I'm sitting out in my backyard right now, imaging with the 105mm and playing around with the 14" in the dome. This has been the normal night for the past 3 nights, as I've enjoyed some nice clear, dark, moonless skies.
The Orionids meteor shower has really been putting on a nice show. although I have to confess to missing most of it as my eyes are drawn to the computer screen to manage the ccd imaging. I suppose that is one of the negatives of doing astroimaging, you end up looking down more than up. But I have taken breaks on a reclining chair occasionally and watched as bright fireballs streak through the sky. How strange and wonderful to consider that these objects have travelled for many eons through space only to come to a quick but beautiful demise in our atmosphere.
My astronomy these past few days has been in the backyard but I would have preferred to have done my observing from a darker location. This weekend was the All-Arizona Starparty north of Tucson, and I sure wish I could have gone. Unfortunately my wife had some surgery yesterday so I needed to stay home to care for her. During the day I'm running around trying to help her manage things but at night the house quiets down and I can retreat to visit my old friends, the stars. Fall is here and the nights are chilly; Orion looms large as he ushers in the colder weather. I'm bundled up pretty heavily since astronomy isn't a very active hobby.
I know the folks attending the star party, as well as some others who chose to go to other dark sky locations, are really having a great time, but on the other hand there is a great deal of astronomy excitement that can be had right here in the backyard.
Since I've been imaging for several nights now, my data is backing up. I have several objects to process as well as some spectral data. So there will be plenty to do when the clouds come.
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