Just because it's astonishing: time-lapse video of the Milky Way over Texas. It gets good around 23 seconds, and the full-screen view is accessed by clicking the icon next to 'Vimeo' on the horizontal tool bar.
That was stunning. The galactic centre lies around the constellations Sagittarius-Scorpio, which never rise much above the horizon haze in these latitudes. The best night sky I ever saw here was when I was camping near Wastwater in the Lake District way back before the invention of town lighting, arthiritis and frostbite: there was no moon, but after my eyes got accustomed to the dark I could read by starlight, and indeed I did try to consult my trusty Norton's Star Atlas, but the sky was so effulgent(?!) that even if the major constellations were familiar to you it was hard to make 'em out among the clouds of faint ones that were visible. Lets have a star party - check for the next meteor shower, head for the hills and point me at the sky.
Wow! I no longer have one. Had a pretty useless one when I was young, and in the 80s I saved up and bought a pair of binoculars with 3-inch (82mm) object glasses. They were huge and magic (you had to mount them on a tripod as holding them was impossible) and I spent many a freezing night clamped to their eyepieces. Had to sell them when I was a student (sob).
Where do you reckon is the nearest place to get such a spectacular view of the milky way? Could be a good basis for a mission based jaunt.
The finest view I every got was lying on the roof of a fishing boat somewhere off the north coast of Sumbawa, towards the bottom end of the Indonesian archipeligo. At the same time there was phosphorescent plankton spinning out in the wake of the boat. Magic.
You wouldn't have liked it voley, it was toasty warm, and there were flying fish.
The southern hemisphere is best for seeing the milky way, because it's directly overhead, which explains why it looked so good on that boat. In the northern hemisphere the centre appears close to the horizon. It runs through Cygnus, Cassiopia and Sagittarius, which can be see in the UK August/September.
The other things you need are no moon, streetlights, cities or clouds. There's a new moon on 20th August, so I reckon a jaunt to somewhere remote on that day, if it's clear will do it.
Good thinking people - which part of Wales is Albania in? Summer's not a bad time to view it - it's bright through cygnus then and just about overhead ("with Vega conspicuous" too - which poet said that Vole?) Don't forget though, it's gotta be moonless with no cloud cover and minimal atmospheric turbulence and pollution.
By the way Neal, my mum grew up on an (unlighted) island in the southern hemisphere and used to tell me about watching the meteors, the Southern Cross,the milky way and the clouds of Magellan wheeling overhead at night, and the waterspouts in the sea by day - no phosphorescences though. The highest point of the island is called Diana's Peak and Edmund Halley set up an observatory there (now it's a graveyard I think). Two weeks by boat from Southampton (no airstrip yet). I'm up for it...
Wow! Now that sounds like the king of mission based jaunts. Sailing down the west coast of Africa in the footsteps (wake?) of those first European seafarers. Waiting for the southern cross to rise up from the horizon. Splendid.
Or two weeks of playing cards and feeling a bit queasy. Mmmm.
The bad news is it takes 16 days to get there and the prices range between £3299 annd £7688 (I got this info from the RMS St Helena website) depending on the cabin you want. And that's why I've never been...
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That was stunning. The galactic centre lies around the constellations Sagittarius-Scorpio, which never rise much above the horizon haze in these latitudes. The best night sky I ever saw here was when I was camping near Wastwater in the Lake District way back before the invention of town lighting, arthiritis and frostbite: there was no moon, but after my eyes got accustomed to the dark I could read by starlight, and indeed I did try to consult my trusty Norton's Star Atlas, but the sky was so effulgent(?!) that even if the major constellations were familiar to you it was hard to make 'em out among the clouds of faint ones that were visible. Lets have a star party - check for the next meteor shower, head for the hills and point me at the sky.
I knew you'd like it, Zoot! I'd love an astronomy night. I've got a telescope too - Mum bought it in a charity shop!
Wow! I no longer have one. Had a pretty useless one when I was young, and in the 80s I saved up and bought a pair of binoculars with 3-inch (82mm) object glasses. They were huge and magic (you had to mount them on a tripod as holding them was impossible) and I spent many a freezing night clamped to their eyepieces. Had to sell them when I was a student (sob).
Where do you reckon is the nearest place to get such a spectacular view of the milky way? Could be a good basis for a mission based jaunt.
The finest view I every got was lying on the roof of a fishing boat somewhere off the north coast of Sumbawa, towards the bottom end of the Indonesian archipeligo. At the same time there was phosphorescent plankton spinning out in the wake of the boat. Magic.
Bit far to go though, must be somewhere closer.
You wouldn't have liked it voley, it was toasty warm, and there were flying fish.
The southern hemisphere is best for seeing the milky way, because it's directly overhead, which explains why it looked so good on that boat. In the northern hemisphere the centre appears close to the horizon. It runs through Cygnus, Cassiopia and Sagittarius, which can be see in the UK August/September.
The other things you need are no moon, streetlights, cities or clouds. There's a new moon on 20th August, so I reckon a jaunt to somewhere remote on that day, if it's clear will do it.
Yuck.
Shropshire/Herefordshire/Welsh border sounds ideal. Zoot would drive.
Check out this map:
http://www.lightpollution.it/worldatlas/pages/fig4.htm
Looks like Wales is the nearest, but to get true darkness it's west Scotland, or maybe Albania.
This one's even better:
http://www.lightpollution.it/dmsp/numstar.html
It charts the number of visible stars. Albania's good but you'll be pleased to see Norway wins in Europe.
Hurrah! I'd like to see Albania and move to Norway anyway, so this seals the deal for me. Good work, Neal!
Good thinking people - which part of Wales is Albania in? Summer's not a bad time to view it - it's bright through cygnus then and just about overhead ("with Vega conspicuous" too - which poet said that Vole?) Don't forget though, it's gotta be moonless with no cloud cover and minimal atmospheric turbulence and pollution.
Albania it is then...
Easy - Auden. Must try harder than that.
By the way Neal, my mum grew up on an (unlighted) island in the southern hemisphere and used to tell me about watching the meteors, the Southern Cross,the milky way and the clouds of Magellan wheeling overhead at night, and the waterspouts in the sea by day - no phosphorescences though. The highest point of the island is called Diana's Peak and Edmund Halley set up an observatory there (now it's a graveyard I think). Two weeks by boat from Southampton (no airstrip yet). I'm up for it...
Wow! Now that sounds like the king of mission based jaunts. Sailing down the west coast of Africa in the footsteps (wake?) of those first European seafarers. Waiting for the southern cross to rise up from the horizon. Splendid.
Or two weeks of playing cards and feeling a bit queasy. Mmmm.
I'm still up for it, when do we set sail?
The bad news is it takes 16 days to get there and the prices range between £3299 annd £7688 (I got this info from the RMS St Helena website) depending on the cabin you want. And that's why I've never been...
Maybe we can get jobs as cabin boys.
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