Herschel 400 progress

[stephen-jones]

Indeed. Virgo is going to be fun....

[robert-torrey]

Besides, if objects on the other lists happen to also be Herschel objects then that's double credit. I knocked off quite a few Herschel globular clusters en route to my Globular Cluster award this summer.

With StarTools I could bring up the programs I've completed and set all objects to obsereved and logged. Then the Herschel list would be updated to just the uncompleted objects. But I hand write my logs onto paper forms for eack program so collating them may involve real "cut and paste".

[stephen-jones]

Whatever floats your boat. I'm kind of the opposite... I hand write my logs out in the field and then transcribe them into Excel later for transmittal so that whoever's reviewing them doesn't think my logs are some kind of alien script. My handwriting may the worst in the universe.

[robert-torrey]

My handwriting is also pretty bad, but my keyboard skills are worse.

Another method of field logging is to voice record your observations while at the eyepiece, as if you were descibing it to a blind person.

[stephen-jones]

Actually it's funny you mention that, because I have actually just recently begun doing that instead of the hand writing. Anything to minimize time using a light, even if it is a red one.

[rene-gedaly]

Thirty-four as of today but most of those are double-credit from other lists. It's April, though, so I'm back at it in earnest. Gonna stick my neck out and try to complete this by the end of 2016.

[rene-gedaly]

After such a beautiful night, only 51 confirmed. I am not going to finish this in one year. Sheesh

[edward-fraini]

I am working the 400 as well, 191 done. Now I am getting to the point that I need a darker sky than Columbus. I work on them at TSP and El Dorado star parties, since they are about the same time of year the possibilities there are getting slimmer as well. I am doing this with Karla so there is often a lot of discussion about how to describe what we see in the eyepiece. I convinced her NGC225 looks like a stick figure of a walking women. I reminded me of animated stick figures I saw at crosswalks in Taiwan. Or better yet that NGC6910 had a stick man on a bucking bronco. All a bit crazy but these sessions with my daughter are extremely pleasant.

I have hopes she and I both will get our pins before the end of the year. That will take some dedication.

Ed

[stephen-jones]

So... how's everybody doing on the Herschels? I'm over 260 now, but most of what I've got left are Spring objects, and weather hasn't been kind to us in that season lately. Hopefully this year will be different, and I can make some more progress.

[edward-fraini]

I am at 351 and in a holding pattern. the remaining ones will not be up till spring and summer. With an all nighter at TSP I can wrap it up. Lesson learned is when you start it might be best to sort by RA and begin with as far west an RA as you can....think Messier Marathon, same approach. When completed it will be a three year effort on and off.

EdF