April 21st, 2012

The peak of the Lyrids settled in on this night which boasted a dozen or more meteors per hour. Did I see any meteors? Yes, I saw a couple but I have to admit that I wasn't really looking. According to me the "real show" was a little bit further,...

I made my way outside after fixing my TELRAD which had become unattached at one side since the glue wore off with time. I realigned my viewfinder using bright Venus. When I stopped fumbling in the dark and actually glimpsed at our shiny neighbour I was aghast as to it's clarity! It's crescent, illuminated at 33%, was spellbinding! There have been other nights when it's phase brightened up the sky to a greater degree but tonight the view was extremely sharp!

Our other neighbour, Mars, was very present on this night and offered a spectacular view as well. I checked the humidity levels wondering if it was low but it registered at 81%. At levels this high one would believe that my transparency (how steady the sky is) would be affected but no,... everything was pristine!

I skipped across the sky to Saturn that showed a definite hint of yellow with a whisper of an orange tinge colour. I told my husband, Steven. to come out and look. He came out in his shorts and t-shirt but didn't stay long since the temperature was flirting dangerously close to -10 degrees Celsius.

I looked up in the direction of Lyra a couple of times during the night for signs of meteors but there was another constellation that beckoned my attention: Virgo. This beautiful constellation hides so many wonderful gems! Knowing full well that it was a new moon and that light would not be a problem, I pointed my telescope towards the regions of Vindemiatrix. Why there? You see, herein lies the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies!

It is possible to point your telescope anywhere in this region and stumble upon a galaxy. I sat back mesmerized. We are indeed specks of dust in comparison aren't we? I guess you now all understand why I sign all of my astronomy journals with the same quote: " Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies

Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I"

I located, M59 and M60 which are elliptical galaxies estimated to be about 55 million of light years away, each holding billions of stars! All I could see was a hazy blur, a cloud, something that looked "not quite like a star" but more so!