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stolenfeather

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Blog Entries posted by stolenfeather

  1. stolenfeather
    September 5th, 2011

    (9:30 - 10:30pm)

    The last time I was out with my telescope, I was pressed for time and didn't experience the night sky as much as I wanted. My earlier quest had been simple, I wanted to harness the light capturing power of my scope in order to observe Messier Objects,... any object! I had not been successful in doing this with my smaller telescope during the summer and wanted to make-up for lost time. Nothing went in my favour and I returned home defeated by the night sky. It's not what I did or what I had as equipment that left me empty handed,.. It was what I didn't do. I had not been prepared and did not take the time to fully orient myself to the sky before commencing my observation of the heavens above. This time,.. It was going to be different.
    I took ample time for my eyes to accustom to the lack of light, made sure everything was well aligned and let the pressures of the day escape. I wanted to start my romp amongst the stars with the Andromeda Galaxy but the roof of my own house hid it's many wonders. I would have to wait for it to climb higher in the sky. I therefore looked for an easier area to observe and saw it,... Cygnus!
    It had been high overhead all summer but my small telescope was little help in showing me it's hidden beauty (or maybe I was simply not patient enough). Now I had a chance! There were so many clusters and nebulae to discover, why I decided to look for M29 (which does not even figure on the picture above) is beyond me. This little cluster is difficult to distinguish from it's rich stellar background but I did it. Was I looking for a challenge? Maybe. Let's just say that NGC 6960 was a whole lot more easier to locate!




    To be fair and share something of my own, I captured the easiest heavenly body around, the first quarter moon! I know,.. it's not as spectacular as the others we see on this forum and I'm definitely NOT trying to duplicate any of them,... but this one is mine!






    Isabelle




  2. 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


  3. stolenfeather
    June 17th, 2011
    For a couple of weeks now, I have been obsessed with the International Space Station. This is rather peculiar on my part since I am usually this passionate about the natural world, not the one created by the means of human technology. However, to indulge in the knowledge of the natural world one must also hold a deep respect in the technology that helps us achieve this knowledge in the first place. The ISS is therefore a crucial step in obtaining this knowledge as well as the efforts of all the astronomers out there.


    Why am I obsessed with the ISS?
    It was build here on earth yet outshines most celestial objects at night (especially if the moon is not around).

    It travels across the night sky with such a speed that it poses quite a challenge to see with a telescope and even with binoculars. You can therefore imagine how hard it would be to capture it on camera (yet I did).

    In my northern latitude, darkness takes time to fall. Even at midnight, some stars still have not made their appearance. With a full, waning or waxing gibbous moon (like we've had the last week), this makes it nearly impossible for me to chase Messier objects. Well, I could but the view would be better if more darkness was available so,.. why not chase something who's brightness demands attention?
    Let me make this clear before you view the video below: I used my old point-and-shoot camera to capture this (I forgot my new one at school) and I own a Dobsonian telescope. Although it has great light capturing abilities, the only guidance it offers me when looking at the night sky is the guidance I offer. Following a moving object like the ISS and capturing it on camera is therefore practically impossible so,...


    I cheated and caught it on video instead. It is not my best project but was definitely my HARDEST!
    Uhmmm,.. I'm sure you'll recognize my Pink Floyd signature at the end!



    For video click
    Isabelle

  4. 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 :(
  5. stolenfeather
    Being on vacation makes it hard for me to come online. This entry is a feeble attempt to reconnect with those that thirst for the stars. I hope everyone is doing well!

    July 12th, 2011

    I couldn't wait to try my summer telescope ever since I had purchased it many weeks ago, My new acquisition was nothing compared to my ocular masterpiece (Sky-Watcher seen below) back in the north. Let's just say that there is quite a difference between an aperture of 10" and one of 4.5". However, this being said,... my little Orion Starblast held its own!





    Granted, its light capturing abilities came short but it still had much to deliver! At first I had to become reacquainted with the stars since not only was I using a new telescope but the surroundings were very different as well. I decided to set up in front of my mother's house since there were less trees. However, being close to the road meant that I was periodically blinded by passing cars.
    This little telescope had traveled 14 hours on our backseat from the north. We then surrounded it with camping gear and drove an extra 4 hours to our first park. It was carried across heavily wooded areas and it even toppled (albeit gently) from the car seat to camping bags beneath. Could you believe that after all this abuse, the little telescope needed no collimation? How could the mirrors have remained perfectly aligned?
    It granted me a very detailed view of the moon and gave me no issues in spotting the rings of Saturn (however, I definitely saw it with lesser detail then my Sky-Watcher). I am therefore very pleased with what my new telescope has to offer. The biggest test, however, will be seeing my first Messier Object. Since it has much less light gathering power, I know this is where it's small size will show. Instead of being disappointed in this little telescope, I will see this as a new challenge. Finding galaxies and clusters might be harder but well worth the effort!
    Isabelle

  6. stolenfeather

    Dodging work!

