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stolenfeather

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Blog Entries posted by stolenfeather

  1. stolenfeather
    May 28th, 2011
    Friday night means many different things to many different people. Since darkness takes longer to settle at this time of year, weekend evenings mean one thing for me: time to settle outside with my telescope since this is impossible during the weekdays when I have classes to teach the next day. At my latitude during this time of year, most of the constellations are not easily discerned until past 11:00. Full blackness makes its way to the north around midnight. This means that I seldom return indoors till one in the morning.

    Since I started my stargazing early, when the skies still showed a tinge of blue, I had to settle on an easy but popular target, Saturn. I let my eyes become accustomed to the darkness approaching and soon, I was ready for more difficult targets,... the Messier Objects.
    I started with a globular cluster found in the constellation Serpens. The Stellarium program and my trusty Telrad made finding it quite easy. I was taken aback by the individual stars I could see in the cluster. As my eyes became more accustomed, I was certain I could detect a hue of colour but maybe this was only wishful thinking from my part.



    Satisfied with my discovery, I decided to look for another globular cluster. I didn't have to look far and settled for M3. This one seemed easy but gave me quite a "run for my money". Finally, I found it and once again took the time to look more closely at it.



    My husband Steven always wonders why I go searching for Messier objects since according to him, they seem "all the same". "Once you've seen one smudge in the sky, why look for others?", is pretty much his motto but he comes outside every time I become excited and humours my passion by looking through the eyepiece. "You've got great eyesight to find those," Steven exclaimed when I came back inside. I had to smile since a couple of months ago, my MS had played a cruel game by blurring the vision in my right eye (the main eye I use when observing the stars). It is therefore official,... MY EYESIGHT HAS FULLY RETURNED!
    Isabelle

  2. stolenfeather
    May 20th, 2011
    My last journal entry was almost 1 month ago and I couldn't believe how different nearly 30 days made in the night sky. It took me a couple of minutes to reorient myself to the stars above since they seemed to be shunning my presence. Saturn pointed me in the right direction but after being mesmerized by its brilliance once more, I found myself drifting off into a different area of space, one much closer to home.
    I breathed in deeply. The night is a marvelous world isn't it? As stargazers, this is something we truly appreciate. I could hear the peepers and crickets vocalizing their pleasure that spring had finally returned. Their symphony made me forget my search for Messier objects altogether and reach for a deeper meaning to what surrounded me. Far ahead, I could hear the calls of geese as they made their way north. Their wings caught the glimmer of a nearby light, reminding me of the wonders found here on earth. When they vanished, I couldn't help but ponder our very fragile existence. This is the message I wanted to convey when I was at the Kennedy Space Center just one week ago:





    Our technology might seem impressive in size but, we are indeed insignificant creatures lost within the many Superclusters of the universe. Like the small peeper calling out in the night amidst so many others,.. there will come a time when we too will be silent forever.
    Being outside with my telescope was definitely NOT going to work tonight. I was being far too introspective to concentrate on the stars above. Then again,.. maybe my perspective was just as it should be.
    Isabelle
  3. stolenfeather
    I did not know what to expect when Steven and I planned our trip to Florida. However, there was one day I really looked forward to,... the last one. That was the day when Steven and I would finally visit the Kennedy Space Center. That was also the moment where we would meet and discuss with a veteran astronaut during a lunch / question period. We would also see the magnificent nature at the National Wildlife Refuge that Cape Canaveral is known for. I was simply "blown away" by it all and left with so many facts and emotions that I was afraid to blink out of fear that I would lose it all. For the last few days, I have been working with the video files hoping to create something that would truly capture my excitement and ultimate respect to what surrounded me on that day.



    I don't know but I think I have succeeded.
    Let me know what you think!
    Click
    for viewingIsabelle


  4. stolenfeather

    It arrived!

    By stolenfeather,

    First, let me just say that I am never ordering from this company again. They said that the item was "in stock" yet I waited for 7 weeks. Sigh,...but today, IT ARRIVED! :hello2:

    The Orion Starblast 4.5" Altazimuth Reflector Tabletop Telescope is definitely not as grandiose and my 10" Sky-Watcher but for my camping excursions,.. it shall do quite well!



