All in all, a very successful "First Light" observing session!
The Meade LX200 built-in computer proved to be a bit more challenging to master than expected.
Despite the setbacks we faced in the auto-alignment process, we were able to view the planet Saturn
with its incredible ring system, the planet Jupiter with its impressive cloud bands and four moons,
and the star-forming region M42, the Great Orion Nebula.

Where do we go from here?
The plan is to have a few more visual observing sessions with the telescope using the internal computer system.
These observing sessions will be open to not only the astronomy students but the CIT student body, faculty and staff.
Next, we will use a laptop computer to control the telescope using Software Bisque's TheSky telescope control software.
After working out any bugs encountered with that process, we will install the SBIG ST-9XE CCD imager and science filter set.
Using Software Bisque's CCDSoft camera control and image processing software, we will be able to
image a variety of astronomical objects and process the resulting data to create beautiful tri-color images.
Finally, after the total commissioning of the telescope and CCD imager is complete,
we can get down to serious business and begin work on our site survey.
We will conduct atmospheric propagation studies and sky brightness surveys,
so we can learn more about the skies here above our CIT campus in Crownpoint.
These surveys will provide us with the data needed to characterize our site,
information that must be included in our future grant proposals
seeking funds to build a CIT campus observatory.

Stay tuned!