Constellations: Capricornus, Cygnus, Delphinus, Equuleus, Lyra, Scorpius, Ursa Major Asterisms: Coathanger, Summer Triangle/DAVe, Teapot Planet: Jupiter (in Libra), Mars (in Capricornus), Saturn (in Sagittarius) Moon (Lunar Session) Satellites (2)
Location: Agawa Bay, Lake Superior Provincial Park, Ontario Date: 2018-06-19/20 Time: 10:40 PM - 2:40 AM EDT Equipment: Visual + Binoculars, 10x42 IS Transparency: Excellent (5) Seeing: Excellent (5) Temperature: 15º C - 12º C SQM: 21.66 No wind or clouds except for a few in the W-SW. Mosquitos were present earlier the evening. Also made some observations of the Moon; read about it in Lunar Session - June 19/20, 2018.
Ursa Major Time: 10:52 PM EDT Equipment: Visual + Binoculars S&T Chart Reference: 31, 32, 33, 43, F Visually located the "Big Dipper" asterism then used my binoculars to view Mizar-Alcor. Also used the pointer stars to locate Polaris.
Jupiter (in Libra) Time: 10:40 PM - 11:06 PM + 2:30 AM EDT Equipment: Visual + Binoculars Jupiter was very bright and seen visually. Binoculars provided the view of alpha1 Librae and alpha2 Librae approximately 3º away.
At 11:06 PM, all 4 moons of Jupiter could be seen. However, I had to place the eyepiece so that the FOV didn't include the planet in order to see the moon closest to it - Io.
At 2:30 AM, Jupiter had a beautiful reflection on Lake Superior.
Lyra Time: 10:57 PM EDT Equipment: Binoculars S&T Chart Reference: 65 Flies had disappeared. Vega was very high above the trees. Used my binoculars to identify the double stars of ε Vega and δ Vega. Sulafat was hidden by one of the tall trees.
Summer Triangle / DAVe Time: 11:00 PM EDT Equipment: Visual Easily located and identified Vega, Deneb, and Altair.
Cygnus + Coathanger / Brocchi's Cluster / Collinder 399 Time: 11:21 PM EDT Equipment: Binoculars S&T Chart Reference: 65 Identified Cygnus. Just as I located and identified Deneb, a lone loon called out across the water. Such a beautiful yet haunting sound.
I followed the constellation's stars down to Albireo with binoculars. Albireo's two components were easily viewed. Looked for the Coathanger and saw it and Albireo in the same FOV! How cool is that!
Satellite Time: 11:39 PM EDT Equipment: Binoculars Noticed the satellite just west of Deneb. Followed it below Cygnus along the light lane of the Milky Way. Lost sight of it in the trees.
11:42 PM Antares was twinkling red and white-yellow. Couldn't see Scorpius' tail as it was partially below the horizon and partially hidden by the trees.
1:35 AM All of Scorpius was now above the horizon. Could visually identify all the major stars within the constellation - the full length from δ through the curve of the tail to Shaula and Lesath.
Sketched at 11:42 PM
Mars (in Capricornus) Time: 2:18 AM EDT Equipment: Visual S&T Chart Reference: 64 Mars was finally high enough in the SE sky to see it. Didn't initially realize it was in Capricornus. If you drew a line from 24 Cap to Dabih Major, Mars was next to that line 1/3 of the way up from 24 Cap.
Delphinus Time: 2:18 AM EDT Equipment: Visual S&T Chart Reference: 64 Saw the constellation visually very easily. All 5 stars could be located and identified.
Equuleus Time: 2:20 AM EDT Equipment: Visual S&T Chart Reference: 75 Accidentally. found Equuleus while viewing Delphinus. Visually could see γ, δ, α and ε. Could also see β but did't realize at this time that it was part of the constellation.
Saturn + the Teapot (Asterism in Sagittarius) Time: 2:26 AM EDT Equipment: Visual S&T Chart Reference: 66, 67, 68, 69, I The Teapot was at least 3º above the horizon earlier in the evening. All 8 stars were readily identified visually.
At this hour of the morning, the Teapot was was 5º above the horizon with Saturn directly above Kaus Borealis - just like in the Atacama! I didn't use my binoculars to view the rings.
Satellite Time: 2:26 AM EDT Equipment: Binoculars Trying to locate δ Cephei. Followed the satellite from there through Camelopardalis to Lynx. About 15 seconds before it disappeared, it became very bright for a second or two.