    It came with 17mm and 6 mm Explorer II eyepieces and a Starry Night Software. Nice little program but when one uses Stellarium,.. who needs anything else right?

    A review? That will have to wait for now. I am about to take the plane for a well deserved vacation and the skies will be cloudy till then. So for now,... it definitely LOOKS like it will deliver on those hot summer nights! :)
    Anyone out there tried one of these before? What should I expect?
    Isabelle
  5. stolenfeather

    WARM FUZZIES

    By stolenfeather,

    April 25th, 2011
    It was -16°C (3.2 ºF) outside so I knew that I didn't have to worry about frostbite. I was also well aware that the weather station was predicting rain for the rest of the week and I was leaving on vacation on Friday. Yeah,.. It was to be my last time outside with my telescope for a good three weeks. I didn't even think twice about it. Even if I had classes to teach the very next morning, even if I knew that it would take some time for darkness to fall,.. I brought my telescope out for some star gazing.
    I decided to set my sights on the constellation Leo since it seems that all one has to do in this sector of space is sneeze and one stumbles on a galaxy. I stumbled on two right away: M 95 and 96 (both spiral galaxies found over 30 million light years from where I was standing).
    I looked away from my eyepiece when I spotted them since a strong emotion overtook me. It's not that I hadn't seen galaxies before, it's also not because they were overly interesting,.. it was because I could see them. When I am struck with an MS relapse, my eyesight becomes blurry and remains as such for many weeks. Recovery is slow. Many times I wonder, "Is it becoming better?" or "Am I just getting used to it?",... To strain through blurriness to see what stands in front of me is one thing. To see perfectly and become excited in discovering something blurry through an eyepiece is quite another. I saw two. Nah,... they weren't blurry,... let's just call them for what they are: WARM FUZZIES.


    Since I was clearly able to see them, I can now officially declare that my vision has returned (no matter what my doctor says when I see him this summer). One doesn't need eyesight to have vision right?




    Before calling it a night I took a small detour to see my dazzling neighbour that had remained silent up till then. Saturn showed its rings proudly when I finally settled on its face. I guess we both were sharing the same tune that night:




    YOU CRAZY DIAMOND!

  6. stolenfeather

    WARM FUZZIES

    By stolenfeather,

    April 25th, 2011
    It was -16°C (3.2 ºF) outside so I knew that I didn't have to worry about frostbite. I was also well aware that the weather station was predicting rain for the rest of the week and I was leaving on vacation on Friday. Yeah,.. It was to be my last time outside with my telescope for a good three weeks. I didn't even think twice about it. Even if I had classes to teach the very next morning, even if I knew that it would take some time for darkness to fall,.. I brought my telescope out for some star gazing.
    I decided to set my sights on the constellation Leo since it seems that all one has to do in this sector of space is sneeze and one stumbles on a galaxy. I stumbled on two right away: M 95 and 96 (both spiral galaxies found over 30 million light years from where I was standing).
    I looked away from my eyepiece when I spotted them since a strong emotion overtook me. It's not that I hadn't seen galaxies before, it's also not because they were overly interesting,.. it was because I could see them. When I am struck with an MS relapse, my eyesight becomes blurry and remains as such for many weeks. Recovery is slow. Many times I wonder, "Is it becoming better?" or "Am I just getting used to it?",... To strain through blurriness to see what stands in front of me is one thing. To see perfectly and become excited in discovering something blurry through an eyepiece is quite another. I saw two. Nah,... they weren't blurry,... let's just call them for what they are: WARM FUZZIES.


    Since I was clearly able to see them, I can now officially declare that my vision has returned (no matter what my doctor says when I see him this summer). One doesn't need eyesight to have vision right?




    Before calling it a night I took a small detour to see my dazzling neighbour that had remained silent up till then. Saturn showed its rings proudly when I finally settled on its face. I guess we both were sharing the same tune that night:




    YOU CRAZY DIAMOND!

