General Session - May 8, 2017

Conjunction: Moon-Jupiter-Spica
Asterisms: Coathanger/Collinder 399/Brocchi's Cluster
Constellation: Gemini, Leo

Location: Home
Date: 2017-05-08
Time: 11:00 PM - 11:45 PM 
Instrument: Visual + Binoculars 10x30 IS
Magnification: x10
Transparency: good
Seeing: good
Temperature: -6° C

Semi-cloudy skies until binoculars revealed a haziness (high cloud or humidity). The Moon in particular reflected light onto the clouds.

Coathanger / Collinder 399
Time: 11:00 PM
Instrument: Binoculars 10x30 IS
Magnification: x10 
Despite the atmospheric conditions, all stars in the Coathanger were easily found.


Leo
Time: 11:18 PM
Instrument: Visual
Some clouds but otherwise clear. Denebola caught my eye after seeing Regulus and part of the Sickle asterism. The stars in the hind end were not all seen, especially not the legs, but Denebola and Zosma were clear with barely visible Chertan. Leo's hind legs were hidden by cloud. The stars in his mane could barely be seen but Algieba, Ras Elasid Australis and Ras Elasid Borealis were visible.

Sounds of a loon calling out on Second Lake - a beautiful accompaniment.

   
Conjunction - Moon-Jupiter-Spica
Time: 11:35 PM
Instrument: Binoculars 10x30 IS
Magnification: x10 
Spica was barely visible as a point of light. Jupiter was quite bright and due to the atmospheric conditions appeared as a 'twinkle' in my binocular view.		     

Gemini
Time: 11:35 PM
Instrument: Binoculars 10x30 IS
S&T Chart Reference: 23, 25 
Could easily see Castor and Pollux but the haze made it difficult to see the other stars in the constellation that was found at approximately 45º declination.

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