Astronomy

[DoomYoshi]

For the Canucks on here:
https://rasc.ca/national-star-party

We can see Jupiter eh.

EDIT: I don't think Calgary is doing it, but you could always email someone to find out.

[jusplay4fun]

I saw Mars last night, near the moon, about 9 pm EDT. If the moon is the center of the clock, Mars was at 7 o'clock position.

JP

[tzor]

I recently upgraded from an S7 to an S9. The ability of the S9 to remember the orientation using the star program was impressive. Now if the clouds would decide to leave the sky some night where I'm not at home with all those damn trees in the way.

[warmonger1981]

I recently upgraded from an S7 to an S9. The ability of the S9 to remember the orientation using the star program was impressive. Now if the clouds would decide to leave the sky some night where I'm not at home with all those damn trees in the way.

What's the name of that app again

[2dimes]

I think it's this one.

Latest app I put on my phone "Cosmic Watch"

Ok, I checked it but my old iPad had difficulty loading the website. I'm guessing the app will be way too much for it.

There is a trailer you neglected to share.

[jusplay4fun]

I am rather sure I saw Mars tonight, a few minutes ago (21:00 CCT) near the moon....without a telescope or binoculars.

http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/visible-planets-tonight-mars-jupiter-venus-saturn-mercury

http://earthsky.org/tonight

JP

[jusplay4fun]

Mars is still hanging here around the moon; check it out when you can. I even saw its orange tint (at least I think I did).

JP

[2dimes]

I see there is a meteor shower today. I'd like to watch but I shouldn't.

I had my retina detach. It was a surprise and I'm not even sure how it happened.

So they did surgery which intails giving you numbing eye drops then sticking an actual hypodermic needle in your eye to freeze it so it does not move while they operate on it. I didn't think I could do it but then it was not really a bad experience just freaky when the first needle went in.

It was pretty cool actually as I was awake for the whole thing. You don't see much because once your eye freezes it stops working for a while. Then at the end they inject a gas bubble in it and I had to be face down for two weeks, the gas bubble holds the retina in place and keeps the gel in your eye away while the laser scar heals.

Kind of put a pause on watching meteor showers since I still need to avoid being face up until the bubble disapates.

[jusplay4fun]

Wow, 2dimes. I am glad you are better now.

The TWO weeks face down meant that you were not allowed to do anything, BUT REST? Or could you move around? That 2 week part would be worst for ME, having to be face down THAT long....

JP

I see there is a meteor shower today. I'd like to watch but I shouldn't.

I had my retina detach. It was a surprise and I'm not even sure how it happened.

So they did surgery which intails giving you numbing eye drops then sticking an actual hypodermic needle in your eye to freeze it so it does not move while they operate on it. I didn't think I could do it but then it was not really a bad experience just freaky when the first needle went in.

It was pretty cool actually as I was awake for the whole thing. You don't see much because once your eye freezes it stops working for a while. Then at the end they inject a gas bubble in it and I had to be face down for two weeks, the gas bubble holds the retina in place and keeps the gel in your eye away while the laser scar heals.

Kind of put a pause on watching meteor showers since I still need to avoid being face up until the bubble disapates.

[2dimes]

Mostly resting. It would have been better if I was allowed to watch tv or read.

Oh well it's over now so no sense complaining. It could have been much worse.

[DoomYoshi]

Happy birthday to the sky!
https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astrono ... of-canada/

[KarlaCoach]

And I never looked in a telescope. I hope this dream will come true.

[jusplay4fun]

It is very COOL, for anyone. IF you have always dreamed of doing so, see if there is a Telescope or Astronomy Group in your area and go to their event. About 10-12 years ago I saw one such event announced for my area. The local Telescope group brought 3 telescopes there. It was on a bluff on a river and that gave us a great location for observations as no trees blocked the horizon. Saturn was only 10-15 degrees above the horizon, meaning trees would obscure in many other locations.