  7. stolenfeather
    April 1st, 2011
    After watching one of my favourite science fiction movies of all time "Alien", I decided to take out my telescope. It was around 10:00pm and since the night sky doesn't become dark till later, this was the perfect time.
    Orion was already very low to the horizon. It was with ultimate respect that I gave it a wave goodnight. The final curtain was falling for my dearest constellation since the center stage will soon be ready for the spring / summer night sky.
    I sat in my astro-chair watching the stars as my eyes became accustomed to the darkness. I can't do this comfortably during the winter months because of the cold which made this particular moment that much more divine! I knew where my next deep sky challenge would be: M44, the Beehive cluster. I told myself that my eyesight was NOT going to be a barrier this time and since the moon was nowhere to be found, neither would there be any celestial interference. With my back facing west, I decided to take a small detour to knock on Saturn's door. It was bright and very welcoming but the meeting wasn't as exciting as I had hoped. As I looked through my eyepiece, the fact that my telescope needed collimation (the mirrors need to be realigned) screamed under my skin. Soon my collimator would arrive. Soon, very soon,...
    My thirst for something a little father tugged once more and I set my viewfinder to the north. My target resided in the constellation of Cancer. For some reason, I had trouble distinguishing it's stars. This baffled me since my area is usually relatively free of light pollution. A little push here and a couple of quick glimpses there, and,.. Oh there goes a satellite! Oh yeah back to the cluster,...



    I had found it!







    Once again, the light bothered me. Turning around I looked to the west and,..
    :eek: HOLY ---- !! :eek:
    (Mind you if it really had been blessed fecal matter, Steven's pictures of the event would have surely never come out this good!)













    All winter, the news announced solar activity, and many nights I made my way outside to be welcomed by clouds. After sometime, I pretty much told myself that "I would see it when I see it". The fact that I had my back to them. completely unaware all this time doesn't show me in my best light. I call myself a backyard astronomer and don't even take the time to look at ALL the regions of my backyard? I guess I became too involved in my quest to locate my little Messier Object that I neglected the (ahem) big picture of things to the west!
  8. stolenfeather

    I confess

    By stolenfeather,

    March 30th, 2011
    Last night was my 51st time acclimating and using my telescope. I must confess something, I have been a bad astronomer. You see, telescopes have no magic to them. However, like many illusionists, they work with mirrors. Once in awhile (about every two months or so) or according to need, the user makes sure that these mirrors are indeed aligned properly. In true astronomical terms, this is called collimation. I confess, all this time,... I have never done it.
    If truth be known, like a neurosurgeon attempting to "make that first cut", I have been quite intimidated by the whole ordeal. However, I have waited long enough and it had to be done. I attempted to check the alignment of the mirrors last night but deep down inside, I knew I didn't have to. This was long time overdue.
    I called the store I usually deal with for my astronomical needs for three reasons today:


    The telescope I had ordered to use during the summer had not arrived yet. It had been exactly one month since I had made the order.
    My new Barlow lens had not been delivered either.
    I wanted to order a little jewel that would make my collimation experience less painful, a Hotech Laser Collimator.

    Now, why on earth would I order from this particular seller again if I had waited so long for my previous items? I've dealt with him before and he's always been dependable. He apologized over and over again stating that he had not received the items from his supplier yet. Why don't I go directly to the supplier myself? My passion for astronomy is still in it's infancy stages making suggestions / recommendations greatly appreciated. As I learn, I believe that I will feel more secure with my purchases in the future. However, when it came to the collimator, the seller actually congratulated me stating, "that it was indeed the best".

    Collimation was near to impossible last night. At first I thought that my eyesight was still giving me trouble because of my latest MS relapse but in the end, it had nothing to do with my own vision at all,... the humidity levels were extremely high making any clear image impossible.

    So here I sit waiting for my purchased items to make their way to the isolated north. The Barlow is greatly needed since the one I have been using all of this time, has developed a crack (I never dropped it so assume that this was caused by the differences of heat and cold over time). I also wait impatiently for the collimator.



    The neurosurgeon has been far too patient and an incision is due.





