Heavy METUL Night #2

[Roger Hill]

You'll want to come a bit early for this one due to some twilight observing.  I'll do my best to get the gates open for 7pm, and you should be ready to go by 7:30, if possible.

This one is at New Moon, so there will be lots of Messier objects to see, and two (or three!) planets: Venus and Mercury.  There's a possibility of a third one, too: Uranus!

If you have binoculars, bring them out as Mercury will be about three degrees above and to the right of bright Venus.  If you can mount your binoculars on a tripod and leave them pointed at Mercury, Uranus will be 3 degrees to the right of that position 1 hour later! 

There might even be a -4.7 Iridium flare at 21:19.

We'll look at M35 in Gemini, M41 south of Sirius, M42 in Orion and M45 in Taurus.

We'll point the 16" at the Leo Trio for a treat!

As always, everyone is welcome. 

If you bring your own telescope, park on the north side of the parking lot (to your left as you drive in).

Dress warmly, bring a clipboard, a couple of pencils, and one of those Canadian Tire headlamp flashlights that has a red LED setting.

See you in the dark!