Spooked?

[Andrew*]

Did anyone get any spooks in human form or otherwise while out last night?

I only went out at the drop of the hat, having seen the moon for the first time in weeks. Took out the scope for 20 minutes, no warming time, then left it under a bush to keep it from prying eyes, but not from the rain When I came back it was a wee bitty wet inside :? But the moon looked fabulous. I think my barlow is well and truly pants though, seeing as i couldn't even get it to focus on the moon.

AstroPhethean

[Caz]

Hope your scopes ok?? Perhaps you should buy yourself some tarpaulin for your scope, I think you can buy the sort with a pull cord at the bottom, you'll have a rain and leaf free scope then!

I didn't encounter any spooks last night, saying that though, I did get spooked! Unbeknown to me, my kids left me a nice suprise, a plastic spider under the bed covers last night... :shock: Little tinkers...

Caz

[geppetto]

My granddaughter's mates came round to take her trick or treating.

Whilst they were waiting, they lined up to take a look at the moon through

the 12" DOB.

Lots of Oooohs and Aaaaahs coming from a collection of little witches and monsters in full make up.

Priceless

[Astroman]

I've set up my scope just about every other year for 10 years in a nearby subdivision to amuse trick or treaters and inform parents on light pollution. It's been great every year, and is better for the kids than candy!

[Lunar]

I've set up my scope just about every other year for 10 years in a nearby subdivision to amuse trick or treaters and inform parents on light pollution. It's been great every year, and is better for the kids than candy!

Thats an awesome idea guys, but for some reason people dont go trick or treating around where I live. Perhaps its a london thing.

[Astroman]

Sidewalk Astronomy is for everyone, lunar. All you have to do is set up, and the people will wonder. I show the Sun at the Grand Canyon every year for a week solid and people from all over the world are interested. Pretty much any time, too. If you can see the Sun safely, or the Moon or Venus during the day, you should try it. People get a huge kick out of it. 8)

[daz]

I did the same thing for the kids in the village. They loved it, as did the mum's & dads as well!

I get as much of a kick from them enjoying the views!! It's a nice feeling wouldn't you say Astroman??

[Astroman]

Absolutely! I've got hundreds of stories, and it seems people throughout the world have similar reactions.

[Andrew*]

An update on Halloween. This is a tree with its top blown squint, against a spooky moonlit sky, taken on halloween night. As usual, unedited. These are admittedly complete failures. I was trying a technique known as painting with light. You use a bright torch to illuminate nearby objects while taking a long exposure of the sky or something. I was trying to make a pattern on the trees, but for some reason, it never came out.

I love that star poking through.

for some reason, very dusty:

with a red tinge I got somehow. Doubt it's Aurora. Rather LP :?

Andrew

[Andrew*]

P.S. Hope you like them. Anyone's welcome to add a witch on a broomstick, or, more sensibly, remove dust (this must be result of poor scanning.

Andrew

[The Warthog]

I've heard of painting using a hand-held strobe. I doubt a torch of any power would have enough light to expose the film.

[richard42]

i also am a member of a photographic forum where we have challenges every week there was a painting by light challenge

http://www.dpchallenge.com/challenge_results.php?CHALLENGE_ID=457

have a look through to get some ideas.

[Caz]

In that first pic, or does anyone else think it looks like a face in the clouds, or is it just me? :?

Caz