One guy trained its lenses on the moons of Jupiter, the first real discovery by the first man to use such a device for astronomical observations, Galileo. THAT was a treat..! #2 focused on the Saturn and its rings, also first described by Galileo. The third one focused on a very distant nebula, but I was not really sure I saw it. The cool thing about #3 was that it was digitally controlled to compensate for the earth's rotation and stayed focused on the target.

#2 had a design (With a hole in its large mirror to allow it to be much shorted than the first one); the first one had an 18 inch (maybe?) large mirror and was about 6 feet long. #2 was about 2-3 feet long, as I recall.

That was quite an evening for ME. I spent 2-3 hours there and there were only about 10 other viewers, so the crowd was small and allowed me to not have to wait TOO long. I later learned that the event was the groups THIRD attempt from that location as the previous two had too many clouds and/or rain. I got very LUCKY that day for many reasons.

JP

And I never looked in a telescope. I hope this dream will come true.

[DoomYoshi]

Comet Wirtanen tonight, in the area of Orion and Taurus.

I've got clouds, clouds and more clouds.

[2dimes]

Yeah, the clouds have been my enemy too. I don't have enough free time to just bugger off and observe. Then when I get a chance, the clouds seem to show up and ruin it.

The only time last year I took my telescope out with our son it ended up being a full moon. I drove way out into ranch country looking for dark sky. We might as well have been our back yard under a few street light.

Great story JP, unfortunately our new spammer friend has been guested. Too bad, they seemed to be one of the best mew members of off topics in a long time. Only one spam link out of ten posts.

[jusplay4fun]

Super Blood Wolf Full Moon:

https://www.space.com/43062-super-blood ... -2021.html

Don't Miss the Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse Tonight! It's the Last Until 2021.

Most media outlets have given this some coverage. I went out to see it a few minutes ago; very cold outside, 25 F now. Also, Moon is very high in the sky, almost straight up for me, jus a bit to the south (in Virginia, USA). I am gonna look again here in a few; likely no big change since I first viewed it.

JP

[jusplay4fun]

Also, I noticed some planets the other night, but I have not yet researched that.

JP

[HitRed]

Too cold for human sacrifice
blood wolf is going hungry

[2dimes]

My son went out too early and scoffed at it, "Looks like a normal moon to me." Funny, chip off the ol' block. I did not brave the cold to go peek. I need to wizz though. Maybe I'll check how red it is.

[Bernie Sanders]

My son went out too early and scoffed at it, "Looks like a normal moon to me." Funny, chip off the ol' block. I did not brave the cold to go peek. I need to wizz though. Maybe I'll check how red it is.

Your wizz is red? Eeeeeek, you got more problems than your detached retina.....

[Dukasaur]

Sadly, 100% cloud cover here.

[2dimes]

No visible blood in my urine. But there is a lot more than most people. It's genetically normal and freaks out unsuspecting medical staff.

The moon was supposed to be red. I never personally saw it.

My retina seems good. There is a slight grey area at the bottome of my vision. It is not steady and both my eyes are thirsty. I need drops several times a day. Thanks for the chat Bern.

Back to moon talk. I think it was obscured by a mix of ice fog and light pollution here but in might have just snuck to the part of the sky away from view out any of the windows of my wife's house here.

Should have bundled up and went out. A bud with a photography hobby got some great pictures, he posted on friendface, none of umbra.

[jusplay4fun]

I went out around midnite (here) earlier today and the moon did look a bit reddish-orange to me.

The explanation given is that the light from the Earth's sunrise and Sunset was illuminating the moon. Rayleigh Scattering explains red sunsets and red sunrises, btw.

Also, the moon appeared very large about 5:30 p.m. today (1/21/19) here (VA, USA) , shortly after sundown. About 2 hours later, it appeared to me to be more close to "normal" size (and smaller).

JP

[jusplay4fun]

I think the two planets I saw earlier this week are Venus and Jupiter. Because they were very bright in the night sky, they seemed to me to be planets, brighter than any star.

https://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-january-18-26/

Good diagram here, IMO.

JP

[DoomYoshi]