General Session - September 21, 2016

Constellation: Andromeda, Aquila, Boötes, Capricornus, Cassiopeia, Cygnus, Pegasus, Perseus, Pisces Austrinus 
Asterism: Coathanger/Brocchi's Cluster/Collinder 399
Stars: Cap Prima Giedi, Cap Secunda Giedi, Fomalhaut
Messier Object: M31 (Andromeda Galaxy)

Location: home
Date: 2016-09-21
Time: 9:30 PM - 10:40 PM 
Instrument: Visual + Binoculars 10x30 IS
Magnification: x10
Transparency: Good
Seeing: Good

Clear, warm night.

Perseus: Time: 9:45 PM Equipment: Visual S&T Chart Ref: 2, 13 Tony Schellinck had pointed out Perseus in a talk and observing session in Liverpool earlier this month. Was able to find all the stars in Perseus at that time. This evening, while looking SE while standing on our side deck, Mirfak was quite visible as was Algol but for some reason couldn't see the others as well. Didn't look for them in binoculars.

Andromeda & M31 (Andromeda Galaxy): Time: 9:50 PM Equipment: Visual + Binoculars 10x30 IS S&T Chart Ref: 3, 72 Was able to find some of the stars in Andromeda visually in order to find M31 with binoculars. Pegasus: Time: 9:50 PM Equipment: Visual + Binoculars 10x30 IS S&T Chart Ref: 74, 75 Easily identify the Square of Pegasus but not the extension to κ and π. This was attempted visually and with binoculars.

Aquila: Time: 9:55 PM Equipment: Visual S&T Chart Ref: 64, 65, 66 Located Altair and most of the stars in the constellation. Wing tips still illusive. Cygnus & Coathanger: Time: 9:55 PM Equipment: Visual + Binoculars  S&T Chart Ref: 62,73, H Located Cygnus and most of the stars in the constellation. The wing tips Zeta and Iota remain illusive. I used Albireo as the start point to find the Coathanger with my binoculars.

Cassiopeia:
Time: 9:55 PM
Equipment: Visual
S&T Chart Ref: 1, 3, 72
Able to locate all 5 stars visually.

Capricornus, Cap Prima Giedi & Cap Secunda Giedi:
Time: 9:55 PM
Equipment: Visual + Binoculars 10x30 IS
S&T Chart Ref: 66, 68, 77
Found Capricornus visually to locate the portion of the constellation I wanted to look at more closely. Used the binoculars to see Cap Prima Giedi, Cap Secunda Giedi, i.e., Alpha 1&2 and Beta 1&2 (aka Dabih) respectively.



Boötes:
Time: 9:55 PM
Equipment: Visual
S&T Chart Ref: 42, 44, 53, 55
Identified all the stars in Boötes visually.

Pisces Austrinus:
Time: 10:30 PM
Equipment: Visual
S&T Chart Ref: 76, 77, 78, 79
This was a surprise! A discovery in our own backyard! Facing the downhill neighbour's yard, I noticed a very bright star. It didn't appear to be associated with other stars or constellations nearby. SkySafariPro identified the bright star as Fomalhaut in the constellation Pisces Audtrinus. I then looked up the constellation and could identify 7 of the 10 stars comprising the constellation; the other 3 were hidden by the neighbour's trees.