Re: birds
Posted: 2020/12/15 03:48:37 UTC
Area got drowned for the first half of the day and started clearing on schedule. Mid afternoon I became aware of the total solar across Chile and Argentina too late to catch any of it live on camera. A bit bummed out by that but was happy to see the full sun from the back deck obstructed only by branches using the binocular with the filters.
Jupiter was scheduled to light up at 15:04 and I got on station a bit ahead of that. Bad news - heavy solid clouding in the area of interest. Good news - the wind was cranking from the west and the patterns gave me full confidence I'd be in business in short order. Got Jupiter in crystal clear at 15:13. Lost it for a couple more short intervals before things opened up permanently.
Pretty cold but I was well layered and the wind soon subsided.
Got a fair flow of customers for the circumstances - including a mom with a car load of too little girls. Mom was blown away and we tried with the three of the kids bit I think without success. Had the eldest up on the step stool with her eye right where it was supposed to be and neither of us could believe she was coming up empty.
I think she couldn't figure out how to center. Suggested we try again tomorrow evening with my binocular on another tripod. The exit pupil on the 95 scope is 2.83 millimeters. On the Canon they're 4.2. Maybe if a little kid can get some success with the lower power...
Also got the dad of last night's flock of kids. He thought he had a Saturn moon but I didn't think that was possible and suggested a star. But I now find otherwise. Titan is has more diameter than Mercury and is the second largest satellite in the solar system after Ganymede. It was discovered in 1655 by Christiaan Huygens using a 57 millimeter refracting of his own design. Maybe I can plead light pollution.
Only had half of Jupiter's four this time. (If they're behind or in front of their planet we don't get them.) James Cook used them to determine Greenwich Mean Time to determine longitude while he was exploring the globe. (But the observations had to be land based (obviously).)
Broke down a little before treetops, forecast looking excellent for tomorrow. Make it five in a row. Will be looking a lot harder around Saturn next opportunity.
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2020/12/15 13:30:00 UTC
I'd assumed Saturn's moons would be aligned with its orbit, spin, rings - à la Jupiter. Nope.
http://astronomy.com/news/2020/12/jupiter-and-saturn-will-form-rare-christmas-star-on-winter-solstice
Jupiter and Saturn will form rare "Christmas Star" on winter solstice | Astronomy.com
Jupiter was scheduled to light up at 15:04 and I got on station a bit ahead of that. Bad news - heavy solid clouding in the area of interest. Good news - the wind was cranking from the west and the patterns gave me full confidence I'd be in business in short order. Got Jupiter in crystal clear at 15:13. Lost it for a couple more short intervals before things opened up permanently.
Pretty cold but I was well layered and the wind soon subsided.
Got a fair flow of customers for the circumstances - including a mom with a car load of too little girls. Mom was blown away and we tried with the three of the kids bit I think without success. Had the eldest up on the step stool with her eye right where it was supposed to be and neither of us could believe she was coming up empty.
I think she couldn't figure out how to center. Suggested we try again tomorrow evening with my binocular on another tripod. The exit pupil on the 95 scope is 2.83 millimeters. On the Canon they're 4.2. Maybe if a little kid can get some success with the lower power...
Also got the dad of last night's flock of kids. He thought he had a Saturn moon but I didn't think that was possible and suggested a star. But I now find otherwise. Titan is has more diameter than Mercury and is the second largest satellite in the solar system after Ganymede. It was discovered in 1655 by Christiaan Huygens using a 57 millimeter refracting of his own design. Maybe I can plead light pollution.
Only had half of Jupiter's four this time. (If they're behind or in front of their planet we don't get them.) James Cook used them to determine Greenwich Mean Time to determine longitude while he was exploring the globe. (But the observations had to be land based (obviously).)
Broke down a little before treetops, forecast looking excellent for tomorrow. Make it five in a row. Will be looking a lot harder around Saturn next opportunity.
---
2020/12/15 13:30:00 UTC
I'd assumed Saturn's moons would be aligned with its orbit, spin, rings - à la Jupiter. Nope.
http://astronomy.com/news/2020/12/jupiter-and-saturn-will-form-rare-christmas-star-on-winter-solstice
Jupiter and Saturn will form rare "Christmas Star" on winter solstice | Astronomy.com