    Isabelle









    callmenurse.blogspot.com
  9. stolenfeather
    March 18, 2011
    11:00pm - 12:00am
    For weeks now, I heard that the moon trajectory around the earth was going to bring it approximately 7000 km closer to the earth. Astronomers are well aware that the closest approach from our natural satellite to the earth is called a perigee and that this happens once a year. However, on Saturday (yes that's today) at 3pm, the moon will be the closest it has been for eighteen years! It will be 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than lesser full moons (when the moon is at its farthest from Earth). This all being said, this particular perigee moon has been dubbed the "supermoon".
    Will we see much of a difference?
    Is there any danger?
    Does it wear a cape and fight villains?

    To the casual observer, little difference will be seen. I find that full moons are blinding and this one was no different. Was it more blinding than usual? Yes, I actually found that gazing through the telescope at this one actually made me look away from the eyepiece a few times out of discomfort from the brightness.
    There are many postings online how this specific moon poses a danger and has even been blamed for the earthquake / tsunami in Japan. We have to remember that this idea was suggested by an astrologer and not an astronomer! This moon is just closer. That's it. It will not and has not created / create destruction on earth. However, looking at it through a telescope for long periods of time may cause discomfort. That's it.
    A cape and and fight villains? Well, I would have to say yes. I had just returned from a week of educational meetings where I had driven 8 hours from home and attended many productive yet grueling sessions of strategic planning for our next school year with the Regional Board. Being home, at my eyepiece, after many nights of seeing blurry after my latest MS relapse experience was a blessing indeed! I took the pictures below and if you look real close, you can see the "cape":

    Shine baby, shine!
    May I also add the note that my vision has greatly improved and is now very close to being normal!









    Shall I bring you closer?

    This is the Tycho Lunar Crater (one that is easily recognizable to anyone that has looked at the moon ):




    Lastly, this is the Sea of Serenity and the Sea of tranquility (Mare Serenitatis / Mare Tranquilitatis)





    I am still learning the ropes to navigating on the moon and find this site very helpful: ---> Click
    HERE

    Did the moon fight off the villains that haunted my dreams and every waking hour of battling with teaching action plans for the following school year? You bet!



    There was another cause of celebration that night. The last time I had seen Saturn through the eyepiece of my telescope was last June. Since that time, it was either too low to the horizon, hidden by clouds or simply not around. That night? It shone loud and clear! I grabbed a picture before bringing in my telescope (I'll make it a little bigger next time, I am still learning the ropes of the RegiStax program).





    When I came inside, my husband Steven and wonderful dog Baffy were having a tumble fight in the living room. I had been away from both of them for the week when in meetings so I did the next best thing,.. I joined them! Now, how's that for a Friday night?

  10. stolenfeather

    With Eyes ANEW!

    By stolenfeather,

    Sunday, March 6th / 2011
    My eyes were not strong enough (recent MS relapse) to make out any Messier objects when I went outside with my telescope but this didn't bother me very much. I was simply ecstatic that I could see how beautiful the moon was that night. There will be other times to chase galaxies, nebula, and star clusters. Sometimes, one has to relish with the simplest, with eyes anew.



    I love the first picture I captured with the
    earthshine!First picture taken "as is".
    Second picture altered by RegiStax





  11. stolenfeather
    Unfortunately, due to an MS relapse, I have been unable to view the night sky for the whole week. I am very optimistic that some change in my eyesight will be seen in the following days. Many of you have written about your encounters with Saturn for the past weeks. I have been waiting for my chance.
    It will come,.. It will come.
    This being said, I have found myself reminiscing of my previous encounters with our "popular ringed one". This brings to mind a night I will never forget:



