2025-03-25

• Condition: E6
• Location: Home, Spearfish: 44.49, -103.87

Lovely night. Since the last session I acquired the correct RA motor for my CG-4 mount. Tonight was my first session using it.

It is nice to have it track at the proper speed without the need to manually speed it up or slow it down every few minutes. This should be very helpful for me going forward, and will help prepare me for astro-photography (if I ever decide to do it).

09:09PM

• Target: NGC 2169
• Const: Orion
• RaDec: 06h08m +13.57
• Type: Open Cluster
• Scope: AT102ED
• Setting: 110x
• Class: I 2 p

Found easily. Nestled just south of the midpoint between ν and ε Orionis. A very small and cute cluster of stars. It appears to have a more noticeable concentration in comparison to the surrounding star field.

After viewing NGC 2169, I took 30 to 45 minutes just looking at the Orion nebula and growing accustomed to the RA motor tracking controls. The view of it was great tonight. Small dark bands could be seen within the nebula which gave it layers and a three dimensional appearance.