Observing Report - 7/22 through 7/25 - Lassen National Park

[Steve Gottlieb]

Four nights at Lassen Volcanic National Park (8200 ft), along with DeepSkyForum members Carter Scholz, Marko Johnston and Jimi Lowrey. Descriptions, finder charts, and some scenic views of Lassen at Adventures in Deep Space. If anyone has comments on these objects, please post here.

22 July
23 July
24 July
25 July

[Ivan Maly]

Fine reports. Good catch of the second arm in NGC 5921. Just recently I was able to see the bend of the W end in NGC 7253A at 330x.

[Steve Gottlieb]

Thanks for mentioning the faint, bent extension at the northwest end of NGC 7253A. Good excuse to revisit this pair!

[RolandosCY]

Amazing report! Oh, I'm living at the wrong place.... I am dreaming of such extreme observing trips... This past weekend I was at my island's highest area, 6,400ft, well above the haze / humidity layer that has been affecting us since Tuesday, and despite being a weekend, I had no-one join in for some serious observing (observing of course I did but "only" with my 6" achro, binoculars, and naked eye).

[Ivan Maly]

6400 ft sounds good to me, actually sounds safer than 8000, although if you are not affected by altitude then why not. If I drive up to 9000 from sea level I feel like I've downed a glass of vodka, and I am talking 250 ml. Does your 18" now stay home as an observatory instrument, Rolandos?

[RolandosCY]

No, it still travels. At home the SQM hovers around the 21.0 mark (20.95 to 21.05 most nights). Within 45 minutes I have a site at 2500ft and 21.4, and within one hour I can get to a higher site (4300ft) again SQM 21.4. My best site though is two hours away at 21.6 (again 2500ft). I usually go with the 18" to the nearer sites once a month during summer, and to the darker site once per season. There are even darker areas but I have to persuade people to come with me and usually there is a lack of volunteers...