The Astronomical League’s
Universe Sampler Observing Program
Submitted by Jack Fitzmier, AL Member at Large
Observing Locations / Times
The John Wood Astronomy Field is part of the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center near Mansfield, GA. Coordinates are 33 / 28 / 9 N latitude and 83 / 44 / 6 W longitude. The Deerlick Astronomy Village is a dark sky site near Sharon, GA. Coordinates are 33 / 33 / 41 N latitude and 82 / 45 / 47 W longitude. My former home in Decatur, GA was on Mason Mill Road. Coordinates are about 33 / 48 / 18 N latitude and 84 / 18 / 27 W longitude. Instruments used are listed with each observation. Listed times are local.
Object List I
A. Fifteen Bright Stars
I completed AL’s Constellation Hunter / Northern Hemisphere Program in 2012. I re-observed all of the following stars for this program. I note the Location, Date, and Time of the more recent Universe Sampler observations in below.
| Star | Constellation | Location | Date, Time |
| 1. Alnilam | Orion | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 3/25/16, ca. 10:37 PM |
| 2. Bellatrix | Orion | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 3/25/16, ca. 10:37 PM |
| 3. Betelgeuse | Orion | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 3/25/16, ca. 10:37 PM |
| 4. Rigel | Orion | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 3/25/16, ca. 10:37 PM |
| 5. Aldeberan | Taurus | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 9/24/16, ca. 12:50 AM |
| 6. Elnath | Taurus | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 9/24/16, ca. 12:50 AM |
| 7. Castor | Gemini | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 5/21/16, ca. 10:10 PM |
| 8. Pollux | Gemini | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 5/21/16, ca. 10:10 PM |
| 9. Regulus | Leo | Jon Wood Field | 4/9/16, 11:12 PM |
| 10. Altair | Aquila | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 9/4/16, 11:10 PM |
| 11. Arcturus | Bootes | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 9/4/16, 9:23 PM |
| 12. Capella | Auriga | Jon Wood Field | 4/9/16, 9:40 PM |
| 13. Deneb | Cygnus | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 9/4/16, 10:20 PM |
| 14. Vega | Lyra | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 9/4/16, 10:48 PM |
| 15. Procyon | Canis Minor | Deerlick Astronomy Village | 5/21/16, 10:15 PM |
B. Angular Distance Estimates
Aldebaran to Betelgeuse. I observed these two stars from the Jon Wood Field at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center (near Mansfield, Georgia) on 4/9/16 at about 9:20 PM. With my two fists extended and pressed together, I almost “touched” the two stars. Assuming that my fist works out to 10 degrees, I would estimate that the distance between the stars is a bit more than 20 or 21 degrees.
Deneb to Vega. I observed these two stars from the Deerlick Astronomy Village on 4/17/16 at about 5:00 AM. With my two fists extended, I could not “touch” the stars. I needed my left fist and my right fist, plus my first and little fingers only right fist extended pretty far out to get the “touch.” I would estimate that the stars are 23 or 24 degrees apart.
C. Azimuth and Altitude Estimates
I observed Capella from the Jon Wood Field on 4/9/16 at about 9:40 PM. It was four of my fists from the horizon, maybe a bit more. I would estimate its Altitude to be about 42 degrees. Polaris was easily seen in the same FOV, somewhat to the right. Capella was close to Northwest, or about 300 degrees.
I observed Altair from Deerlick Astronomy Village on 4/17/16 at about 5:05 AM. Using little and first fingers extended on both hands was a bit too much. I estimate that the distance is about 55 degrees, perhaps a more. Altair was a left of Southeast; I would estimate it at about 125 degrees.
D. Two Variable Stars (2 of Beta Per (2.8 days) / Rho Per (50 days) / Beta Lyr (12 days) / Delta Ceph (5 days)
| Target Star | Comparison Star | Obs 1 | Obs 2 | Obs 3 | Obs 4 |
| Date / Time | Date / Time | Date / Time | Date / Time | ||
| Estimate Mag |
| Target Star | Comparison Star | Obs 1 | Obs 2 | Obs 3 | Obs 4 |
| Date / Time | Date / Time | Date / Time | Date / Time | ||
| Estimate Mag |
E. Two Meteors
I have traced the meteors’ track across the sky, in red, using maps from Sky and Telescope / International Astronomical Union. The first meteor (whitish) was observed on 4/9/16 from the Jon Wood Observing Field at about 11:10 PM. The meteor sped across the Leo, nearly “decapitating” the Lion. (Click to enlarge.)
