out of the oven

Skeena, Callebaut, Lora, and Phil were heading to the E.C. Carr Astronomical Observatory. Expected to be there between 7 and 8. Phoned up to see if they needed anything.

I left Toronto around 7:30 PM. And watched (and felt) the temperature steadily drop. Around 10 degrees!

It was around 9:45 PM that I arrived at the CAO. I made good time! Partly because it was smooth sailing on the 400. It might have been in part to the new route or alternate I took, near the end, so to avoid Collingwood. I continued west from Stayner, through Duntroon, until the T-intersection just north of Singhampton. For a moment I was feeling a bit disoriented (due to how 124 bends) but when I reached Singhampton, I knew exactly where I was. And almost all of the westerly drive was without other cars. Only one road hog.

I avoided collisions with large fauna.

The skies gradually improved the further I went. The sunset was spectacular with a deep orange red colour. At one point, I noted a thin band of cloud bisecting the oblate Sun. It looked very much like Saturn! Except a crazy colour. I debated stopping to photograph it but pressed on.

I was thinking, on the way up, about my arrival time. That I'd get to the RASC Toronto Centre observatory after sunset, later, even. But the prospect of setting up in the dark, feeling rushed, did not enter my thoughts. I could simply use the Paramount in the Geoff Brown Observatory. No one else would be using it. That was a load off my mind.

As I rolled up the driveway, I killed my lights. I saw Phil wave. Lora and crew were milling about. There was another white truck, the second one backed up to the Observing Pad. Phil introduced me to Martin from Mississauga Centre. He was in the middle of setting up a huge SCT on a custom wedge. I left him to it. Phil asked if I was gonna fly the C14. You bet.

Immediately, the covering of skin began, despite the heat. Phil was already bundled up and unfortunately sweating. I scrambled to get into long pants, socks, and a sweater. The mozzies were out in full force. It was at this moment that I realised I had forgotten to bring a baseball cap! At least I had a toque! Two actually. (There's some Canadian joke there.) I had intended to wear my gift NASA cap from Phil, having washed it earlier in day, but in the rush to leave, I had forgotten it. Tried to find my heavy socks in the dark but resorted to then white tube socks. I wondered if I had forgotten them too.

Despite leaving The Big Sweat, the house was incredibly hot (I had noted the internal temperature earlier at 32). The GBO warm room was incredibly hot too, forcing a name change!