    By stolenfeather,

    Wednesday, February 15th, 2012
    Many purchase telescopes and once that the moon has been spotted or a couple of chance views of planets, the excitement wanes, the equipment is soon forgotten and collects dust somewhere in the backrooms. We all want to see the planets don't we? I admit to jumping up and down upon seeing Saturn through my eyepiece and I also confess doing a "dance of joy" upon seeing Jupiter the first time but that's not where my interest lies. I always want to look farther than my own backyard, my own solar system that is! My passion lies in deep space objects such as the one I discovered on this night.
    I had little time since school related responsibilities kept me glued to my computer for most of the week and this night was no different. Well, yes it was. The night was warmer than usual boasting a very comfortable -6 degrees and the sky conditions looked good. I worried at first about the presence of humidity and wondered about condensation issues with the scope but they turned out minimal in the end.
    Since I didn't have much time, I decided to channel my efforts into finding a new Messier object. Usually, I have little trouble finding Charles' little fuzzy collection of wonders but this winter is a little different because of the construction project down the road. Since this major building is very costly to the community, the baseball flood lights remain lit for the whole night. The light pollution is immense making most of the more remote stars disappear into the light.

    I used Sirius in the constellation Canis Major and Procyon in Canis Minor to star hop towards the majestic open cluster of M47 ( NGC 2422) that you see to your left. This was no easy feat since these two locations aren't too close to each other but created a very neat "L" to my desired location. There are times that I wish my mount was more of an equatorial one since I would be able to discover the stars with the help of celestial coordinates but then again,.... I do believe in a challenge! After a couple of tries, the Messier object came into view!
    M47 is an open cluster which boasts an age of 78 million years. It is not as spellbinding as globular clusters since it does not have many stars but really distinguishes itself from other deep space (Messier) objects because of the brightness of some of its members.
    Of course the image found at the top is not my picture since my camera and telescope can't handle this attention to detail. After making my notes, I swerved the telescope to face our red neighbour Mars. I have to say that I admire this planet more when seen with the naked eye since its ruby like texture disappears with magnification to a dull red. Jupiter was also out but was not very cooperative with my camera. Venus, however, out for a stroll at the beginning of the evening was more than willing to show its wonders to all who wanted to see:


    You can clearly see the phase in the picture at the top and the reason why it is so bright at this time of the month.

    Although the sky conditions were pristine, I was unable to stay much longer since I had 6 classes to tend the following day at school. The weekend is upon us but this will not be very helpful when it comes to me escaping outside since thick clouds are expected to be visiting for the whole weekend!
    Although this night offered me little time for serious stargazing and was pretty much over in 30 minutes (done sparsely as I tended to my teaching duties) I consider 3 planets and one deep sky object nothing to scoff at! Now I wait once more for clear skies,...
    Isabelle
  7. stolenfeather
    I know that I have made myself scarce this summer but the camping season is coming to a close and I should be back up north (armed with my computer and electricity) on an everyday basis soon.


    Isabelle




    July 29, 2011


    August is right around the corner and as night fell, so did the mercury (no,... not the planet, although I have been told that it is visible before sunrise). At 9:00 pm, already a chill could be felt in the air so I grabbed my jeans and sweater. Since the mosquitoes are still making themselves present for some stargazing action, I also grabbed some OFF! I set up in the front of my mother's house since the backyard has way too many trees. Unfortunately, this left me in plain view of cars passing by. They were few so I can't complain but,.. sigh.





    Here's a question you might want to answer:


    What does a driver do when they see the view seen above on the side of the road?



    Don't know?

    They flash their high beams for a better view of what is in front of them. Since it is an object of interest, they drive slowly by and when I look up, completely blinded by the lights, they smile look down and drive away quickly.


    Needless to say that this was NOT the night to go out looking for elusive Messier Objects but with the moon nowhere in sight,.. I just HAD to.


