The Mountain Lion Asterism

"One little trick I use is to carry a double A maglite, hold it to my
forehead pointing away from me, and occasionally scan the area looking
for the tell-tale retinal reflection of some creature looking at *me*.
I've spotted raccoons, skunks, possums, cats (domestic), deer
(goofy looking, head-bobbing) and rabbits."

My concern Robert would be when you stop seeing all these other critters.
When that happens, all you may see next is a head-on shooting star.

Scott
"Robert English" wrote in message
...
My friends,

I do a fair amount of observing, mainly because I am over 50 and if
I'm going to catch up to you folks, I'd better get busy. Much of my
observing is done alone, under suburban skies that can be pretty dark.
Here's my favorite spot:
http://www.bogusnet.net/gallery/observing/tscope_setup
Lately, there have been an increasing number of mountain lions (puma
concolor) Image --
http://www.mountain-lions.org/pictur...n-lions-06.jpg
spotted in our area--two in the last week, and one observer reported
a deer kill in progress (now THAT must have been exciting).
So I'm having, as you might guess, mountain lion thoughts creep into
my mind when I'm peering into space through my trusty dob--especially
when I hear a rustling in the chapparal nearby. hmmmmmm. I think this
may be the real reason the enclosed observatory was invented.
One little trick I use is to carry a double A maglite, hold it to my
forehead pointing away from me, and occasionally scan the area looking
for the tell-tale retinal reflection of some creature looking at *me*.
I've spotted raccoons, skunks, possums, cats (domestic), deer
(goofy looking, head-bobbing) and rabbits. No mountain lions yet.
Sometimes when I do a scan, the hillside looks like a double-star
bonanza with all those eyes looking back at me.
But what is the color of the mountain lion asterism? Deer are easy
green doubles. Raccoons are yellow doubles. Cats are closer green
doubles. Rabbits and skunks and possums (and rats) are red singles.
Anybody got a clue about the Mountain Lion asterism? What am I
looking for? Yellow giants? Red Super Giants?
Also, any advice on ways to slow an attacking mountain lion down?
I was thinking about that day-glow-orange vinyl fencing--put up a
perimeter with my scope and truck inside, and when he hits the fence,
dive for the open door of the truck. He can have the damned scope.

Clear dark and steady skies to you.
Uncle Bob



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