barely clear

Last night was a bit frustrating. Seeing was not very good, but that was as predicted, so I just used the 8" mask for decent images. The transparency was poor, very moist, just below cloud forming level. I did get a few observations in. The frustrating bit was the Servo/Argo cut out mid slew again, causing it to revert back to FIX ALT REF -- meaning I would need to redo the star alignment. It happened just after 10pm and I didn't have the motivation to try to fix it to continue. I don't know if it's an encoder problem, motor problem, software problem, etc. -- I'm too far away from the Argo to see any messages since they only blink for a couple of seconds... I'll check out the mechanicals tonight.

My observing window (the area of sky best for viewing, higher up and west of meridian) is moving through Cygnus now, so there are plenty or rich star fields to explore. I stepped inside midway through the session to help with some chores, and found upon my return my dark adaptation was greatly reduced, I had trouble seeing the pair I had been looking at just before. So those who say dark adaptation or averted vision doesn't matter with double work really don't know the truth!

The sky was clear(ish) this morning; it would have been a good opportunity to observe the moon. There is still some darkness left in the mornings at 6am when I get up, so I should make the effort to get out and observe a little in the mornings.

BU 144 AB 8" 333x: Clean star images, equal pair, wide, very pretty, in a dense field. Great view
19h 37m 47.09s +30° 21' 18.6" P.A. 356 sep 6 mag 9.53,9.63 Sp K0V

MLB 765 CD 8" 333x: Nice one delta mag pair, wide, very pretty. [There are several more pairings, including DAMs at 14th mag, which would be barely reachable with the 20" on a good night.]
19h 38m 08.56s +29° 12' 40.5" P.A. 237 sep 6.5 mag 10.00,11.50 Sp G5III

COU 1162 Aa-Ab: 8" 333x: fine snowman at 333x but needed 667x to split, very close pair. SLE 654 AB noticed as a very faint star about 15" out and a few degrees difference in PA. 

19h 38m 37.18s +29° 52' 53.4" P.A. 128 sep 0.8 mag 9.85,9.89 Sp F5III

SEI 654 AB 8" 333x: Wide one delta mag. pair.
19h 39m 20.06s +31° 52' 19.5" P.A. 115 sep 14.8 mag 9.30,10.68 Sp G8III

SLE 659 AB 8" 333x: Faint and wide pair, B star quite faint at edge of direct vision [There are a large number of other fainter pairings here, wonder if it should be an open cluster]
19h 39m 23.17s +30° 29' 09.4" P.A. 107 sep 8.4 mag 11.00,12.50

STF 2557 AB 8" 333x: The closest to the 7th mag star, among a constellation of possible pairings. [Turns out the whole panoply is not physical.]
19h 39m 35.20s +29° 44' 55.5" P.A. 103 sep 11 mag 7.49,10.23 Sp B8Vn dist. 315.46 pc (1029.03 l.y.)

J 776 AB 8" 333x: Faint pair, one is about half a delta mag, the other flashes with averted vision and can hold direct once found. [not physical]
19h 40m 08.45s +30° 35' 50.2" P.A. 47 sep 3.5 mag 11.10,11.60