Macavity

I casually wonder what the latest image of a Planet HIP 65426 shows... Are we looking a "Mint Humbug" Planet or a "diffraction pattern"? 🥳 (I imagine that the planet is the central *BLOB*... but we can dream!)

Not much of an opportunity to test them under stars... ☁️ But mostly looked fine... Good colour... Nice & sharp etc. From personal perspective - Varifocal Glasses Wearer, the Eye relief was sufficient with eyepiece cups fully retracted during daylight! (As ever) I had some difficulty at night... I tend to "lose" the exit pupils! lol. But, with my glasses off, and the eye-cups deployed, it was very MUCH easier. 😉 My "specs" are "-6" & "-2" diopters, so nothing new? 🤣

Something (long) on my 60+ bucket-list. First pair of (decent) 42mm binoculars. 🥳 Decided to somewhat "push the boat out" with these "Diamondback" HD 8x42's... (Late Dad's (USSR) "Military Boserver"(sic!) 10x50's are a bit cheap 'n' cheerful. lol) Mechanically very sound. Usual stuff works, as anticipated++! At least terrestrially, these are looking really good! A tad more colour (ref. my Altair ED60 Lightwave)? Hardly a Review, but if anyone is "wondering" - Or in the market for similar ilk... 🙂 P.S. Not had anything NEW... Optical (Astronomical!) for a long time - I'm excited! "You pays yer money"? So far, looking like (better than!) a "safe pair of hands"? 😎

Doesn't that apply to almost EVERYONE, these days? lol. Previously "reputable" academics, having become "freelance" (rid themselves of awkward "contracts of employment"?) - once with a "scientific conscience" (whatever) now court the exact same "credulous" audience. 😑 Once you are assumed to be "maverick" or... "non-establishment", it's money in the bank. 🥳

An early inspiration of mine was "Flight to the Stars" by James Strong (1965)! Technology aside, one of the more interesting notions was the "moral dilemma" re. (then speculated) ever increasing (near light) speeds! If you can travel at (now) "warp" speed, it is KINDER not to hail a multi-generational "Ark" as you overtake! 🙃

Heheh. I'm not really into "debunking" stuff! There are Physics Teachers (and Academics?) here who are far more up to date - and perhaps deal regularly with general physics questions? But I thank you for the recommendation! (Better than some of the allegations & speculations? lol) 🥳 P.S. I could warm to Dr. Sabien H: "Conspiracy Theorists are not stupid... Zey are just WRONG! 🤣

The Thread or the Tak? Isn't the latter usually large and WHITE? 🥳 (For "speed readers" - Sorry getting confused over colours now. lol)

Talked to old lady at a bus stop few years back. She knew little about science achievements of Sir Bernard Lovell - But he "played the organ at my church". Used to pass "his dish", on the train, to first gap-6-months job, 50 years ago! 😉

It was looking pretty dark / cloudy on the feed too? "Floodlit Cricket", almost! 🧐

So: Where exactly is "the crack"? (In the Tank or Foam insulation). Reminded of how difficult (nerve-racking) it must be to make a "call" on some of these issues... 🙀

Currently watching on Youtube: https://youtu.be/21X5lGlDOfg Talking of "Floridians", I remember getting "live updates" (on MSN CHAT!) from a LOCAL... when a Saturn V was being launched! (I must be old. lol) 😅

So not... <Sings>"Me and You and a Dog named Boo" then? I feel crushed! 🥳 I remember, when it was first discovered that my eyesight was not "20-20"... Including a visit to the local "Eye Hospital" (I also used to get conjunctivitis). The Consultants... consulted: "Hmmm... I think we'll give the Lad a GLASS"! 🤔 As we left, Dad asked: "What's wrong"? "Dad, I don't WANT a Monacle"!!! 🧐

(Randomly) The advantage of using two eyes are anecdotal. I must try! 😎 But I do wonder about the "magnitudes"... due to transmission/reflection.

The image gives (another) real hint of the 3-Dimensional structure of the clouds. It is so tantalising... the "Towering Thunderheads" of the Artistic Imagination? 😎

Mystery of half-billion year old creature with no anus solved! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-62580967 All mouth and NO trousers (needed)? 🥳

Great Stuff - Thanks! Maybe it will encourage people to look for (image) one? 🥳

Recently came across (rather obvious, innit!) idea of Moonbows Like a rainbow... at night... caused by the Moon etc. 🥳 Less than 10% of the frequency of Rainbows? Rainbows are only "six per year" from a given place?!? Maybe Astronomers tend to stay in, if there's any whiff of RAIN (cloud) around! 😉 https://astronomy.com/news-observing/ask astro/2005/07/i saw a rainbow caused by moonlight how often does this occur

I use the "inverse" of above! Hole Cutter and some spare pieces of shelving. Used quite successfully, until my pullover caught in the focusser... Scope fell over and bent the Electric Focusser bracket. I sense (hope) the rest survived! 🙄 Best not to have a Telescope as a (non-SGL!) Lounge "Conversation Piece"? 🤣

