field guide from Steve

Steve, my brother-in-law, is a birder. He has many field guides and handbooks. In his travels, he found a book for amateur astronomers, Skyguide from Golden Books, in the same style. He gave this to me as a Christmas present.

   

 It will prove handy, I'm sure. § Wikipedia has an entry on Golden Field Guildes.

[ed: It has a section on double stars... one of my early sources as I started building lists...]

The Northern Lights

I recorded from television the documentary called The Northern Lights directed by Alan Booth and narrated by Michael Kramer. It is a stirring, eerie film from 1992, short at 48 minutes, with stunning photography and a haunting soundtrack. I watch it every winter.

It makes me feel cold.

Available from the National Film Board.

Jupiter and meteors (Awenda)

9:05pm EST. Viewed Jupiter from clearing. Clear night. Four moons visible (1, 3, spaced evenly, the 4th is 3x away). Cloud bands very clear. Can't see Red Spot.

Instrument: Celestron 8-inch SCT
Mount: Vixen Super Polaris
Method: star hopping

10:00pm EST. Saw one meteor, a quick one, from north to south.

telescoping at camp (Awenda)

A bunch of us headed up to Awenda Provincial Park near Penetanguishene for some biking, swimming, peace and quiet, relaxing, battles over food with squirrels and coons, and ghost stories (to be interrupted by wardens with uncanny night vision).

I took the Celestron up. I had sketched a rough plan:

• all night: meteors
• 9 pm:
  • Jupiter, in Ophiuchus, near M22
    
  • M22, map 22
    
  • and Lagoon Nebula, map 22
• 1am:
  • Comet Hale-Bopp
    
  • Saturn in Cetus
    
  • Andromeda, map 4, 9
    
  • and Pleiades, map 4

The map numbers refer to the page number in the Wil Tirion's SkyAtlas (deluxe, bound edition).

Hilary and Cam enjoyed a bit of viewing with me, before heavy dew coated the 'scope.

Saw a few Perseid meteors.

party

Celebrated the summer solstice this evening.

I was rather pleased with the invite...



Good turnout too!

comet Hyakutake (Toronto)

Saw Comet Hyakutake tonight with my naked eyeball.



(I did not shoot this photo.)

Lisa saw it a couple of nights later (with the aid of her new eyeglasses). She said it looks like a fuzzy star.

planet buttons

Goofing around on my personal web site. Thought I'd make iconic buttons to allow movement to the different areas (I know that's bad form, but hey, I'm playing). Decided to use the ole' planet symbols...