Paul M

You sound like a double gazing salesman

Chin up! My mojo has been off more than on over the 45 years I've been a stargazer. Even though I thought I'd been reborn a few years ago, life still gets in the way. Becoming foster carers sank my enthusiasm most recently, but I don't knock myself out over it. The sky will be there when I'm ready and I take comfort in that knowledge. And, and, thrice and, it's never cloudy on SGL

Here's an interactive mapping tool of that eclipse for devout eclipse chasers : http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2020_GoogleMapFull.html?Lat=-40.11519&Lng=-76.34272&Zoom=5&LC=1 It gives information on the circumstances for any point you click on the map. I don't think I'll be travelling to South America for that one! Here is the index of of other events: http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/SolarEclipsesGoogleMaps.html

Interesting question and one I can relate too. In my boyhood and early adult life I suffered with crippling social anxiety (it has never left me and I still take flight on occasions). I simply couldn't interface with strangers or even people I knew less well. I was brought up on a rough old council estate in an easterly facing house. The small, open front yard was the best place to catch Orion in the early winter so I'd often set up my 60mm Tascoesque refactor in the front. If some of the local boys were approaching I'd drag the lot indoors quickly. Would never end well. But if "grown ups" came by I would stay put but glued to the eyepiece, ignoring their passage. Sometimes they'd speak and, strangely, I was able to speak back to them. I was passionate about astronomy even then and enjoyed sharing the night sky. Indeed, astronomy was the only thing that brought me out of my shell. Even in school I had "issues" with group activities and dreaded the "oral exam" we had to deliver to the rest of the class of 40 pupils for our English exam for years in advance. I chose astronomy as my subject. I took along a few visual aids and a few bullet points for when, not if, I froze. I soon became absorbed. Wouldn't say I enjoyed it but I got the highest mark in the class! So, I think I'm saying embrace the opportunity to share. Most people are astonished to be told what they can see with their own eyes.

Great capture, looks surreal.

Great result, and thanks for bringing it to my attention. I wasn't aware there had been a widely observed event during the eclipse. I was out looking at the Moon around that time so maybe a few of those photons hit my retina! Hold the front page! "Stargazer nearly blinded by Lunar impact!"

Clear but hazy here. Nearly total. Seems to be a dark one. Redder towards the lower half.

Scrolling along at some of the pictures there are some showing it "installed" complete with axes and tube rings. Looks entirely bespoke and very serviceable for bomb-proof visual use. And indeed, it looks weather proof! Just a shame that the only bit for sale is the least adaptable.

The flyer didn't give a price. I guess it's different prices in different countries and different platforms. I already have it so didn't go to Google play store to look. I paid £25 or so for it last year.

May be of interest: I just received an email from SkySafari's vendors that 6 Pro is on an Lunar Eclipse Special discount until 24th January - 33% off.

I'm working a night shift so should hopefully see some of it.

I don't mind electronic devices but my days of "hands on" electronics ended after I did some work on circuit board populated with tiny Surface Mound Devices. I thought I was done until I looked at the tip of the soldering iron and what I thought was flux debris turned out to be a capacitor I rarely pick up a soldering iron now.

I use SkySafari 6 Pro on my android devices and Stellarium on my Windows lappy. There was a time when Sky Safari seemed to be better for some things than Stellarium but I'd be stuck to find any significant differences in features now. So, being as the android version of Stellarium was hived off from the Stellarium project proper and became a poor relative (not sure if it is even available still), it became a choice of which android app to choose and Sky Safari is still extremely good value. Horses for courses then. They look and feel different and if I had to make judgment I'd say I prefer the user interlace in Sky Safari. I still find some of the features of Stellarium hard to configure or find even. Maybe I use it less so not as familiar.

This BBC news article is a good overview : https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46742298 It suggests that the two lobes probably came together during the formation of the solar system. I guess the only change has been painfully slow sublimation and irradiation of the surface. Nothing much happens out there in the Kupier belt, at least not until some maniac drives through the neighbourhood at 17km/s