😅 You tell 'em! But I too feel undercuts are meant to work with screws (only). You can indeed remove the brass rings and retain or discard them as desired... 🥳 I must admit, I'm not over-fond of "screw marks" on e.p.s, so the idea of using nylon tipped screws is good! Sometimes I just use M3 cheesehead nylon bolts. 😉

I honestly wish I hadn't started the thead. lol. I (genuinely) congratulate you re. the "super-determinism" bit though! Without Wikipedia I would have no idea! lol. 😉 I suppose I was intrigued to learn WHY she *so often* cites "Particle Physicists" as the "bad guys" in this. I suppose I wondered how this had originated. I see Fifteen years ago, she just seemed to be posting this stuff as not unreasonable questions. I *did* have to wade through a lot of playground name-calling... on ALL sides. 🙄 I wryly admire her energies though. To opine on R-word, P-word, Gender/Sex, the future of pro sport (Not a lot?) English/USA pronunciation and... *everything*!? lol But there is now quite a LOT of reward in being "controversial" (or appearing so)! Aside: I not sure that being a Particle Physicist is JUST a privilege though! ISTR a modest amounts of work are involved - Both getting there and working therein? I am NOT convinced it's obligatory for everyone / anyone who gets *criticised* by "science popularisers" to appear on some "Channel" to defend themselves! Witten... various Laboratory Directors, "Chief Scientists"... "Bill Gates" etc. etc. 😅

I think (in my younger days) I might have tried "Coquille St. Jacques"? 😎 (No sniggering at the back, "Smith Minor"!) For fans of "Reflectors"? 🥳 https://www.opticianonline.net/features/animal-vision-the-unexpected-eyes-of-scallops Maybe there's some other "good stuff" here, re. what our OPTICIANS do... I remember a Father (and Daughter!) "Opticians" being interested in my Astronomy! 🙂

In retrospect, I'm just OLD? lol. The "Methods of Science" have changed? These days we can circumvent *Peer Review* and "Speak directly to OUR Public"! lol. Sabine is a pretty good singer too? (Thanks to my Youtube "Research", I have No Escape from her Music!) 🥳 "Music Critic": "Hey, Pretty Good... But you hit a couple of wrong notes"? Sabine: WHICH (Vitch) two notes?!? "Music Critic": "Uhm, not being specific" - "You're not a trained singer"... Sabine: Then your post is stupid... I cannot improve... it is of no use to me etc. lol. Welcome to the modern world of Science Popularising? I have doubtless MISQUOTED some of the above! I hope she doesn't get VIND of it! 😈 "Be Excellent to each other"? - Bill & Ted 😎

I think you have the right idea! The tops of HILLS work well for lower horizons. (A couple of those near to me!) Sometimes the limiting magnitude improves quite quickly in a short distance. BIG / Local light sources get obscured etc. 😎 Can be a bit harder to find sites directly accessible from a vehicle. Sometimes a short stroll, along a country lane (by day) turns into a GRIM MUD SLIDE by night. lol. A head-torch helps? But you do guarantee safety from intruders! 😅

I think this is WONDERFUL! I seem to remember Pluto is the same magnitude as e.g. Uranian satellites... Or (Neptune's) Triton etc. So, if you can "photograph", Image, "EEVA Astro" those! 🥳 Pluto is "a bit low" in the Zodiac, but worth a try? 🙃

Returning to the "human aspect" (Sorry, Physicists! lol) I suppose it depends on whether you agree with the (Popular on the Internet!) "Collective Guilt" idea? 😏 Sabine Sez: If the rest of particle physicists doesn't speak up and instead allows their spokespeople to propagate nonsense, they are equally guilty. Giudice and Gianotti aren't anyone. They're the leading people of the world's leading particle physics institution. Of course all the people who work on not "freaky" things have a reason to allow this to happen. Because without the big claims about new and exciting things, no one would fund their research, and they all know that. So, we are not allowed ANY excuse! lol. But what real power does an average Ph.D. Student or Research Associate have to criticise the system. Almost all of these "outspoken scientists" seem to have secured themselves "independent means", via Media, Youtube... or Patreon? 🤔 Hmmm - I see the above discussion is OLD and CLOSED! But I could make my point if I were to contribute to: https://www.patreon.com/Sabine 😸 There are things I could say... Both Good & BAD about my experience with Particle Physics. But, unlike Sabine(?), I do not "Regret my Association"? It is a "workplace" like any other. In that sense, there are Good and Bad. Overall, I feel *Scientists* are "better than many"! 🥳 I still recall ONE "Theorist" who turned up to offer HELP "build our experiment" (We were desperately short staffed!). He felt unable to "sit doing theory", while we "worked hard"... He was "terrrifyingly clumsy" at first. lol. But he ended up working harder than most of us! He solved the problem by "theorising" AFTER his eight hours doing hard graft! I prescribe Sabine a good dose of 80m inch-thick 16-way *Cable Dragging* up a 5m high magnet. 🤣 P.S. Of course I am joking. (I think) But when people devote their LIVES to these things...