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TheThing

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Blog Entries posted by TheThing

  1. TheThing
    I'm not a great fan of summer observing, principally because it stays light for soooooo long! By the time it gets dark, I'm generally too knackered to think about anything but bed.
    Anywho, the passed couple of nights, I have noticed it getting darker a bit earlier and thoughts have been straying back to observing. Remarkable who the sky changes in just a couple of months (well, of course it would, simpleton! I hear you cry and quite correct too).
    Sadly, I have been troubled by thin whispy cloud, so not had the chance to actually fire up any equipment, but at least the observing ache in my bones is returning.....
  2. TheThing

    The God's smiled!

    By TheThing,

    Yesterday at 9.25am the DHL man turned up with my new (to me) 30mm Vixen EP - thanks to Rob for selling it.
    The usual rule goes - new equipment, cloud for weeks. Last night was clear though! :hello2: The God's were smiling on me.
    Seeing was carp though, but mustn't grumble!
    Out to see Saturn - never get enough of the planets. Clearly spotted Dione, Tethys and Rhea exactly where S@N graphis said they should be (except on the other side as using a diagonal).
    Got a quick glimpse of Lulin as I was scanning about. Wanted to come back to it later, but see next paragraph. Still, there's always tonight!
    Next onto the moon - rather ecxellent! The 30mm with a x3 Barlow was just stunning. Such crisp views. Ran out of time to look at anything else!
  3. TheThing
    So, Saturday I did a little dusting of the scope (SWMBO thought I was going to do the whole house!), moved some bolts about between finders so that the Right-angled finder now has a grub screw and can be swiveled to suit.
    Lovely sunny afternoon so took dog for a long walk and joined in jumping in puddles with the little man.
    Come the evening and it was clear. Did my usual of letting the dog out and glancing at the sky. Double take - twinkly things!
    Out with the kit - grab and go - looked at M42, Castor, Mizar, M45 then found Saturn. BeHold! The old friend has returned.
    No good, need the big guns for this, so out came the trusty 6" Newtonian. Ahhh, what a sight!
    Got to use the x3 Barlow I recently acquired to really crank up the mag - got to x236 and it took it!
    That's what it's all about!
  4. TheThing
    Still no clear skies here. Beautiful sunrise and nice blue skies now, but I bet it wont last. Contrails from planes are beginning to fill the sky though.
    Still, at least the scope is nice to look at as well as thru! I think sometimes we forget the work that goes into producing a scope and how good it looks in the corner of the conservatory. Modern art indeed.
  5. TheThing

    OMG! Bloody half term!!

    By TheThing,

    Well, I expected the Science Museum to be busy, what with it being half term and all, but half a mile queue to get in?!?! Ridiculous!
    Suffice to say we didn't bother queuing up! Natural History Museum was worse.
    We had a nice picnic in Hyde Park though and a visit to Hamleys, so not all bad. The little chap was overjoyed at riding on a train there a back and his first Underground trip was a experience for him. All in all, not a bad day at all. Have walked about 50 miles though!
    And still cloudy outside.
    Today's comment: -
    Life is like an orange.
    (They're not all fruit related, promise.)
  6. TheThing

    Wednesday...

    By TheThing,

    Day off tomorrow, possible trip to the science museum with my little boy and SWMBO. Should be excellent!
    Today's topic is short, but sweet: -
    'Bananas are the instruments of Satan!'
    Discuss...
  7. TheThing
    Clouded out last night, so no astronomy! :embarassed:
    However, had to go to a little village in Oxon this morning for work and saw a red legged partridge and 33 (yes, you read right! 33!) red kites! Remarkable birds. One was gliding not more than 10ft above the car. Truely awesome and quite massive. Glad to see they are spreading across country.
    Onto today's subject, water...
    Water is a basic necessity of life, right? It is illegal to charge anyone for tap water in this country although water companies are allowed to charge for piping it your home/work place etc. Should water companies be in private hands then? Should shareholders be allowed to profit from a basic necessity of life?
    With the continual threat of global warming and the constant need of man to lock water away in metal pipes (think how much water in in the coolant of your car!) water is becoming more and more precious. Will we see a day when it becomes more precious than gold and only the rich can afford it?!?
  9. TheThing

    The beginning

    By TheThing,

    Well, today is an overcast day with sunny spells, so still hoping for clear skies tonight to go observing.

    While I'm waiting for the sun to set, my eye was caught by a little collection of Ikea pencils that I have amassed over many visit across the years to the nations favourite Swedish home furnishers. I wonder, how many people have these pencils and actually sharpen them? Or do we, as a collective in our throw away society, tend to use them to they blunt and then snaffle another one next time we go?

    Hmm! Tomorrow, I will mostly be watching dust and considering whether water should be in the hands of private companies.

    Alternatively, if it's clear tonight, I might post some stuff about astronomy!
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