2015 Astro Events

 

Jan 12 Mon eve - Comet Lovejoy imaging at Back Ranch Rd. Results: Mostly clean skies, Ann and Joe J met at Coast Rd and Hwy 1. Pix page here.

Jan 13/14 - Comet Lovejoy imaging at Laguna Mtn. Results: Pitch black skies and some spectacular images with JP, Kirk, Chris K, and Ann. Pix page here.

Jan 19 - Comet Lovejoy from Cabrillo Observatory. Results: cloudless for long enough to get 20 minutes of CCD images, here's the story.

Jan 21 - Venus conjunction with the moon and Mercury. Results: beautifully captured from Twin Lakes Beach, pix here

Jan 23/24 - Comet Lovejoy from Fremont Peak. Results: fun camping trip, but imaging disappointed, pix here.

Feb 15 - Comet Lovejoy from Laguna Mtn. Results: A bit of cirrus and the comet was low, but still got great pix; with Kirk and Chris K. Pix page here

Feb 20 - Triple Conjunction of Mars, Venus, Moon, and Occultation by Hispania. Results: Success, from Cabrillo Observatory. Pix page.

Mar 1/2 - Occultation of 11.1 star by 9.9 Pallas, with Aptos just inside northern limit. Results: a miss. Story here.

Mar 5 5:20am - Occultation of 8.7 star by Feronia, 33 deg up, in Scorpio. Cabrillo inside the limit lines, odds 35% Results: Got a definite miss on video. Pix page

Mar 8 8:14pm - Occultation of 11.4 star by Arago, high overhead in Auriga. Odds 0%, but I said I'd do it since there was an expedition to the Central Valley. Results: Got a tape, probable miss. The Story

Mar 13-15 Fri-Sun- Astro 28B: Planetary Science at Mt Lassen and the SETI Telescope Array . Results: late change of venue to Red Rock Canyon, as clouds and snow closed Mt Lassen. Pix here.

Apr 1 Wed eve 9pm - Occultation of 10.7 by double asteroid Antiope - a big event - wide path St George to Truckee, Estimated components and path map. Prepoint Star List. Perhaps get on way back from Utah backpack with Steve, in Nevada. 13 deg from 95% moon, so not easy. Results: I tried it from near Fallon, NV and was clouded out.

Apr 4 Sat morn 5am - Total lunar eclipse and 10.3 mag graze near Bottcher's Gap. Results: Skipped the graze, but had a grand night with Becky, Ezra, Alex, and Ann at Fremont Peak.

Apr 9 Thur eve - An astrophotography session at Cabrillo Observatory with Becky and Austin and Ezra. Results: A fun night!

Apr 11 Sat eve 11:56pm - Occultation of 12.1 star by Bickerton, from Bay Area, 5% odds of success, from Derek's SF list. Results: Got a miss, from Cabrillo

Apr 12 Sun eve 9:51pm - Occultation of 9.1 star by 1974 FV1, from off shore, Aptos in 1-sig area, and 8% odds of success, from Derek's SF list . Results: A miss, from Cabrillo.

June 19 Fri eve - Occultation of 12.5 star by Hippo, through Santa Cruz. Results: The path did indeed go through Cabrillo, but was just below our local horizon. Spent eve with Austin, Becky. The story

June 30 Tue eve - Venus - Jupiter Conjunction 1/3 degree.

July 15 - Wed eve - PlutoPalooza! At Cabrillo Observatory, show images from today's New Horizon's flyby. Pix page.

Jul 20 - Mon eve 10:31pm - Occultation of 11.8 star by Beogard, from Bay Area, 23 deg altitude in SSE, 7% odds from Aptos. Results: Got a video VTI, a miss. Story and Pix

Aug 12 - Wed eve - The Perseids Meteor Shower peaked at midnight, I drove to Pinnacles for astrophotography. Here's the story and pictures

Sept 18 Fri morn 4:05am - Occultation of 12.3 star by Petropolitana, centrally across Cabrillo, good rank. Results: Chris Angelos and I got a video recording of the successful occultation. Results are here.