The second meteor was observed from Deerlick Astronomy Village on 5/21/16 at about 10:20 PM. This one crossed Gemini, which was setting in the West, moving from the left of Pollux to the right of the foot of the constellation. Whitish in color. (Click to enlarge.)
F. Solar Observation – I helped staff a Venus Transit outreach event sponsored by the Charlie Elliott Chapter of the Atlanta Astronomy Club on 6/5/12 from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM. It was held at Bay Creek Park in Grayson, Georgia, and attended by about 350 people. We had heavy cloud cover until just before 6:30 p.m., at which time we got a clear view of the Western sky until the Sun went behind the trees. I viewed the Sun through a number of devices: refracting and reflecting scopes with white light filters, one hydrogen alpha scope, and a sun funnel. Everyone was fascinated by the Sun and watched with great enthusiasm as the planet Venus appeared to move across the Sun.
Object List II
A. Chosen Objects
- Three Planets
I observed Jupiter from the Jon Wood Field at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center (near Mansfield, Georgia) on April 4, 2016 from about 9:00 PM until about 10:00 PM. I was able to see several moons and also was able to note the cloud bands. I used an Explore Scientific 102 Triplet with varying magnifications (40x, 80x, and 110x). Scope was mounted on an Alt AZ Explore Scientific Twilight I mount.
I observed Mars from my home in Decatur, Georgia on March 23, 2016 at approximately 5:20 AM. I used a pair of Fujinon 16 x 70 binoculars mounted on a camera tripod. Not much detail was visible on the planet at this fixed magnification. One neat thing: In the same field of view I saw, and could split the double star Beta Scorpii.
I observed Saturn from the Deerlick Astronomy Village (near Sharon, Georgia) from about 5:30 AM until about 6:00 AM on 4/18/16. It was perhaps the best sight of Saturn I have ever had. Used an Explore Scientific 102 on an Alt-Az mount. Could easily see the rings, and managed to make out the Cassini Division.
2. Comet: I had the good fortune to view and photograph (though not very well) Comet PANSTARRRS. When I realized that it would be visible to the naked eye, I figured out where I could set up a camera. In the photo below, the Comet is visible in the left-center of the photo. The photo was taken March 13, 2013 at 6:51 PM from the campus of Emory University, looking toward midtown Atlanta. (Click to enlarge.)
B. Lunar Features
(1) Crater Aristoteles. I viewed this crater from my home in Decatur, GA on 9/7/16 at 8:12 PM. I viewed through Fujinon 16 x 70 binoculars mounted on a camera tripod. The crater was near the top of the Moon just off of the terminator. (Pardon my miserable drawing skills.)
(2) Apennine Mountains. I viewed this mountain range on 5/16/16 at about 11:00 PM from Deerlick Astronomy Village. The mountain chain runs from approximately the middle of the Moon to the Northeast in a semicircle. They lie to the right of Archimedes. Used the Fuji’s.
(3) Crater Copernicus. I viewed Copernicus, using the same binocular setup, from my home in Decatur, GA on 4/29/16 at 6:05 AM.Located near the middle of the Moon.
(4) Crater Grimaldi. I observed this crater from the Deerlick Astronomy Village on 1/26/13 at about 9:35 PM. Same binocular setup as above. Located near the bottom of the Moon.
C. Deep Sky Objects
(1) NGC 404 is known as “Mirach’s Ghost.” It is a galaxy that lies behind the star Mirach. I viewed these objects from Deerlick Astronomy Village at 10:07 PM on October 28, 2016 using a 6 in Explore Scientific Mak Newt on an Alt-Az mount. At first, I thought my scope was not focusing properly. After some fiddling, my impression was that the ghost part was like a small secondary star in a double star system. The objects sort of glow together in a bright yellow mass.
(2) NGC 457 is called the Owl Cluster. I observed it from Deerlick Astronomy Village on 9/4/16 at 10:16 PM. I used 16 x 70 Fujinon binoculars on a camera tripod. I had the cluster in the same FOV as Ruchbah, one of the prominent stars in Cassiopeia. I could distinguish the cluster very well, but confess (not for the first time) I do not easily discern the Owl!
(3) Gamma Andromeda. I viewed this double star at Deerlick Astronomy Village on 9/4/16 at 10:26 PM. This is a terrific double star and is quite bright – Mag 2.2. I was able to find and split the double using Fuji binoculars on a camera tripod. In the binocs you can note that the stars are not the same color. One tends to white, the other to yellow.
(4) NGC 1528 is an open cluster in Perseus, approximately magnitude 6. I observed it from the Jon Wood Astronomy Field near Mansfield, GA on January 20, 2018 at 7:25 PM. The cluster is rather diffuse, and took some work to find in my Fujinon 16 x 70 binoculars mounted on a camera tripod.
