Saturday 13 August 2011

Perseids, Jupiter and Hedgehogs..

It was clouded out in my part of Pembrokeshire last night...so viewing the Perseid Shower seemed to be a non happening event.

I decided to have an early night and hoped for a clearer  Saturday morning..maybe the clouds would part and let me see the Perseid shower in the morning twilight....

The internal astronomer's clock was working well... I awoke at 2.40 am BST and could just glimpse the friendly Moonlight illuminating the window frame...

The clouds must have parted........


Quickly up and out to the observatory, no time to put shoes on....I grabbed my Celestron 8mm plossl from the shed.... into the observatory ...... slide back the roof...

The skies were approximately 90% fast moving cloud, not as good as I hoped, but what gaps there were quickly showed me the Moon... as it slowly melted into my neighbour's ash trees...

Looking eastward I noticed Jupiter high in the sky, the highest I've seen it for many a year.

Seems like Jupiter is going to be the first  port of call for the next few months...

13th August 2011 02:00 gmt ...
Training the Tal onto Jupiter I was able to witness a transit in progress of the Moon Io...something I haven't seen for a few years...


IO Transit
Using my Celestron Xcel 8mm eyepiece, the Tal returned a decent image of Io's shadow. 

But the shadow disc of Io was much more pronounced in my old Skywatcher 150mm refractor...

I should never have sold that scope..oh well  :0(



Throughout the whole observing session I didn't see one Perseid, but then I was only getting about 10% of clear sky view at the most....strangely though, most of the clear gaps were around or near Jupiter...

Perseids, Jupiter and Hedgehogs..

I've mentioned the Perseids, and Jupiter...what about the hedgehogs...?

In our garden these past few years we have had a hedgehog, living we don't know where, but it seems to like the garden enough to stay around.

These last few months our nocturnal neighbour hasn't been seen roaming through the garden.

We had thought that our Jack Russell had scared it away..as she has often stood outside at night shouting at our prickly friend....

But last night whilst in the observatory  I had to go to my shed to fetch a sketching pencil, ...squatting just outside of the observatory was the Hedgehog Astronomer quietly sitting, taking in the scenery..

It was lucky that I didn't stand on our night time companion, especially in my bare feet...!!

Thanks to the moonlight, I was able to see where I was going....

So, no Perseids this year....welcome back to Jupiter...and Hello to Hedgehog Astronomer...

5 comments:

  1. Happy Full Moon to Pembs & Hedgehog! Last night for me was a washout for meteors with haze rolling in and for Saturday clouds too. Oh well....

    It is nice to see Jupiter high on the zodiac again - we are going to have awesome views this fall but yours the other morning really set the stage. Transits, shadows, eclipses, Red Spot all the fun Jupiter stuff we love to see. Sd about the 150! How about a small aperture mask for TAL1? I made one for my 12"dob and it is a planet killer when masked off!

    I have been a lazy astronomer as of late - no viewing at all except....

    Over the last week we have had "Hot August Nights" in my area which is a classic car review and celebration of the 50 -60's car music culture of the US. I have a friend who has a '55 T Bird and I have been invited to "Cruz Reno" this week with him. What is really funny is as we're driving along under all the city lights, noise,loud music,horns honking, people ogling over his ride there I am looking up waiting for moon rise, first stars out, Saturn ETC ! Given the chance I would have talked astronomy but I retained my self control.

    But last night as I was exiting the venue I over heard a lady say to her friend "just look at that full moon near the mtns!"I was NOT able to contain myself and went into my mannerly,polite Sidewalk Universe Guy Mode and got these 50's - 6o's revelers squared away concerning the Moon's phase cycle and appearance! No this night you are seeing a MORE MOON - SUG term for lots of moon but not full! EVERYONE NEEDS ASTRONOMY!

    Glad your treating your Hedgehog well as they are really cute in there own Hoggy way!

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  2. By the way another awesome post! I can see it all in my mind :>

    Enjoy tonight's moon rise from those hills!

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  3. Hi SUG, thanks for the comments, still clouded out here...no show for the Perseids this year...

    Looks like I'm also going to miss the Grain Moon...never mind, we astronomers are if nothing else patient... :0)

    I was pleasantly surprised to see how high Jupiter is. Yes looks like Jupiter this Autumn will make for some wonderful viewing...

    Hadn't thought of masking the Tal1 ..I'll give that a go, and also try taking some photos using the Tal's clockdrive...

    I can see the 55 T bird now..or I should say hear it..wonderful throaty V8 roar..

    Why can't cars look like that now....such style...I'm envious of your "Cruz Reno" SUG :0)

    The world could do with some 50-60's style right now..so much design these days looks bland and grey....

    MORE MOON = A lot of Moon but not full...an excellent SUG term ..

    I like that.... :0)

    I bet those ladies will remember about the MORE MOON in the next lunar cycle...

    Thanks again SUG, catch you soon

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  4. I am happy Jupiter is back too. It's about time too, love watching it's moon dance each night in my scopes.

    Great post!

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  5. Hi NSG, I haven't seen Jupiter this high for many a year, looks like where all in for some good
    viewing...

    "Moon Dance" .great description.. :0)

    Clear Skies

    Mark

    ReplyDelete

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