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Other (Other)
Observer: Mark Stutzman (e-mail: mark@cca.ci.coatesville.pa.us)
Instrument: 4 1/2-inch equatorial reflector Location: Gilbertsville, PA, usa
Light pollution: light Transparency: good Seeing: good
Time: Thu Aug 13 03:00:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 376
Persiads!!!!What a show!! Spent two hours on a chaise lounge watching the shower. I counted about 45 meteors in that period. some were small but others were spectacular leaving thick bright trails that stretched half way across the sky. My 14 year old son commented that it was the coolest thing he ever saw in the sky!
Other (Other, est. to be in Delphinus, Est. RaDec 21h07m, +16d20')
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu, web: http://www.msd.org/obs.htm)
Instrument: 12.5-inch equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: fair Seeing: fair
Time: Wed Jul 1 03:55:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 369
Phil Harrington's asterism, the Dolphin's Diamonds, is located near the Pegasus-Delphinus border. It is a group of some 15 stars that is about 1/2 degree in diameter. Upon finding the Dolphin's Diamonds I was immeditely struck by how much it resembles NGC 457, the Owl Cluster. Therefore, I suggest the alternate name of the Baby Owl for this asterism.
Other (Other, est. to be in Draco, Est. RaDec 18h36m, +72d15')
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu, web: http://www.msd.org/obs.htm)
Instrument: 12.5-inch equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: fair Seeing: fair
Time: Wed Jul 1 03:25:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 368
The Little Queen is an asterism that resembles Cassiopeia, the Queen. It is a more regular "W" than is Cassiopeia and is located 1 degree to the east-southeast of Chi Draconis. This chance grouping of 18 stars is some 20' in size.
Other (Other, est. to be in Ursa Minor, Est. RaDec 16h29m, +80d15')
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu, web: http://www.msd.org/obs.htm)
Instrument: 12.5-inch equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: fair Seeing: fair
Time: Wed Jul 1 03:15:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 367
On this particular night I observed 3 of the asterisms mentioned in Phil Harrington's May 1998 S & T article. The Mini-Coathanger was "discovered" by Tom Whiting, a Pennsylvanian amateur astronomer. It is a group of eleven 9th to 11th magnitude stars spanning 1/3 of a degree. The Mini-Coathanger resembles Collinder 399, also known as the Coathanger, which was once thought to be an open cluster. The Mini-Coathanger is located to the south of Epsilon Ursa Minoris, on page 11 of the Uranometria 2000.0.
Other (Other)
Observer: Mark Stutzman (e-mail: mark@cca.ci.coatesville.pa.us)
Instrument: 4 1/2-inch equatorial reflector Location: Gilbertsville, PA, usa
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: poor Seeing: poor
Time: Fri Jun 26 02:40:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 350
even though it was very humid and a fog was starting to develop at ground level I was able to split the double double in lyra last night!With my modest scope I was able to seperate the 4 stars with a 4 mm eyepiece. In-between focus jiggles they were awesome!
Other (Other, est. mag 9th, est. to be in Cygnus, Est. RaDec 20h03m, +35d15')
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu, web: http://www.msd.org/obs.htm)
Instrument: 17"-inch equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: fair Seeing: fair
Time: Thu Jun 25 07:05:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 353
This was my first observation of Espin 202 (ADS 13262), which was featured in the August 1998 Sky & Telescope on pages 109 and 110. The so-called Cygnus Baseball Diamond is a multiple star system that is similar to M42's Trapezium but is much fainter. Star A is 9.4 magnitude and is the only member of Espin 202 that is bright enough to appear on the Uranometria 2000.0 (page 119). Star B is 11.0, Star C is 12.1, and Star D is 11.9. The Baseball Diamond was resolved at 118x. The view was better at 202x and 259x. At 381x all the "players" mentioned in Alan MacRobert's article were apparent - the baserunner on first, the right and center fielders, and the on deck batters. Brian Skiff wrote about this true multiple star system in "Deep Sky" and "CCD Astronomy" (Summer 1994, page 41). I also had a "look" at the possible black hole Cygnus X-1, which is located nearby to the southwest.
Other (Other, est. to be in Lyra)
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: 51-cm equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: excellent Seeing: good
Time: Mon Jun 1 01:40:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 338
Tonight I viewed the third "double double" in Lyra for the first time, having just learned of it through an e-mail message from professional astronomer Brian Skiff. Struve 2472/2473, or ADS12090AB/CD, consists of a brighter southern pair (A=8.3 magnitude, B=10.8 magnitude) that has a separation of about 22" and an evenly matched pair (C=10.1 magnitude, D=10.2 magnitude) that is oriented east-west and has a separation of about 6". The two pairs are separated by approximately 85". A 12th magnitude star lies between them. AB is located at 19h08m34s, +37d54.6';CD is located at 19h08m32s, +37d55.9'. Of the three double doubles in Lyra I feel that Struve 2470/2474 is the most attractive.
