It's been a while since I've got up early to do any imaging, with Jupiter setting so early and the waning moon so far and low in the north.. but decided to have a go this morning.
Got up at 3am, imaged for about 90 minutes on the moon (at 25° alt), and the Orion trap.. The seeing was very nice, best I've seen it in 6 weeks. I really enjoy the early morning seeing, and the transparency is usually good as well.
This morning was a practise run for Saturn, which will be high enough to image soon. It's rising each day, but so is the Sun. I think it'll be at least another 3-4 weeks before Saturn is above 20° with the sun still below the horizon.
I'm sure i'll be tired tonight but it was good fun to be out in it again.. the temperature really started dropping from about 4:20am onwards, starting from 7.2° and got down to 5.8° before I packed it in to come to work.
Nice report Mike.
I was working till late last night, so I was too tired later.
The milky way looked awesome and like you said the conditions were good.
I hate it how the sun is rising earlier. I'm having to finish taking dark frames about 5:30 now, and stop taking light frames about 4, I've lost a good hour or more
But the mornings are nice - that spring warm sun, etc.
This subject sort of leads into the astronomers paradox.,and there seems to be a few. That the summer nights are shorter but wormer. The seeing might well be better in the winter long clear nights but, Its cold. Ya just can't win.
I think I will spend more time looking through telescopes this summer. I will be looking in the mornings as I have found the clearest skies in those predawn hours.
Mornings are back!
