24 May, 2003, Mojave National Preserve: Later in the evening we were unexpectedly joined by the Las Vegas Astronomy Society, holding a monthly star party. Despite setting up our own 10" Dobsonian reflector for excellent dark sky viewing, the LVAS club members snubbed us with barely a glance. The SF Astronomy Association and SF Sidewalk Astronomers are friendlier and more engaging by a country lightyear! Working alone for about 3 hours, Pete located M67 (open cluster), M44 (Beehive Cluster), M101 (Pinwheel Galaxy), M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy), M95 (spiral), M96 (spiral), M105 (elliptical), M65 (spiral), M66 (spiral, plus that mess of stuff in the Coma Berenices), M3 (globular), M53 (glob), M13 (Hercules Cluster), M92 (glob), M57 (Ring Nebula), M56 (glob), M4 (glob), M5 (glob), M107 (glob), M23 (open), M16 (open), M39 (another stupid open cluster!), NGC 6291, M102 (Spindle Galaxy), M40 (double star), M108 (spiral), M97 (Owl Nebula), M109 (spiral), M20 (Trifed Nebula), M21 (open cluster), M8 (Lagoon Nebula), M17 (Swan Nebula), M25 (open cluster), then got tired and went to bed. |
