Conditions: Clear and quiet, no wind. Temp 55° or so. Spent about 3.5 hours outside over a few visits.
Mars
Tonight is the first time I've seen some features on Mars. Not clear and not distinct, but with my orange filter I could make out some dark patches (sort of like two dark bands near the tropics). I was looking at 124x and it was plenty bright enough to have gone further (if I had the eyepieces).
Around Leo
M65 and M66 - seen as very faint blurs (need a light pollution filter badly...) - averted vision is all that saves me on these. I constantly "mow" and move my eyes.
Around Virgo
Identified Spica, Corvus and looked into the "Realm of the Galaxies" only to be reminded... it's not dark enough here. Still good to be getting some more constellations under my belt, Virgo and Bootes are pretty easy from the Big Dipper.
Around Ursa Major (Big Dipper)
M101 - still no luck resolving this one... hopefully new filters / eyepieces will bear fruit. I might just have to take a trip sometime.
Mizar / Alcor - very pretty double, the second star in the handle of the Big Dipper. Mizar is actually another double, but only through the telescope (need a bino tripod badly).
The temperature was pretty much perfect, but alas... my attempts at sleep got me back in the house by midnight. If only I had a week of clear skies off and no one to tend to. Oh well... it's not a race ;)
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