2009-02-28-chuckwalla

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Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:27:12 -0700

Departing Monrovia, we enjoyed seeing the snow on Mt. Baldy.

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Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:27:12 -0700

This was the sky as we approached Chuckwalla Bench. The high clouds cleared nicely by late evening.

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Pumping station near I-10 between Chiriaco Summit and Desert Center.

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Our exit. Maps tend to refer to it as Red Cloud Mine Road.

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No off-roading around here.

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We go two miles on the somewhat washboarded dirt road.

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Help protect the desert tortoises.

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Unloading the van Saturday evening.

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Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:27:12 -0700

Dave has his big dob set up.

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Our host ocotillo looks like it's had a difficult year. See it here in 2007. I hope we didn't contribute!

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Mojo's astrophotography setup coming together for the evening.

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Nice sunset shot of Dave's observing area.

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Jane brought two telescopes, one a little bigger than the other.

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Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:27:12 -0700

Mojo setting up.

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Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:27:12 -0700

Dave with his big dob.

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Jane with her small refractor, for Galileo-like views.

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Dave and Greg chatting before sunset.

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Sunset clouds, which fortunately cleared nicely overnight.

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Jane's observing area with her Ranger and Litebox 18-inch dob.

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Venus is there below the moon. Can you find the tiny white dot?

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Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:27:12 -0700

A piggyback picture of M42 (The Great Nebula in Orion) from the Canon 20D. The central region with the Trapezium and nearby three stars in a row are seen in Jane's sketch, next.

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Jane's sketch of the stars in the Trapezium region of M42.

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The moon, Canon 20D at prime focus with the AP Traveler.

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This shot of the moon through the thin clouds was over-exposed to capture the earthshine on the night side of the moon.

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Jane's lunar sketches made the same evening as the photos.

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Venus through the AP Traveler, Canon 20D at prime focus.

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Sketches of Venus through Jane's low-power refractor.

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Piggyback night sky view of the Hyades and Pleides star clusters of Taurus. The Pleides are near the lower middle of the photo, and sketched by Jane and Galileo next.

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Jane's Pleides sketches, and a recreation of Galileo's sketch.

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Center left is the Beehive (or Praesepe) cluster.

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Beehive Cluster, M44, 4 x 120 second exposures

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Comet Lulin, six exposures aligned on the comet, show the star trail motion behind the comet. 6 x 120 sec exposure

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These six exposures are aligned on the stars behind the comet. The elongation of the head of the comet shows its motion over the approximately 15 minute period. 6 x 120 sec.

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m42

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Obligatory M42 photo. 5 x 60 second exposures. Focus a little off, but not bad.

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M105 galaxy group in Leo. 4 x 5 minute exposures.

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Open cluster which appears as "Orion's Head", 4 x 60 second exposures. Also known as Collinder 69 or Sharples 2-264.

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Dawn sun rays break over Chuckwalla Mountain.

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Dawn sun beams light the desert mountains.

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Halfway packed for the trip home.

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Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:27:12 -0700

Full packed, ready for home.

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Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:27:12 -0700

In the distance, that's the Salton Sea from I-10.

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Mount San Gorgonio driving east on Sunday morning.

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Dave's great license plate.

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Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:27:12 -0700

Home again, the observatorys on Mt. Wilson appear as white domes just to the right of the Snow sun telescope tower, near the center of the picture.