    May 5th, 2009
    9:30pm
    My visit at the Lowell Observatory was something I had planned months in advance by reserving a private program including night viewing with the telescopes and multimedia shows. This being said,... I had no idea to the adventure that I was about to experience!
    The visits were organized to welcome groups of thirty and more. It so happened that for the particular day (the only one available during my vacation in Flagstaff) no other person had signed up! In the end, Steven and I were the only ones there with the company of two student astronomers! The four of us first sat in a huge multimedia room for some information. When the main astronomer saw my eyes glaze over as he was talking about the different phases of the moon, he asked me, "You know this already right?" I nodded then proceeded to tell him about where I lived and what I had learned so far. When he realized that I knew my way around the night sky and was a little familiar with the jargon, he shut off the monitor and motioned Steven and I to step into the observatory room where the huge 24 inch Clark Telescope awaited us!
    I held my breath,... It was in this very observatory that the dwarf planet Pluto was first discovered, where the rings to Uranus were first explored, and where the initial spark that lead to the eventual realization that the universe was expanding was found! For a person passionate about astronomy, one who believes that the search for truth resides within the deep reaches of ourselves, our relationship with others and in our exploration of the natural world (near and far) that lies around us,... I felt as if I was on "holy" ground! When the two student astronomers invited me to look through the telescope, I actually trembled!

    Ben, the top student who is close to graduating with honors from his field of study took the time to explain the surroundings of Arcturus (a star that I was less informed about). He was quite pleased with his new visitor (moi), stating that, "most people that came to the observatory held little to no information or enthusiasm which made the visits very cut and dry". He went on to say that discussing the night sky with visitors at a deeper level seldom happened and that he thought that my excitement / knowledge was quite refreshing. When I admitted to preferring looking at deep sky objects to planets he knew exactly what to show me,... Messier 80! I had seen it before but NEVER like this!



    No matter what kind of telescope you have, from my 10" Dobsonian to the Clark monster at the Observatory, there remains one constant: the quality of the sky. That night, there was not one cloud to be seen which should mean smooth sailing for any sky watcher but,... the Waxing Gibbous moon was out in full force shedding it's light across most of the sky. In all of my life, I had NEVER seen it shine so bright! In the telescope, the beam emanating from our natural satellite was so bright that it looked like a laser coming out of the eyepiece! I put my hand under the eyepiece and for a second, it seemed like I was catching it's brilliance! Ben laughed and grabbed a piece of paper. Holding it up to the scope, we were able to make out the shadows of the seas and craters! Now that's one bright moon!

    When he pointed the telescope (psst! I was actually allowed to help bring it about!) to Saturn, I couldn't keep my emotions hidden anymore. The planet that makes all backyard astronomers gasp for breath when they first saw it,... brought tears to my eyes! The Clark telescope revealed it's detailed beauty beyond my wildest dreams!








    From left to right: Nicole, myself and Ben
    Unfortunately, Steven was the one taking the picture :(
  12. stolenfeather

    Congratulations!

    By stolenfeather,

    Sunday, February 13th / 2011
    The sun was setting, the clouds were nowhere to be seen and the thermometer was friendlier than the week before. I told myself: This is it and invited all those interested to come to my back porch to view the stars. Three teenagers came for a look as well as one tiny astronomer who's small stature was towered by my telescope. The people were all there enthusiastic to see what wonders were hidden in the night sky (not all at the same time though). It was not to be.
    Between the moon and humidity in the air, there was not much I could share. The show had been canceled before it had begun. My visitors left quite unimpressed after seeing a hazy moon and a blurry M32. Beaten by the natural forces once again, I brought my telescope inside.
    I felt quite empty, when I returned to the the warmth of my house (it was -30 Celsius). The coldish temperatures paired with my disappointing stargazing evening made me dream of warmer days. Last year, I had been unable to look at the stars because my portable telescope (used during the summer alone) had basically broken to pieces.






    Yes, it is the one you see above. It was Konus (umm,.. I forgot). You see, I had many other names for it and all of them had some correlation with human waste matter.


    First, one of the brackets broke,
    Then the mount refused to be extended and I had to kneel to see anything,
    and finally the viewfinder broke off completely,

    When this happened, I did the only respectable thing,.... The Konus found a peaceful end within the nearest garbage receptacle. Yeah, using plastic for telescopes can only mean one thing,... GARBAGE!

    As I sat there ruminating the minutes of my failed attempt of looking at the stars, I remembered that I had no telescope for the following summer. I started looking around, asked questions on this forum, and flipped through my collection of "Star and Telescope" magazines for ideas.
    I had three interesting prospects:



    The SkyScanner 100mm Tabletop Reflector
    Orion StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector
    The Sky-Watcher Heritage 130P

    A grab and go telescope that was not too expensive, was easy to carry AND gave me a worthwhile image of planets / deep sky objects? There was one and my husband surprised me with it on the following day. Steven and I don't exchange St-Valentine's presents. To tell you the truth, I'm not very keen on the idea of having a "love day". However, my wonderful husband saw my notes and when I wasn't looking made a purchase.