    My viewing destination was the constellation Sagittarius where Messier Objects are abundant. In my mind, I was bound to come across something interesting. Armed with a telescope much smaller than my 10" Sky-Watcher, I found myself having a hard time adjusting to the viewfinder which was far inferior to my Telrad! The big red spot on my Orion Starblast proved to be more of annoyance than an aid with the small Messier Objects. Did I find any Messier objects? I tried for M25 and M17 with little luck.
    Was the aperture of the scope too small for the objects chosen?
    Was the awkward viewfinder the cause for my demise?
    Was the fact that I was negotiating my way around rose bushes when viewing a handicap to my cause?
    Were the cars driving slowly by looking at the side of the road "phenomenon" a disturbance?


    So,.. was my night successful? Well, let me put it this way:





    Seeing a plane pass by through the eyepiece of the telescope was a little cool and well,.. that's it. Sigh,...there will be other occasions I'm sure!

    Isabelle



  8. 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!
  9. 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





  10. 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.
  11. stolenfeather
    Saturday, October 1st, 2011
    A VEST? It was so cold that I reached for my winter coat and hat! Staying pretty much immobile in 2 ºC / 35.6 ºF with 70 km winds can become uncomfortable with time but the skies called out to me. Our geographical area goes through a second freshet in the autumn months. This means cloud cover for two months straight as the rains come in so right now, I don't want to let any chances pass me by! There was also the little matter of Vesta,...
    Throughout September and into October, this large asteroid is seen near the southern border of Capricornus. My astronomy magazines and my Stellarium program have been hinting at it's location for sometime now. With astronomy, there's always an allure for the first time. If I could catch Vesta, it would be my first asteroid.
    My firsts?
    I jumped up and down upon seeing my first planet ----> Venus
    I danced around my telescope the first time I found Saturn.
    I called all my friends when Jupiter made it's first appearance in my eyepiece.
    I patted myself on the back for finding Uranus and Mercury.
    I nearly cried when seeing my first nebula in the constellation Orion.
    I simply stared in wonder the first time I saw northern lights.
    I was mesmerized upon seeing my first star cluster.
    I laughed and nearly hugged my telescope upon seeing my first galaxy. (Andromeda)
    The green comet Lulin was my first dusty ice spectacle (comet).
    Now,,... I want Vesta to be my first asteroid.
    I think that I was indeed successful last night since I did encounter something looking at the stars in Capricornus. The problem is that an asteroid looks pretty much like a star and therefore difficult to decipher it from other surrounding heavenly bodies. One did stand out to me. It's not that it was bigger but,... it's light seemed more stable to me and after sometime, I started seeing a hint (make that a very small hint) of colour. I have to say however that after peering at the same object after some time through an eyepiece, sometimes what you see becomes what you want to see.
    Before heading back in I gave my telescope a whirl and "popped over" the Andromeda galaxy and the planet Jupiter. It's not that I had never seen them before but the thing about being out here,... many times, it feels like the first time all over again!

    The skies are clear so far. At 8:00pm, if the weather cooperates,.. I'm heading out again. I need to know if I have indeed become acquainted with this asteroid, the same heavenly body that is currently orbited by the Dawn spacecraft.
    How cool is that?
  12. 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?








  13. 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
  14. stolenfeather
    There is much less darkness and when it does appear, coffee becomes our best friend!

    We never stargaze alone,. there are always mosquitoes to keep us company.
    Stargazing means grabbing a t-shirt and shorts. Heavy coats and mitts can be left aside. This is a huge plus for me since it means no FROSTBITE!




    and,.. and,.. and,..

    Wait for it,...

    Wait for it,...

    School's out!



    Sigh! :rolleyes: Yes, I am a high school teacher and I can now taste the sweet nectar of freedom! I will be leaving my isolated teaching community (8 hours from the nearest city or town) for a much warmer place (about 45 minutes from Montreal). Here I will stargaze to my heart's content and spend time camping in various provincial parks. Unfortunately, since I will be "roughing it" I will not be online much.

    Pssssst! There's no electricity out there! Just bears, stars, waterfowl, deer and,. well mosquitoes right?








    :headbang: As you can see, we are well equipped. :headbang:



    I will try and make my way to this forum once in awhile but for now, I wish you all a wonderful summer!
    Isabelle
  15. 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!

  16. 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?

  17. 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
  18. 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:


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