Other (Other, est. to be in Cygnus)
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: 51-cm equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: light Transparency: good Seeing: good
Time: Sun May 24 06:35:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 337
I observed two carbon stars that I had not seen before that were mentioned in Brian Skiff's May 1998 Sky & Telecope article. Both LW and RS Cygni were unimpressive visually, appearing as muted pink, despite having fairly high color indices. Observations were made at 127x.
Other (Other, est. to be in Virgo, Est. RaDec 12h25m,+0d48m)
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: 17-inch equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: good Seeing: excellent
Time: Tue May 19 02:35:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 333
Tonight I observed the C6,3e carbon star SS Virginis, which lies about 2 degrees northeast of Eta Virginis. Known as a carbon Mira because of it long period of variability, SS Virginis has a color index of 4.2 and hence is quite red.
Other (Other, est. mag -7, est. to be in Bootes)
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: 17-inch equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: good Seeing: excellent
Time: Sat May 16 02:17:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 332
Several ASH members and guests were treated to a -7 magnitude Iridium "flare" at the Naylor Observatory as Iridium 14 appeared in the eastern sky at an altitude of 38 degrees. During the course of the night we also observed M3, Gamma Leonis, M44, and the 80% illuminated moon with the 12.5" f/6.5 Cave Newtonian and the supernova in M96 (SN 1998bu), M84, M86, M5, M13, Albireo, Omicron Cygni, Epsilon Lyrae, M57, T Lyrae, and the moon with the 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain. The seeing was good enough to allow me to use 967x (6.7mm Meade UWA) while viewing Theophilus, Cyrillus, Catharina and other features on the moon!
Other (Other, est. mag 13th, est. to be in Corvus, Est. RaDec 12h29m,-23d09')
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: 17-inch equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: good Seeing: good
Time: Thu May 14 01:40:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 331
My second supernova of the night was SN 1998bn located in NGC 4462. It was fairly difficult to see this dim type Ia supernova at 202x.
Other (Other, est. mag 12th, est. to be in Leo, Est. RaDec 10h46m,+11d50')
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: 17-inch equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: good Seeing: good
Time: Thu May 14 01:20:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 330
While helping with the ASH observational astronomy class I observed the recently discovered supernova, SN 1998bu. This bright type Ia supernova is located in NGC 3688 (M96). It was easily seen to the northeast of the nucleus of the galaxy. Observations were made at 118 and 202x.
Other (Other, est. mag -8, est. to be in Bootes, Est. RaDec 14ho2m,+38.1d)
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: naked eye Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: fair Seeing: good
Time: Thu May 7 01:22:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 329
While helping with the ASH introductory observational astronomy course on Wednesday evening I was able to point out to the class the best Iridium flare that I've seen to date. Iridium 37 appeared between the handle of the Big Dipper and Arcturus and reached a brilliant -8th magnitude. Even with the light from the gibbous moon the event was spectacular!
Other (Other, est. mag ~13th, est. to be in Ursa Major, Est. RaDec 11h56m,+55d07')
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: 17-inch equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: poor Seeing: good
Time: Thu Apr 23 01:55:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 327
Despite the terrible transparency, I was able to see the recently discovered supernova SN1998aq on Wednesday evening. This exploding star is located in NGC 3982, an 11th magnitude H400 spiral galaxy located in the "bowl" of the Big Dipper, about 1.5 degrees north of Gamma Ursae Majoris. Supernova 1998aq formed a triangle with 2 nearby faint field stars. It was fainter than either of the field stars. According to the IAUC 6875, SN1998aq is located 18" west and 7" north of the center of NGC 3982. NGC 3982 appeared as a very dim circular glow. It was the first night of the spring Astronomical Society of Harrisburg observational astronomy class at the Naylor Observatory and after later showing the class the supernova I trained the 17" on M3, Algieba, Castor, and M35. The poor observing conditions limited what I could show the class, of course.
Other (Other, est. to be in Virgo)
Observer: John Callender (e-mail: jbc@west.net, web: http://www.west.net/~jbc/)
Instrument: 8-inch Dobsonian reflector Location: Carpinteria, CA, USA
Light pollution: light Transparency: good Seeing: good
Time: Sat Apr 18 06:55:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 325
Just for kicks I swung my telescope a lion's-tail length E of Denebola into the heart of the Virgo cluster, and swept around with the 38X eyepiece. I didn't bother to keep track of where I was or identify the many fuzzy patches I saw; after the previous careful hunting in Leo it was exciting, and a little disorienting, to have multiple galaxies in every field as I swept back and forth. I felt like an Age of Discovery explorer who had sailed off the edge of his charts and suddenly found himself amid the dangerous reefs of the Tuamotu Archipelago. Maybe I'll come back another night and have a no-charts Reef Hunt, drawing my own map and plotting fuzzies as I go.
