‘May you live in interesting times’ so says a proverb. Yes we do live in interesting times that’s for sure, unsettling, but definitely interesting in all manners, good and bad. Never a dull day unless you live like cave people.
Not so long ago, it would be out of reach for most people to get a decent telescope by Meade to view the night sky. I am glad I got one a few years back for under $200 and since then had my share of fun looking at the lunar craters especially when it’s full moon in my backyard. Alas, bright lights among us city dwellers spoil some fun, unable to see other stars and planets. Still for a cheap telescope I have being able to feel like a little boy again, in awe of the big universe. I was crazy enough to put this telescope in the trunk of my car when I went traveling from NJ USA to New Brunswick CA about five years ago, planning to catch a lunar eclipse up there along the way. But the cloud spoilt my plan. Anyway this is just one of the sky watch fun I engage in now and then.
Just a few days ago on Dec 1 , we had the Moon, Jupiter and Venus conjunction. I did not know this was the case, but I did saw a couple of bright objects near the moon that evening while traveling back from New York City to NJ. Took a few pictures while driving, but got blurry shots, one I put here just to remind myself an opportunity I had seeing this rare event. A nicer shot also shown here.
There was a moment to remember in my life when I saw a total solar eclipse in the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO back in Feb 26 1979 . At that time I was ‘hitch hiking’ across part of the US. Total Eclipse of the Sun: 1979 February 26 It was a sight to behold, me among the students in the university, courtesy of somebody I knew to get into the university.
The total solar eclipse was a memorable event and forever etched in my memory. Where I was and the eclipse event helps me nail down the precise date where I was at that moment. I was not so lucky in my early years when a comet came calling on planet earth. I was almost sicked to death by this cometery visit. Don’t know whether is was pure bad luck or what, or folklore associating comet visits to ill omen, but boy I was very very sick while I saw this comet looking out from the back window of my old house upstairs. Day in day out for about a week I would be mesmerized by the unusual sight in the sky. Memory fades, my best guess is I saw the comet in 1962 as shown below. Link here for excellent comet pictures.
OK, so what else could interest me more? Going to some dark sky sites would be exciting I am sure. How many stars have you seen in the darkest night you ever seen? If you live in the North Eastern US, you will be hard pressed to find a site that can come close to this site in PA where all the stars will ‘come out to play’ for you if you get lucky with clear skies. Maybe after seeing the sky from this place one really feels like stardust. And yes, after this perhaps you have a better idea about God. More info on dark sky here.
