Well here it is a Saturday afternoon in Sierra foothills with a very socked in sky and a double moon transit of Jupiter about to begin in a few hours. No way this guy is gonna see it tonight with unyielding clouds in all directions. Drive By chimed in earlier and was bragging about his wonderful N.Y. skies for this event! I did or at least attempted a outreach on this past Wednesday evening.A awesome sunset with clouds moving out started things out nicely........
Resource table and scope set to go and...........Well no one showed up! Seriously 4 visitors this night to enjoy Jupiter and waxing gibbous moon views. This was by far my slowest and least satisfying outreach. One of my visitors did do a detailed view with Luna treasures spurring him forward but did not want his pic taken. To bad as he would have made the headlines on this blog for the quality observe he made that even impressed his lady friend. Well maybe that is all that mattered! And she was impressed with her guy's observing prowess and his car wasn't to bad either...........
OK what is a SUG to do?
Why not enjoy the time out by the lakeside and take in fun lunar views like this one. This was the same view I had on this evening of this crater/transition crater complex on the moon's western edge. Oh sure I missed my people (A LOT) and I was a lonely telescope guy but the moon made up for some it with shows like this.I think I am ready to try a new location but where?
8 comments:
I also missed the double Jovian transit due to clouds. It's not something we can control, so don't feel too down about it.
I'm sorry to hear about your slow outreach night, but it reminded me of most of my attempts. From the picture, it looks like you were back out at the marina. I don't know about Nevada, but in Northwest Indiana boating season ends in the fall. Lake Michigan gets way too unpredictable (think "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"), not to mention COLD. Another location may yield better results through the winter months.
Hi SUG,
I wanted to ask you the same question I asked Paulie. You know how most people when they look through a telescope think that they're going to see the beautiful colors that they see in photographs?
How did you feel when you found out that our eye rods can't detect those breathtaking beautiful colors? That the only colors we can detect is basically grey and black and white? And that the only way one can capture those colors is through astrophotography?
Did it sadden you that your eyes could never see those colors through your scope? Or did you find a new beauty in the greyish tone colors? I would love to know! Thanks so much SUG!
October 20, 2010 7:19 PM
I agree with Paulie...don't feel bad that hardly anyone showed up that night. Just remember the other time you had about 40 or so people! And all the other times you get a good crowd going. You are usually a great hit with these folks! Tonight wasn't the night...but tomorrow could be!!! Don't lose heart!
Hey Johany - there is color to be seen! Yes all of us focus light different in our eyes but you can also train yourself at the eyepiece to see more and more! I find that seeing things in my brain before I see them in the scope helps. I read what others have seen in a particular object and try to repeat that observe and then PUSH BEYOND IT.
Notice the colors of our brighter constellation guide stars - easy to see blues, whites, yellows, oranges.
Luna - notice the different shades of grey and white. But there is MORE to see even here. Yes there is!
In your scope to be take time to notice the subtle star colors - open clusters are great for this!
Globular clusters will also show subtle colors - CLEAR SKY REQUIRED BUT IT IS THERE!
Planetary nebula and emission (star birth) nebula will show shades of green, blue, turquoise - easy! Now mix in some hot young stars or stellar remnants and what a show you have.
Black is a color so some Milky Way Dust clouds show their stuff against the starry background. Under clear sky it is the blackest black you will see! Formal wear of our galaxy!!!!!
Wanna see color - do lots of double stars!!!!!!!!! Reds, oranges, yellows, whites, silver, blues, greens (rare), even purple!!!!!!!!! As you train your eye and set the expectancy the more you see. I regularly "challenge" my visitors and even beginners can see color at the scope.
Oh how about planets! Mars reds browns whites and even light blues, Jupiter brown tan rust, Saturn's orange hue (Titan is orange indeed) Uranus turquoise, and Neptune blue set against the inky blackness!
Comets - notice the ion tail's display of green blue. I have even detected color with in the coma!
How about Northern Lights!!!!!!!!
Lots of color to be seen my friend. Some will come easy others will take time but your level of expectancy and patience will rule what you will see.
OK now get to it!!!!!!!
Wow SUG, I loved your answer! I loved Paulie's too! You guys REALLY make astronomy come alive!!!It shows everytime I read your posts. Thank you so much to the both of you for replying back to me. I really appreciate that! You guys are AWESOME!!!
Oh Johany I forgot that Lunar eclipses give us a changing color scheme as the event waxes and wanes:)
And too as we observe our Sun in white light & narrow band we get to see yellows, red, white and the black of the sunspots!
Color all over.....
Wow. I thought I gave a detailed answer, but obviously I neglected some things. SUG is right! There is color everywhere!
Paulie,
Your answer was awesome too! Both of your answers complemented each other so well!!!
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