As Mat mentioned I am heading to the Pit (I fear Vernon needs a few more days to dry out unfortunately as my new locations there are darker and my favorite). Humidity at the Pit last night was in the low 60% unless you stayed until after 4:30a.m. From 4:30a.m. it spiked from the 70's to the mid 80's at 8:00a.m. I'll be long gone before that. The forecast for transparency is average tonight with very good seeing though. I'll be at the Pit around 7:00p.m. to set up and cool down, might be around 6:30p.m. I'll take my dew equipment but I am not expected to use it. In terms of the Pup a mask can help, and time of the night helps also. I've seen the Pup the last two years out in the West Desert in both my 14inch and my 10 inch dob. I think its easier sometimes in my 10 inch. Anyway, sometimes the best chance IF conditions are good, is to try for it in twilight before Sirius impacts the view too much. I'll see what conditions are like tonight and may try for it. I'm also trying for the B33 if conditions are right. Here is a link to a good article on splitting the Pup: http://sanantonioskywatch.com/2010/01/17/viewing-the-pup/ Finally, I'm trying for two new supernova that appeared this week, one in M95 in Leo and one in NGC 4790 in Virgo. Here is the info: NGC 4790 in Virgo has a 12th mag supernova called 2012au that was discovered on the 14th. That means this sucker is going to get bright and should be easy to view. It is a Type Ib which will mean it will brighten quick, and then fade quicker than a Type II would. Here is the info: 2012au (= PSN J12545218-1014502) (= SNhunt117), CBET 3052 discovered 2012/03/14.450 by Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey and Stan Howerton Found in NGC 4790 at R.A. = 12h54m52s.18, Decl. = -10°14'50".2 Located 3".5 east and 2".0 north of the center of NGC 4790 (Discovery image) Mag 12.7:3/16, Type Ib (References: CBAT TOCP, ATEL 3967, ATEL 3968, ATEL 3971) 2012au images sub-page Just in time for a Messier Marathon, Messier 95 as a bright SN that was discovered on 17th of March in an outer arm of Messier 95. Already in the 12th mag range this one will brighten also and is really close to Mars right now. Here is a link<http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/03/18/another-bright-supernova-goes-boom-in-m95-near-mars/>to info on this one. This one is so new they haven't been able to identify what type it is. I'm going for both this week! Here is the info on the SN in Messier 95: PSN J10435372+1140177, CBAT TOCP discovered 2012/03/16.8493 by J. Skvarc; Alessandro Dimai (Italian Supernovae Search Project) Found in M95 at R.A. = 10h43m53s.72, Decl. = +11°40'17".7 (= NGC 3351) Located 60" west and 115" south of the center of M95 (Skvarc discovery image) (Dimai discovery image) (Nick James image) (David Strange image) (Stan Howerton image) (William Wiethoff image) (Martin Mobberley image) (Maurice Gavin image) (Stephen M. Brincat image) (Fabio Martinelli image) Mag 13.1:3/19, Type unknown (References: ATEL 3979) Astrobob blog, Beautiful Start blog, blog, Astronomy blog, Astronet in Swedish [translate] Here is the link<http://www.rochesterastronomy.org/supernova.html#PSNJ10435372+1140177>to Bright Supernova on the info for this one. Jay --