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How dark is dark ?



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 23rd 05, 10:02 PM
Andrew
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Default How dark is dark ?

Hi,
Years ago I had the pleasure of living in Tonga, a small island state
in the Pacific ocean. At that time I had no interest in astronomy, but
I do remember the night sky looked like someone had splashed paint
across it, such was the density of stars. At times I, literally, could
not see my hand in front of my face. Anyone here have an idea what
sort of mag skys they may have been, and has anyone been anywhere
darker ?
Regards
Andrew
  #2  
Old April 23rd 05, 10:28 PM
Chef!
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Andrew wrote:
Hi,
Years ago I had the pleasure of living in Tonga, a small island state
in the Pacific ocean. At that time I had no interest in astronomy, but
I do remember the night sky looked like someone had splashed paint
across it, such was the density of stars. At times I, literally, could
not see my hand in front of my face. Anyone here have an idea what
sort of mag skys they may have been, and has anyone been anywhere
darker ?
Regards
Andrew


Darker skies probably do exist. The full story is at:

http://www.astropix.com/HTML/L_STORY/SKYBRITE.HTM

should be required reading for all visual observers, IMNSHO

Regards
Chef!


  #3  
Old April 23rd 05, 10:39 PM
Ioannis
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Ο "Andrew" έγραψε στο μήνυμα
om...

Hi,
Years ago I had the pleasure of living in Tonga, a small island state
in the Pacific ocean. At that time I had no interest in astronomy, but
I do remember the night sky looked like someone had splashed paint
across it, such was the density of stars. At times I, literally, could
not see my hand in front of my face. Anyone here have an idea what
sort of mag skys they may have been, and has anyone been anywhere
darker ?


A good test is if you cannot see clouds when they pass through the sky.

Regards
Andrew

--
I. N. Galidakis
http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/jgal/
Eventually, _everything_ is understandable

  #4  
Old April 23rd 05, 10:45 PM
Gaz
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Is the 'Venus casts a shadow' thing a myth or true for dark skies?

Gaz

  #5  
Old April 23rd 05, 10:51 PM
canopus56
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It's no myth. I personally saw it during the 2004 Venus transit.
Venus was bright enough that a fuzzy shadow of the scope and my body
could be seen with the naked eye at a dark sky in the Intermountain
west. - Canopus56

  #6  
Old April 23rd 05, 10:59 PM
Gaz
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canopus56 wrote:
It's no myth. I personally saw it during the 2004 Venus transit.
Venus was bright enough that a fuzzy shadow of the scope and my body
could be seen with the naked eye at a dark sky in the Intermountain
west. - Canopus56


Thanks for your informative reply ;O)

  #7  
Old April 23rd 05, 11:09 PM
Chris L Peterson
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On 23 Apr 2005 14:45:49 -0700, "Gaz" wrote:

Is the 'Venus casts a shadow' thing a myth or true for dark skies?


It does not require particularly dark skies to see a shadow from Venus.
Jupiter is a better test.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com
  #9  
Old April 23rd 05, 11:25 PM
Mark Gingrich
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"Gaz" asked:

Is the 'Venus casts a shadow' thing a myth or true for dark skies?



From a not-very-svelte Patrick Moore, writing in his book _Venus_ (2002),
p. 37:

... Venus can then cast perceptible shadows. I well remember
that some years ago, when I was at the La Silla Observatory in
the Atacama Desert of Chile, Venus was superb; I stood against
a white wall, and my shadow was very obvious indeed. Mind you,
I have to admit that I am rather good at casting shadows!

--
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Mark Gingrich San Leandro, California
  #10  
Old April 23rd 05, 11:36 PM
Gaz
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I love readng Patrick Moore, he writes like he talks, you can hear his
voice as you read.

did that make sense?

Gaz

 




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