    "Congratulations," he said when I returned home for lunch.
    "Congratulations?" I said quite confused.
    Steven grinned and added, "You're the proud owner of a new telescope!"







    Now all I have to do is wait for it to reach the north via mail. I can just see it now,..
    Poised on a table by a lonely lake. My tent all ready for another peaceful night. A loon crying out it's mourning chant and me?
    I'll be looking at the stars with this little gem! July isn't that far away,... I can just taste it!
  13. stolenfeather
    February 6th, 2011
    5:00 am
    The forecast the night before had predicted a cloud-free morning. I was excited by the news since it would give me the opportunity of viewing Venus and Saturn before the sun made it's appearance. There was only one thing on my mind when I awoke,.. to dress and make my way outside! I knew that Saturn's rings were nicely displayed (showing much detail) and I simply couldn't wait till May to see it during normal evening hours.
    I quickly dressed and,... the forecast had been wrong! :mad: All I could see were clouds! When I saw a break in the gray skies by the time evening made it's way to this part of the north, I knew that I had to take advantage of the occasion. Venus and Saturn would not be around but I'm sure some of "the other boys" would come out and play!
    At 8:00pm, the moon and Jupiter were well on their way towards the horizon but still granted me with spectacular views! Some of Jupiter's bands were clearly defined but they didn't come out on any of my pictures. I tried but frostbit fingers can stay motionless for only so long (-36 Celsius will do that to you).

    SGL gave me some very helpful tricks last week as to limiting my shakiness when taking pictures. One of these ideas was to take a video and to then extract the picture from it's files using Registax.


    So extracting a picture from a video gave me this:

    (Take it easy on me, It's my first time)


    My night was far from over. I oriented my telescope by Orion where I visited my favourite Messier Object (M42) and then went out to find it's closest friend, M41, a faint yet beautiful star cluster.





    It was while I was gazing at this new object that I felt eyes upon my back. I looked and felt a slight nudge by my lower leg. I was being watched by the little lady you see below:





    I don't know her name, where she comes from or where she sleeps at night but once in awhile she comes out to join me while I am outside stargazing. The old saying is therefore true:
    You never know when you're looking at the stars, someone may be looking straight back at you.


  14. stolenfeather

    EXTREME ASTRONOMY

    By stolenfeather,

    January 22nd, 2011
    It had been 14 nights since I had been outside with my telescope. A nasty cold paired with many nights under cloud cover were the culprits. When I saw that a high pressure system was moving in that morning, I knew that the skies would be clear and immediately knew what my evening activity would be. I would be out there!
    The thermostat told a different story.

    It was -35 ºC or -31 ºF. With the windchill, the weather report online warned a cold factor of -42 (the same both in Celsius and Fahrenheit. I told myself that since I stargazed from the comforts of my back porch (there is little light pollution in the north) I could slip in and out of the house and escape the cold.

    I was wrong.

    The cold seemed to sip from the metal of my telescope, through my gloves, burn the skin and chill my bones within seconds. At -40, a person can feel the burn of frostbite within minutes. I lasted for 7. I had enough time to see Jupiter, marvel at the placement of its satellites, take a quick look at M42 (the Orion Nebula) before I brought my telescope back in suffering from the cold. Someone on SGL remarked that going out in this kind of weather was considered, extreme astronomy. I have a new name for it:
    Stupidity.
    I didn't take any pictures since I thought that the temperatures would be too cold for the camera. Funny that I don't extend the same courtesy to my body. From now on, if the thermometer goes lower than -25 ºC or -13 ºF, I shall remain indoors.
    Promise.