Sep 18-20 Fri-Sun - Astro 28Z at Mono Hot Springs. Results: A great trip with pictures to come

Sept 27 Sun eve at 7:00-8:23pm - Total Eclipse of the Moon. Results: Drove to San Juan Bautista for dinner w/ Ann and Becky/Ezra, then to Fremont Pk, but clouded out - the story.

Oct 2 Fri morn - Occultation of Aldebaren at sunrise on 74- moon. Results: Tried it from my home deck, w/ WO 80mm APO refractor and Nikon D7000. Here's the pix

Oct 13 Tue eve 8:16:53pm - Occultation of 12.7 star by Bertholda near M25, with good odds centrally across Santa Cruz. Then at 10:06pm - Occultation of 10.3 star by Mercedes, from Tres Pinos centerline, 34% odds. 11% at Cabrillo. I'll have to try it from Cabrillo Observatory; right after Astro 8A ends. Planning page for both. Results: mostly cloudy, but got tape during clear moments around both events, but not quite on target star, so no data.

Oct 17 Sat morning - Occultation of 9.0 star by Oenone, from Carrizo Plain and Las Vegas, NV. Carrizo campsite is 4.7 km north of centerline. Results: Got a 4 sec event from Carrizo, followed by some awesome pix of dawn, and a 17 mile trail run to Caliente Peak. Pix page and story in progress.

Oct 18 Sun eve 9pm - Graze of 7th mag Cepheid WZ Sag, from fields south of Watsonville. Planning page Results: Kirk, Becky and I all got good data. About 30 timings total. Here's the pictures and data

Oct 20 Tue morning 4:30am - Occultation of 12.3 star by Prymno, from Santa Cruz area. Planning page and reductions page . Results: Got a videorecording...of a miss.

Oct 22 Thur morn 3:15am - Occultation of 11.5 star by Eukrate, high rank, 80% odds from southern Carrizo Plain. Planning page Results: Drove to Carrizo again, got 5 sec event on tape, and another wonderful 17 mi run and photos. Story page.

Nov 7 Sat 2:20am - Occultation of 10.5 star by Theobalda, centrally across Aptos, good rank. Planning page and watch Venus/Moon/Mars conjunction soon after.Results: A successfully recorded miss, from the centerline! Only one chord, from Tucson, got the event. Here's the picture page

Nov 18 Wed eve 6:10pm - Pomona occults 11.0 star in Sagitarrius, from Southern Monterey Bay, Aptos on N. limit. 33% odds at Cabrillo, 38% at FPO 40% centerline=Pinnacles, sun -14deg. Planning page Results: Drove to San Andreas Rd to avoid Derek's chord. Odds 36%, but had a miss. Story and pix

Nov 29 Sun morn 3:44am - Occultation of 12.4 star by Pafuri, across Santa Cruz; and my Planning Page. good rank 85% moon 34 deg away. Odds 56% for Cabrillo, 64% if drive to Moss Landing area. Derek 40%. Results: Got a good video record of the occultation. Story and reductions

Dec 7 Mon morn- Occultation of Venus near 7:54:10am; arrive early at Observatory for photography since sun still below local horizon (7deg), maybe bring Astro 3 class outdoors at 9:40:33am for R, or have scope set up and videorecording. Results: A few blurry pix through clouds, and watching the R from outside Astro 3 class

Dec 23 Wed eve 7:30pm - Occultation of 11.5 star by 10.4 Winchester, only 0.34 mag drop. 29 alt, High rank, across Carrizo Plain and Nogales AZ, Aptos on north limit. 34% odds at Cabrillo, 75% at Monterey. 98% moon 20 deg away. Results: A miss successfully videorecorded from Cabrillo; pix and lightcurves

Dec 25 Fri eve 7:05pm - Occultation of 10.5 star by Elsa, from Laguna Mtn. good rank, not visible from here. Full moon 166deg away, but maybe a astro/campout/waterfall running trip? Eyepiece Chart, Camcorder Chart Results: A success! Got it from King City, then to Laguna Mtn for trail adventures. Story page

Dec 29 Tue eve 8:13pm Tue eve - Occultation of 11.8 star by Aegle, from Pt Reyes, Cabrillo just south of Southern limit of high rank event. Better: go to Karl's. eyepiece chart, camcorder chart Results: Success! Got a 9 second event at Karl's. Reductions and pictures