Comments on: Getting ready for a Hungry Dragon http://www.starstryder.com/2009/07/16/getting-ready-for-a-hungry-dragon/ Blogging one sidereal day at a time Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:26:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nicole http://www.starstryder.com/2009/07/16/getting-ready-for-a-hungry-dragon/comment-page-1/#comment-26933 Nicole Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:51:54 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=922#comment-26933 Sorry, Richard! I was a sleepy head, I know. What can I say, radio astronomy knows no night vs day... Sorry, Richard! I was a sleepy head, I know. What can I say, radio astronomy knows no night vs day…

]]> By: Richard Drumm The Astronomy Bum http://www.starstryder.com/2009/07/16/getting-ready-for-a-hungry-dragon/comment-page-1/#comment-26891 Richard Drumm The Astronomy Bum Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:27:11 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=922#comment-26891 Actually the best view of Jupiter I've ever had was with a 12" dob in my driveway. I had borrowed the scope (a month prior to buying my 10" Atlas-mounted Newtonian) and Ken Harker, who loaned it to me was picking it up to take it back to his home. I was grousing about the skies being murky and only 30 or 40 stars total were visible. It was late Spring, so the early evening planets were still fairly high in the sky. Ken said "I'm getting out an eyepiece!" and we had a look at Jupiter. I was gobsmacked! The murky skies had cut down the transparency and hidden dim objects from view, sure enough. But bright Jupiter had no problem poking through the murk and was spectacular. The murkiness indicated steady laminar airflow, making for superb viewing. I could easily see the festoons of turbulence at the edge of the belts. Sure taught me a lesson! I had tweeted to Nicole (The Noisy Astronomer) and another UVa astronomy student earlier that I might go up there, but they went to sleep before I made the decision final to actually go and tweeted that news. It would've been nice to have had the company. If there is a university observatory near you that does public outreach, visit them and volunteer. Then you too can have fun in the middle of the night with a giant scope! Actually the best view of Jupiter I’ve ever had was with a 12″ dob in my driveway. I had borrowed the scope (a month prior to buying my 10″ Atlas-mounted Newtonian) and Ken Harker, who loaned it to me was picking it up to take it back to his home. I was grousing about the skies being murky and only 30 or 40 stars total were visible. It was late Spring, so the early evening planets were still fairly high in the sky. Ken said “I’m getting out an eyepiece!” and we had a look at Jupiter.

I was gobsmacked!

The murky skies had cut down the transparency and hidden dim objects from view, sure enough. But bright Jupiter had no problem poking through the murk and was spectacular. The murkiness indicated steady laminar airflow, making for superb viewing. I could easily see the festoons of turbulence at the edge of the belts.

Sure taught me a lesson!

I had tweeted to Nicole (The Noisy Astronomer) and another UVa astronomy student earlier that I might go up there, but they went to sleep before I made the decision final to actually go and tweeted that news. It would’ve been nice to have had the company.

If there is a university observatory near you that does public outreach, visit them and volunteer. Then you too can have fun in the middle of the night with a giant scope!

]]> By: Lee Osmundson http://www.starstryder.com/2009/07/16/getting-ready-for-a-hungry-dragon/comment-page-1/#comment-26887 Lee Osmundson Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:08:43 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=922#comment-26887 must be nice to have an entire observatory to yourself! I wish! I am stuck with my 8" dob. Oh well better than nothing I suppose. You must get some good viewing in virgina. Lee must be nice to have an entire observatory to yourself! I wish! I am stuck with my 8″ dob. Oh well better than nothing I suppose. You must get some good viewing in virgina.
Lee

]]> By: Richard Drumm The Astronomy Bum http://www.starstryder.com/2009/07/16/getting-ready-for-a-hungry-dragon/comment-page-1/#comment-26884 Richard Drumm The Astronomy Bum Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:47:26 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=922#comment-26884 Yeah, ol' Jove's just doin' his job. I tried to have a look-see at the bruise last night with UVa's 26" Clark refractor but the planet was swimming in turbulence and the small spot just couldn't be seen. I had McCormick Observatory to myself, too. The summertime planets are low in the night sky for the same reason that the summertime sun is high in the daytime sky. It's simple geometry. This explains why an Aussie discovered the thing, with his planets high in the night sky and way easier to image than here. Rich Yeah, ol’ Jove’s just doin’ his job. I tried to have a look-see at the bruise last night with UVa’s 26″ Clark refractor but the planet was swimming in turbulence and the small spot just couldn’t be seen. I had McCormick Observatory to myself, too.

The summertime planets are low in the night sky for the same reason that the summertime sun is high in the daytime sky. It’s simple geometry. This explains why an Aussie discovered the thing, with his planets high in the night sky and way easier to image than here.
Rich

]]> By: Lee Osmundson http://www.starstryder.com/2009/07/16/getting-ready-for-a-hungry-dragon/comment-page-1/#comment-26883 Lee Osmundson Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:42:01 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=922#comment-26883 Hope you had a good veiw of the eclipse! Whats up with poor jupiter getting smacked again. Good thing for us, I guess Jupiter is kind of our solar systems vacuum cleaner! Hope you had a good veiw of the eclipse! Whats up with poor jupiter getting smacked again. Good thing for us, I guess Jupiter is kind of our solar systems vacuum cleaner!

]]> By: Richard Drumm The Astronomy Bum http://www.starstryder.com/2009/07/16/getting-ready-for-a-hungry-dragon/comment-page-1/#comment-26874 Richard Drumm The Astronomy Bum Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:06:10 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=922#comment-26874 Have a good eclipse! We're jealous as all get out over here in the ol' US of A! I hope you have clear skies and calm seas! Have a good eclipse! We’re jealous as all get out over here in the ol’ US of A! I hope you have clear skies and calm seas!

]]>