
• Const: Gemini
• RaDec: 06h08m +24.2
• Type: Open Cluster
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 32x

M35 was easy and beautiful, at 35x the cluster filled the FOV nicely.

9:45PM

• Target: M 65
• Const: Leo
• RaDec: 11h18m +13.5
• Type: Spiral Galaxy

• Target: M 66

• Const: Leo

• RaDec: 11h20m +12.59

• Type: Spiral Galaxy

• Scope: ST80

• Setting: 32x, AV

M65 and M66 were a surprise. I planned for them on a whim last minute and was not expecting to find anything. I saw them on my first attempt. They were both faint, but the elongated shapes were evident with AV.