20060305 - A quick outing

Session name: 20060305.0900

If I were to compare last year's observing schedule with this year's, I would note a marked difference. Last year, and priors, I went out at every chance, even if the weather was partial. This year I am bailing. My worst fear of the scopes doing more closet time than set up time appears to be true for these past couple of months.

Today I made it up to the park to put in some time with Sun, Moon, and Venus. I really didn't expect much, nor did I anticipate any challenges. Venus was very easy to pick up naked eye, and in the bins the phase is quite obvious.

It just took a bit longer for Moon to rise above the skyline. The one surprise for me was to see so plainly Cyrillus & Theophilus, Catharina was slightly harder. Contrast was low but enough to pick up the maria along northeastern and eastern limb, some roughness in the exposed southern quadrant.

Met Brid & Pat, an older couple from Dublin, here visiting their daughter. They took up the challenge to spot Venus which they did successfully. Brid looked through the bins before she was finally able to locate Venus naked eye.

--peter

p.s. today at 6 pm will be 5 days - 120 hours - since my last cigarette. Now that's a long time and I have counted most of those hours pass. Can't wait until this no longer occupies my every thought. Vicious addiction!