Apparent Moon-Mars 'collison'

Yup, and as I've been telling people who are preparing for the public star
party
deluge of people, it's clear that Mars is not even as large as the crater
Copernicus.
And it isn't going to get much bigger; only 25% more.

So be prepared to either pump that magnification to Schwartzenegger (sp?)
proportions,
or prepare your audience for the "experience."
:-)

Clear and Steady Nights !
--- Dave



Hi Dave,

It’s a problem... I prefer and use Orthos for planetary viewing, and
now I’m faced with friends and relatives who want a good show next
month. I can’t imagine them peering through one of those tiny
eye-lenses without experiencing a big letdown.

I guess I’ll have to buy a more user friendly EP for the public...
(Nagler 3.5mm Type 6 anyone?)

Good Luck!

Dave Werner

On Fri, 18 Jul 2003 04:30:01 GMT, "Craig MacDougal" ...reflected:

"Doogie Hoosier" wrote in message
om...

Set the alarm. Got up at 4:25 EDT. Was sleeping in the Guest Bedroom because
it has a nice window facing south. I could watch without even getting
dressed or sweating. (Yes, one does sweat if you go outside at 4:30am at
this time of year.)

Clouds. Not too thick. I could see the moon through the deck, but Mars
didn't even show in 10x50s. Stayed with it for 5 minutes to see which way
the clouds were going. Bad news there, thicker clouds coming. Went to bed.

By the way, Astronomy magazine said the moon would pass 0.3 degrees
NORTH of Mars. 'Taint what I saw.

That's the geocentric value. Those people on the earth where Mars was at
zenith (southern Brazil?) saw the moon pass north of Mars.

Craig in Tampa

I nakedly-observed the conjunction off and on throughout the night
while I was swapping out computers at a grocery store. As I was driving
home around 1 or so, dark clouds had rolled in but they were scattered,
and as I neared the house I looked up and beheld them again...

The Moon and Mars were tightly-paired and then suddenly briefly
framed by a swiftly-moving dark cloudlet shaped not at all unlike a cat
stretching out its paw in a vain attempt to snare the celestial waltz.

Alan

bwhiting wrote in message ...
Doogie, check Dave Werner's picture below at:
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1620987

I don't think they get much better than that.
Clear Skies,
Tom W.


Just like what I saw, but no swoosh.

You were swapping out computers at a grocery store while observing the
mars/moon conjunction nakedly?

And no one arrested you???

--
To reply, remove the "z" if one appears in my address
"Alan W. Craft" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 18 Jul 2003 04:30:01 GMT, "Craig MacDougal"
...reflected:

"Doogie Hoosier" wrote in message
om...

Set the alarm. Got up at 4:25 EDT. Was sleeping in the Guest Bedroom
because
it has a nice window facing south. I could watch without even getting
dressed or sweating. (Yes, one does sweat if you go outside at 4:30am
at
this time of year.)

Clouds. Not too thick. I could see the moon through the deck, but Mars
didn't even show in 10x50s. Stayed with it for 5 minutes to see which
way
the clouds were going. Bad news there, thicker clouds coming. Went to
bed.

By the way, Astronomy magazine said the moon would pass 0.3 degrees
NORTH of Mars. 'Taint what I saw.

That's the geocentric value. Those people on the earth where Mars was
at
zenith (southern Brazil?) saw the moon pass north of Mars.

Craig in Tampa

I nakedly-observed the conjunction off and on throughout the
night
while I was swapping out computers at a grocery store. As I was driving
home around 1 or so, dark clouds had rolled in but they were scattered,
and as I neared the house I looked up and beheld them again...

The Moon and Mars were tightly-paired and then suddenly briefly
framed by a swiftly-moving dark cloudlet shaped not at all unlike a cat
stretching out its paw in a vain attempt to snare the celestial waltz.

Alan

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 23:34:44 -0700, "Jan Owen" ...reflected:

You were swapping out computers at a grocery store while observing the
mars/moon conjunction nakedly?

And no one arrested you???

Alas, I knew that was coming as I typed.

Alan

Alan W. Craft wrote in message . ..
On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 23:34:44 -0700, "Jan Owen" ...reflected:

You were swapping out computers at a grocery store while observing the
mars/moon conjunction nakedly?

And no one arrested you???

Alas, I knew that was coming as I typed.

Alan

I've observed stars nakedly, although that was not my primary interest at the time.

"Doogie Hoosier" wrote in message
m...
Dave Werner wrote in message
...

Besides, if Mars gets covered in dust again you might end up wasting
your money.

The last report I received seemed to show that the "uprising" in Hellas is
subsiding.
Hopefully, and Thank God.

Relax! What I said was only a joke; not a critique.

Certainly, the choice of wording was what spurred the joke. I think, had
it been me, I would have said that I had been doing some naked-eye
observing of the conjunction...

But again, don't take it as a critique. It was just an opportunity for
some fun... I think we need to take time to laugh a little more often...

--
To reply, remove the "z" if one appears in my address
"Alan W. Craft" wrote in message
...
On 19 Jul 2003 02:20:37 -0700, (Doogie Hoosier)
....reflected:

Alan W. Craft wrote in message
. ..
On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 23:34:44 -0700, "Jan Owen"
....reflected:

You were swapping out computers at a grocery store while observing
the
mars/moon conjunction nakedly?

And no one arrested you???

Alas, I knew that was coming as I typed.

Alan

I've observed stars nakedly, although that was not my primary interest
at the time.

sigh There ~IS~ a difference between nakedly-observed, that is,
with the
naked eye, and observed nakedly, that is, observing in the nude.

Alan

On Sat, 19 Jul 2003 14:23:41 -0700, "Jan Owen" ...reflected:

Relax!

I can't; I have a bunch of computer work staring me in the
face for next week.

What I said was only a joke; not a critique.

I knew that.

Certainly, the choice of wording was what spurred the joke. I think, had
it been me, I would have said that I had been doing some naked-eye
observing of the conjunction...

Yes, but then it wouldn't have flowed as elegantly off the tongue,
or off of the fingertips in that case.

But again, don't take it as a critique.

I didn't. As a matter of fact, I laughed as I typed my replies.

My own brand of humor is very dry and barely detectable at times.

It was just an opportunity for some fun... I think we need to take time
to laugh a little more often...

I most wholeheartedly agree!

Toodles!

Alan