2025-05-21

• Condition: VG5
• Location: Home, Spearfish: 44.49, -103.87

After a long stretch of cloudy skies, rain, and even some snow I finally had a night to step out and enjoy the dark skies.

To my surprise, my org-agenda listing for Upcoming Targets contained no unobserved targets for the Open Cluster challenge between 9h to 15h, this allowed me a “night-off” to simply view some favorites.

In spite on not seeing many galaxies this year so far, I had a hunger for some double stars and decided to pursue that tonight.

10:37PM

• Target: ε Boötis
• Const: Bootes
• RaDec: 14h45m +27.04
• Type: Star (Double)
• Scope: AT102ED
• Setting: 110x, 165x

I had not split ε Boötis since May of 2022. I was able to detect the split at that time at 150x with my old ST-80.

This time, I was able to detect it at 110x but not confidently. I’m estimating the position angle at 345°.

10:50PM

• Target: γ Virginis
• Const: Virgo
• RaDec: 12h41m -1.27
• Type: Star (Double)
• Scope: AT102ED
• Setting: 110x

I seem to always forget how lovely this pair is. Split at 110x, estimated angle of 170°.

11:01PM

• Target: M 13, Hercules Globular Cluster
• Const: Hercules
• RaDec: 16h41m +36.28
• Type: Globular Cluster
• Scope: AT102ED
• Setting: 165x

I decided to finish the night with a prolonged observation of M 13. The conditions were pretty good, and I could resolve many of the fainter stars. AV helped “deepen” the observation of the cluster. I wasn’t too happy with sketch of M 13 from last year. I’ll have to revisit this one again soon.