Impromptu report Monday 10/5

[David Stein]

We had a very nice impromptu last night at Alpha Ridge!  A baker's dozen HAL members came out to enjoy the clear skies and brave the coolness (I can't really call it cold knowing what's ahead in the next few months).  I was imaging the Cygnus Loop (SH2-103) with my Seestar S50P.  Wikipedia says:

The Cygnus Loop (radio source W78, or Sharpless 103) is a large supernova remnant (SNR) in the constellation Cygnus, an emission nebula measuring nearly 3° across. [...] The brightest parts of the visual portion of the Cygnus Loop are known as the Veil Nebula, also called the Cirrus Nebula or the Filamentary Nebula. Several components have separate names and identifiers, including the "Western Veil" or "Witch's Broom", the "Eastern Veil", and Pickering's Triangle.

I had planned to leave at 11, but I ended up staying until about 12:45 to get two full hours of data.  Wayne wanted to stay until the early morning to watch the occultation of Jupiter by the Moon so he offered to take over and lock the park.  I did lock the gate on my way out at Wayne's request for security.  Wayne told me that he successfully observed and photographed the occultation and locked up and left the park at 6:30 AM.

Here's a (much reduced) version of my picture of the Cygnus Loop.

Clear skies,

David