(5) NGC 1952 is Messier 1or the famous Crab Nebula. I viewed this from the Jon Wood Field of the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center (near Mansfield, Georgia) for the first time on 11/3/13 at 12:15 AM. I used an Orion 80mm Short Tube Refractor and viewed at 20x and 55x. The scope was mounted on a camera tripod. The nebula is sort of oval shaped and is gray and wispy looking. Not a lot of detail, but I was able to locate it in Taurus. An amazing sight.
(6) NGC 2169 is an open cluster that is located in Orion, up and to the left of Betelgeuse. If you imagine the mythical constellation shape, it would be someplace near Orion’s hand. The cluster is Mag 5.9 but I was able to find it from my home in Decatur, GA under light polluted skies. I was able to pick out five or six brighter stars, and some fainter ones. Viewed on 2/1/13 at 9:04 PM using 10 x 50 binocs on a camera tripod.
(7) NGC 2362 is an open cluster, approximately magnitude 4, in Canis Major. I observed it from the Jon Wood Astronomy Field near Mansfield, GA on January 20, 2018 at 8:22 PM using Fujinon 16 x 70 binoculars on a camera tripod. The cluster is about one field of view to the left of the star Wezen. It is notable for several bright blue stars that stand out from the cluster.
(8) Iota Cancri. I observed this double star on 4/5/15 at 12:22 AM. I was located at the Deerlick Astronomy Village (near Sharon, Georgia) and was using a pair of Eagle Optics 10 x 50 binoculars mounted on a camera tripod. The seeing was fair, and I was able to split the pair. Both stars are yellow, and the primary is considerably larger than the secondary. In my FOV, the secondary was located at about 4 PM on a “clock face” with the primary at the center.
(9) NGC 4361 / PN (6 AM in January 2018)
(10) NGC 5194 is Messier 51, the famous Whirlpool Galaxy, located in Canes Venatici. I viewed it for the first time on 4/9/16 from the Jon Wood Field at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center (near Mansfield, Georgia). I was observing with and Explore Scientific 102 mm Triplet mounted on an Explore Scientific Twilight I Alt Az mount. I viewed the galaxy at 40x and 80x. This is an amazing sight – it looks as though the larger GX is pulling the smaller GX into itself. They are face on spirals, so the view is pretty spectacular.
(11) NGC 5907 / GX (6 AM in January 2018)
(12) NGC 6441 is a globular cluster located just below Messier 7, and adjacent to HR 6630. The proximity of these three objects allowed me to fit all three in my FOV (an Explore Scientific 102 on an Alt-Az mount). The cluster is a very small faint collection of stars. Could not resolve them individually, but neither could I focus onto a single point of light. Deerlick Astronomy Village, 9/5/16 at 10:08 PM.
(13) NGC 6624. I observed this from Deerlick Astronomy Village on 9/4/16 at 9:55 PM. I used Fuji 16 x 70 binocs on a Swarovsky CF camera tripod. Same FOV as Kaus Media and 18 Sgr. The cluster was tough to make out, but I kept sweeping between Kaus Media and 18 Sgr and finally saw a small smudge. Could not resolve it like a star; remained fuzzy.
(14) NGC 6720. I observed Messier 57, the Ring Nebula, from the Jon Wood Field of the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center (near Mansfield, Georgia) for the first time on 11/3/13 at 12:25 AM. I used an Orion 80mm Short Tube Refractor and viewed at 20x and 55x. The scope was mounted on a camera tripod. Of all the asterism / shape names of nebula, this one has the most apt name. It is a tiny ring hanging in the sky. A beautiful sight.
(15) NGC 6760 / Globular (March 2018 Pre 6 AM)
(16) Beta Cygni. I observed this fantastic double star, Beta Cyngi or Albireo, on 9/20/14 at 10:27 PM from the Jon Wood Field at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center (near Mansfield, Georgia). The seeing was quite good. This double sits in a wonderful star field. The primary is yellow / orange and is larger than the secondary, which is more white in color. If the primary were at the center of a clock face, the secondary would be at about one o’clock. I was observing with Eagle Optics 10 x 50 binoculars mounted on a camera tripod.
(17) NGC 6853 is a nebula called the Dumbbell, and is designated Messier 27. I viewed it using and Explore Scientific 102 triplet on an Alt-Az mount. Observed from Deerlick Astronomy Village on 6/15/15 at 11:27 PM. The nebula is well named – it really does resemble a dumbbell. I was able to observe two sorts of nebulosity. The brightest forms the two ends and an airy, wispy part forms the handle.
(18) NGC 7293 / Helix Nebula (May of 2018)