    Don't let this picture fool you, I was in no smiling mood when I returned indoors this time.
  15. stolenfeather

    From my Porch

    By stolenfeather,

    January 8th, 2011

    Many stargazing enthusiasts have to travel far from their houses in order to savor inky black skies when observing. Teaching as far as I do from city lights gives me the unique privilege of viewing right off my porch, a hop away from the patio doors and the warmth of my kitchen. Star gazing with an espresso anyone? Being so close also gives me easy access to my Stellarium program that helps me navigate the stars in search of new Messier objects to uncover.






    I don't know how well you can read the above picture that I took but if you can find the constellation Cassiopeia, you will see a blue deep sky object indicator that says "double cluster". This was my first destination. Standing together, NGC 869 and 884 is a marvel to see! I was unable to take a picture but I'm sure that this gives you an idea of what I saw in my eyepiece:







    File:NGC869NGC884.jpg From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia





    Earlier that night, I was indeed able to take a couple of pictures of my own. First, the waxing crescent moon showing a glimpse of "earth shine" and the star HIP 107820:










    I tried to zoom in but it didn't turn out as well as I thought it would:









    Jupiter was still high enough above the horizon to "smile happy" for the camera so I simply couldn't ignore him now could I?








    You can clearly see Jupiter's main moons in this picture. Seemingly glued to the right side of the planet is Io, then Europa, Callisto and Ganymede. I have to say that I am quite proud of this picture considering the fact that I have no tripod and use a simple point-and-shoot camera.
    I gave up my search for M35 still early into the night since the mercury had dipped to -20 ºC or -4 ºF. Granted that this is not very cold but after awhile, it seemed to inch down my back. Besides, this had been a perfect night,...


    A beautiful crescent moon accompanied by the planet Jupiter and a pair of clusters,... Who could ask for anything more?








  16. stolenfeather
    January 7th, 2011
    Teaching an eight hour drive from five star restaurants and theaters, one would think that there would be nothing to do on a Friday night in northern Quebec but I beg to differ. My evening started around 5:00 pm when I brought my telescope to acclimatize itself to the cold. It was a respectable -19 ºC ( -2.2 ºF) which made the view outstanding and the comfort quite reasonable. The waxing crescent moon was quickly making it's way to the horizon and I knew I had little time to capture it on camera but since I had set up early, I was successful:







    I admit that the picture is a little fuzzy but there's something about a crescent moon that just captures the imagination no?


    I took the time to look at Jupiter since it was high enough in the sky to show some details in the bands and gave me a very good opportunity to view Uranus as well. Usually hard to find, this gaseous planet was flirting extremely close to the brightest object in the sky (beside the moon) making it a very easy target. I knew it would be small and hard to differentiate from the stars around it but once my eyes settled on the "elusive one",.. I just knew.
    Since it was still early and I was far from the inky blackness needed to chase subtle Messier objects, I made myself a lobster tail supper, rice and asparagus . I chased it down with a very respectable "Tutiac Côte de Bordeaux (2009)" and topped this all with an Espresso Americano".


    When no five star restaurant is in sight,... you just create one!



    At 9:00pm, I made my way back outside for a romp around Auriga and Orion. I started with my favourite M42 (the Orion Nebula) since I wanted to capture a better image. I did but I don't believe I was able to top last week's attempt:





    I had seen this particular Messier so many times so redirected my telescope towards a new goal: I wanted to see the Crab Nebula (M1).
    I looked and was successful but did not attempt to capture the moment on film. This nebula was a little more than a smudge of white in my telescope. There was absolutely no way that my camera could have captured the discreet cloud. Was I disappointed? Absolutely not! My eye had just caught a glimpse of something truly spectacular! My telescope showed a smudge but I saw a momentous supernova recorded in 1054. Yes, I was looking at a star that imploded 957 years ago!


    (not my picture: celestiamotherlode.net)



    I made a slight detour in Auriga for a quick look at M37 and 38 but was unsuccessful in uncovering M79 tucked at he bottom of Lepus. Unfortunately, the little globular cluster was flirting too close to the horizon for a good view.



    So anyone up for a DINNER and a SHOW? I wish you were around this region, I'm sure we would have had a great time!