Other (Other, est. mag 13, est. to be in Ursa Major, Est. RaDec 11h46m,+47d29')
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: 17-inch equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: moderate Transparency: fair Seeing: good
Time: Tue Mar 17 03:00:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 314
On 3/17 UT I observed the recently discovered supernova 1998S located in NGC 3877, an 11th magnitude spiral edge-on galaxy near Chi Ursa Majoris. 1998S was listed at 13.5 magnitude and was said to be offset 16" west and 46" south of NGC 3877's nucleus in the IAU CBAT circular #6829. It is believed to be a type-II supernova. I also observed M34, Stock 2, the Double Cluster, NGC 2451, NGC 2362, h3945, M93, M42, Sigma Orionis, Struve 761, M66, M65, and NGC 3628.
Other (Other, est. mag 0.1, est. to be in Dorado, Est. RaDec 05h24m,-69d45')
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: 50-mm binoculars Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: light Transparency: good Seeing: good
Time: Fri Feb 27 00:30:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 313
This was my first sighting of one of the Milky Way's closest neighbors, the Large Magellanic Cloud. (I had been able to see NGC 2070, the Tarantula Nebula, through horizon-hugging clouds and haze the night before as we cruised southward aboard the MS Veendam but was uncertain whether I was actually observing this gigantic nebula.) I could discern NGC 2070 glowing at third magnitude quite easily with my 80mm ShortTube refractor but the lower part of the LMC was visible only through my binoculars. The LMC was only about 4 or 5 degrees above the horizon when I made these observations.
Other (Other, est. mag 12, est. to be in Orion)
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: 51-cm equatorial reflector Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: light Transparency: excellent Seeing: good
Time: Sun Feb 15 01:25:00 1998 UT Obs. no.: 307
A friend and I observed the dim planetary nebula Abell 12 on Saturday night. This 37" sized object is just northwest of Mu Orionis and is made even harder to see by Mu's 4th magnitude glare. See page 70 of the January 1998 Astronomy for details.
Other (Other, est. to be in Orion)
Observer: John Callender (e-mail: jbc@west.net, web: http://www.west.net/~jbc/)
Instrument: 8-inch Dobsonian reflector Location: Carpinteria, CA, USA
Light pollution: light Transparency: excellent Seeing: fair
Time: Sat Dec 27 09:55:00 1997 UT Obs. no.: 277
Struve 761: All three components (A, B, and C) were easy at 38x.
Other (Other, est. to be in Orion)
Observer: John Callender (e-mail: jbc@west.net, web: http://www.west.net/~jbc/)
Instrument: 8-inch Dobsonian reflector Location: Carpinteria, CA, USA
Light pollution: light Transparency: excellent Seeing: fair
Time: Sat Dec 27 09:45:00 1997 UT Obs. no.: 275
IC435: Fairly easy with averted vision at 38x. Smaller than NGC2023.
Other (Other)
Observer: John Callender (e-mail: jbc@west.net, web: http://www.west.net/~jbc/)
Instrument: 8-inch Dobsonian reflector Location: Carpinteria, CA, USA
Light pollution: light Transparency: excellent Seeing: fair
Time: Sat Dec 27 09:35:00 1997 UT Obs. no.: 274
IC434: I tried for it for several minutes, but was unable to detect anything at 38x, to say nothing of the Horsehead.
Other (Other)
Observer: John Callender (e-mail: jbc@west.net, web: http://www.west.net/~jbc/)
Instrument: 8-inch Dobsonian reflector Location: Carpinteria, CA, USA
Light pollution: light Transparency: excellent Seeing: fair
Time: Sat Dec 27 09:15:00 1997 UT Obs. no.: 271
IC432 a somewhat easier glow than IC431 (see separate observation record). IC432 was somewhat larger and more obvious, though it still required averted vision. As with IC431 a brighter clump (or a faint star) was visible in the glow, this one at approximate PA 255.
Other (Other)
Observer: John Callender (e-mail: jbc@west.net, web: http://www.west.net/~jbc/)
Instrument: 8-inch Dobsonian reflector Location: Carpinteria, CA, USA
Light pollution: light Transparency: excellent Seeing: fair
Time: Sat Dec 27 09:10:00 1997 UT Obs. no.: 270
IC 431 glimpsed, with difficulty, using averted vision at 76x. A small, irregular glow surrounding the star, with either a brighter clump or a companion star glimpsed at approximate PA 180.
Other (Other, est. to be in Camelopardalis)
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: 63-mm binoculars Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: light Transparency: good Seeing: fair
Time: Wed Dec 3 01:45:00 1997 UT Obs. no.: 260
Using my Celestron Pros I beheld the attractive, 2.5 degree long chain of mostly eight magnitude stars known as Kemble's Cascade. See the November 1997 S & T Binocular Highlight column and page 547 of the December 1980 S & T for further information.
Other (Other, est. mag 6.5, est. to be in Camelopardalis)
Observer: Dave Mitsky (e-mail: djm28@psu.edu)
Instrument: 63-mm binoculars Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Light pollution: light Transparency: good Seeing: fair
Time: Wed Dec 3 01:45:00 1997 UT Obs. no.: 259
I viewed the small open cluster Stock 23, which is located between the Double Cluster and Kemble's Cascade, with my Celestron Pros. See the November 1997 Sky & Telescope Binocular Highlight column for additional information.
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