So I did go out last night and early this morning in the pursuit of Perseids, starting off just in the backyard but then deciding to go down to a small boat launch area not too far away, which I’ve used once before. The scattered thin clouds visible during the day (see previous
Category: Astronomy
Just a taste
My friend texted me this morning asking me when the solar eclipse was, and I was about to answer, “It’s not,” since the path of totality passed across northern Europe. But then I thought to check and see if there was any portion visible from the US, and indeed there was. The irony of this being, I could see the smallest fragment from where I was, but not from where he
Them odds
The rules* say they gotta fall in my/our** favor eventually, right? Because it’s getting to be about time to do so…***
The Perseids meteor shower is predicted to peak the night of August 12th and morning of the 13th, precise time about 03:00 UTC on the
That’ll teach you to listen to me
Despite many warning signs, including clouds just a wee bit too thick when I was setting up the tripod only ten minutes before the event, the skies were perfectly clear when the Falcon 9 stage impacted the moon, and I was indeed shooting video as it was supposed to happen. I’m not bothering to upload it, since there isn’t a damn thing to see – as predicted in the previous post.
There might be something to see
This news has been kicking around for a few days, but recent observations have narrowed down the time it might occur fairly tightly now: At 06:35:42.45 UTC, Wednesday August 5th, the upper stage of a Falcon 9 rocket (SpaceX) will impact the moon, just barely into the visible side. While this might present a visible flash, it is more likely to
Narrow windows
Astronomy Picture of the Day today had a lovely sunspot image.
… which they said was presently crossing the sun. We’re in a narrow window between scattered clouds and rainstorms that are due within hours, so I quickly grabbed the solar filter and went out to see just how visible this sunspot group was. Actually, not too shabby.
As always, it took several frames to get
Oh, you weather!
Let’s start with, did I get out myself and photograph or video the occultation of Venus by the moon yesterday that I was alerting you of?
No. I mean, I did get out, and the day had been all nice and clear, but by the time of the occultation, the sky had produced thick yet wildly variable clouds that couldn’t make up their minds whether they wanted to be assholes or not. They apparently
Too cool, part 54
Wow, it’s been better than two years since the last ‘Too Cool’ post – at least, the last with that in the title, though as a category, there’s definitely been a few since then. This one comes courtesy of Astronomy Picture of the Day, though I’m a little lax, since this was yesterday’s.
Taken by John
Things to do
S’okay, not much warning on one of them, but if you’re here, you don’t really need the prompting, even if it’s prompting to not be here – you may not need that either. But tomorrow, June 13th, is National Get Outdoors Day, or at least, USA Get Outdoors Day; it may not extend beyond our own country here. Now granted, the heat index
Rapid turnaround
I actually have some other things that I was about to post, but while down distributing critter corn I noticed the moon was looking pleasant, and quickly got set up before it disappeared behind the house. So it’s bumping the other things temporarily.
Ehhhh, not bad, and at 7.4% illuminated, hardly the smallest crescent that I’ve captured, but we can do better.
This is