  17. stolenfeather
    Tuesday, January 4th / 2011
    The winter is the part of the year that offers me the best seats of the night. First of all, the darkness falls faster so I can actually be outside much sooner than any other times of the year. Furthermore, the constellations from early January to the beginning of March has the most spectacular sights! Unfortunately, this all being said, the winter holds a very dangerous enemy for me,... FROSTBITE! It's not really that it's cold out there once all dressed up (see picture at the bottom -- it was only -22 Celsius / -7.6 ºF that night) . It is more the combination of the temperature with the metallic tools I use. Not, made of plastic, the slightest touch to my telescope let's the cold seep in. If I take my gloves off to handle lenses, move the telescope, or try to capture pictures,... I feel the bite. Many times, I escape to the warmth of my house only to be faced with the pain of frostbitten fingers returning to their normal state. This is why I gave up trying to take pictures last night after many images came out blurry since I was fighting against the cold.
    However, there was no way that I was staying inside! The sky had opened up completely with a new moon which meant that our natural satellite would not be shedding any light my way. I started my night by pointing my telescope towards NGC 1432 (M45). You might better know it as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters. Easily spotted with the naked eye, I am always mesmerized by these hot blue stars giving off a hue that captures the imagination!

    Since I was close to the constellation Orion and Auriga, I made a small detour to the star clusters M36, 37 and 38. These are pretty close together and can be found here:




    M 42 was just a hop and a jump away so I dropped by for a visit. What is it about that particular Messier that makes me want to shout to everyone around, "Quick come and look!" I looked for NGC 2169 in the same constellation but my next door neighbours came home and decided to flash their car lights in my direction which basically stole my hard earned night vision. Oh well,...
    Once more Jupiter was low to the horizon by the time I made it to it's location which did not give me the greatest image but I couldn't ignore the King of all the Roman gods now could I? So 5 Messiers and 1 planet.
    Not bad for a night of viewing right? Now, if only my astro-chair was heated I would be in heaven!


    :icon_confused: Please excuse to blurriness of the last picture. I used the timer and it really didn't come out very well. :icon_confused:


  18. stolenfeather
    I have been teaching in the north for over ten years now. Ever since I have arrived to this remote community, I have looked upon the heavens with a greater respect and admiration! You see, being far from cities has its inconveniences but grants me a remarkable view of the night sky! I have experimented with two different telescopes in the past but none like the one my husband gave me on my 37th birthday. These entries serve me as a way to keep a written account of what I see in the night sky and to share with those of you (who are a just a wee bit curious) what I see when the conditions are right.
    Please, I cannot repeat this enough,.. what I view does not resemble IN ANY WAY the pictures you have seen on the Internet or in any National Geographic Magazine. With a telescope such as mine, it is never what you see that takes precedence but what you know about it! Of course I am mesmerized by what I discover in my eyepiece but,... it's more than just seeing right?







    Thursday, December 23rd / 2010
    Alright, this is not the usual post to be seen this close to the Holiday season but if all truth be known, I had set out to find the Christmas Tree Cluster / Cone Nebula. See even astronomers have the Christmas spirit! This being said, finding this cluster proved to be difficult since it was still low to the horizon and my rooftop stood in the way. The constellation of Orion on the other hand was ripe for discovery and my eyepiece set on the Orion Nebula. M42 is a special target for me since it was the first deep-sky object I saw many years ago with my first telescope. However, tonight, I was able to do something I had wanted to do for such a long time which was to capture it on camera! I was told by many that I couldn't do it. That my point and shoot camera would never capture it's weak light but I beg to differ:









    Jupiter was close to setting so it's proximity to the horizon made it difficult to see with any clarity. Our natural satellite on the other hand, being a Waning Gibbous Moon, stood high in the sky, ready for photographs. So, of course, I couldn't say no.:











    Unfortunately, my telescope had fallen victim to some condensation issues and the fog soon turned to ice crystals that burned to the touch. Humidity won out and I shielded my fingers from exposure to the humid cold. Just a touch to my telescope and I would certainly feel it.






    Why on earth would I touch THAT with my bare hands? You see, when dealing with small parts such as lenses (that if dropped cracks), using bare hands just works better. No wonder I often suffer from frostbite!
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