If you haven't already seen it, go outside and see the moon tonight! The technical term is a waxing crescent, with 6% of the disk illuminated, according to the USNO website. I tried to get a photo, but am having trouble. Maybe I will have one by tomorrow!
Also saw an Eastern Bluebird at Fontenelle Forest today. That always makes my day!
Showing posts with label astronomy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label astronomy. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Monday, October 19, 2015
Planetary Conjunctions
One of the things that I love about teaching astronomy this year is that it forces me to stay up late or get up early and see the astronomical events for each month in our area. My students have been watching the "dance of the planets" in the eastern sky each morning this month.
In this photo, you can see Venus, with Jupiter below it to the left. Mars is there, too, but it was too faint to show up in this picture. I saw Mercury last week, but have not been able to see it since then.
Time got away from me. I also wanted to post this picture from the lunar eclipse:
Lots of extraneous light bouncing around there. I have a really basic telescope, and just held the camera up to the eyepiece.
In this photo, you can see Venus, with Jupiter below it to the left. Mars is there, too, but it was too faint to show up in this picture. I saw Mercury last week, but have not been able to see it since then.
Time got away from me. I also wanted to post this picture from the lunar eclipse:
Lots of extraneous light bouncing around there. I have a really basic telescope, and just held the camera up to the eyepiece.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Cicadas again
Just a few notes this evening: the cicadas are back. The temperature has climbed back into the upper 80s, and I hear them again in the maples. Summer has a couple of weeks to go, after all!
This morning, Venus shone very brightly in the Eastern sky. The Summer Triangle is still overhead.
Sunflowers and thistles are flowering on the roadsides. Their cheerful colors have been around for a couple of months now, so I find myself taking them for granted, until I think about how things will look in winter. That is incentive enough to delight in the intense yellows and purples.
Enjoy the last weeks of summer!
This morning, Venus shone very brightly in the Eastern sky. The Summer Triangle is still overhead.
Sunflowers and thistles are flowering on the roadsides. Their cheerful colors have been around for a couple of months now, so I find myself taking them for granted, until I think about how things will look in winter. That is incentive enough to delight in the intense yellows and purples.
Enjoy the last weeks of summer!
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Weather changes
This morning, a definite chill was in the air. Orion has begun its climb in the Eastern sky. And this evening, something is missing.
The cicadas have gone silent.
I heard them again, briefly, this afternoon when the sun warmed the air. But it is strangely quiet this evening, with only the buzz of crickets in the air. For months now, we have heard a constant, loud chorus in the maple trees in the yard.
The seasons are changing again. I saw chrysanthemums at the garden center today, and pumpkins at the grocery store. Football dominates television. It seems too early for it all, but I miss the cicadas already.
The cicadas have gone silent.
I heard them again, briefly, this afternoon when the sun warmed the air. But it is strangely quiet this evening, with only the buzz of crickets in the air. For months now, we have heard a constant, loud chorus in the maple trees in the yard.
The seasons are changing again. I saw chrysanthemums at the garden center today, and pumpkins at the grocery store. Football dominates television. It seems too early for it all, but I miss the cicadas already.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Fireball
Light pollution has new meaning for me! I hadn't realized how spoiled I have been in the past couple of places we've lived, which were rural. It was difficult to see the meteors last night.
But... I saw a pretty substantial fireball last night! Wow. I need to learn more about astrophotography. I did record it in my astronomy journal, though. I'll post some pages from that book on my other blog.
Although last night was the peak, you should still be able to see some meteors tonight, so if you missed it, go outside tonight and look up!
But... I saw a pretty substantial fireball last night! Wow. I need to learn more about astrophotography. I did record it in my astronomy journal, though. I'll post some pages from that book on my other blog.
Although last night was the peak, you should still be able to see some meteors tonight, so if you missed it, go outside tonight and look up!
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