Just keep whistling 😄

No idea where I found this cartoon, but the artist is spot on,  and well observed..😆

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Hoping to do some opera glass observing/sketching during the waxing Moon of November.

Will post some sketches and findings as I go along. 

Fingers crossed for some clear skies.

*** Found the above Moon image in my 1945 astronomy book : 

A Guide to the Sky - A Practical Handbook for Beginners 

by Ernest Agar Beet.

A lovely little book, has just 92 pages, very informative.

Will post more about this book in  future blogs.

Under the trees & the Aurora.

It had been a beautifully hot day, the Sun was relentless, happy, strong, and chromium yellow in a big blue cloudless sky.

Our motorhome "Martha" needed shade from this solar onslaught. 

We took refuge under the barest of trees and waited out the inferno.

Later in the evening, after a considerable cooling of temperature we drove to higher ground.

A favourite spot where the stars are almost 360° and very little light pollution.

As the Sun dipped down, the temperature also dipped; time to close some windows.

Through the passenger door window, I happened to glance out towards the North.

There, plain to see, was that unmistakable reddish light. It had us mesmerised... an Aurora glow !

An Aurora here in France at 44°N !  I bet back home in the UK it must be "bouncing".

A quick look on the internet  confirmed my suspicion, the storm indeed was large over the United Kingdom.

In my home county of Pembrokeshire 360° Aurora was being reported.

The UK storm of the century and we were in France! 

Never mind , it was still a great display from our location, deep in the beautiful French countryside.

That beautiful red glow slowly made its way from north to north west over the space of an hour.

We were lucky to have such wonderful weather, and the chance to capture several half decent pictures.

It was indeed a most perfect astro night.

The French Scorpion.

Last night we camped in the village of Sereilhac, some maybe 20 miles south west of Limoges.

The temperature all day hovered around 30°C ! 

Not being used to such heat Helen and I moved slowly and took our time with the simplest of tasks! 

All evening, and into that balmy night a nearby frog chorus could be heard, a raucous of beautiful high decibel croaks and mutterings filled the motorhome all night.

There was no let up in that high "croak" volume until around 5.00 am. 

I was outside at 5.00 am taking in the glorious French clear skies and marvelling at Scorpius which lay due south. 

45° North - Sereilhac

As we are presently at 45°N at this location it allowed the Scorpion to show off part of its lower tail and stinger. Something I have never seen from my 52°N  location in Pembrokeshire.

52° North - Pembrokeshire

It was amazing to see the stinger, it's main star shone out brightly.

Scorpius with it body, claws, and now complete tail and stinger on show imparted a most impressive display. 

The whole constellation took on a beautiful three dimensional aspect. 

I hope to see a lot more of the Scorpion over the next few weeks.

Scorpio - The Scorpion

Antares- Lucida star

Dominant red star "Antares" Greek word for the "rival of Mars"

Both Antares and Mars have often even mistaken for each other when the planet has been in that vicinity.

In ancient times Antares was looked upon as one of the "Royal Stars" of which there were four. The other three, Regulus, Aldebaran, and Fomalhaut.

They were supposed to guard the four quarters of the Heavens.