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My AstroDiary records observations on 48 occasions, but there must have been many more naked-eye observations unrecorded as I walk out early every morning (except weekends). My focus has chiefly been on the Moon, planets and the Sun.
I noted January 5th as the 60th anniversary of my first recorded observation.
The highlight of my astronomical year must be the award of ‘Picture of the Week’ for an image of the Mercury-Venus conjunction in May taken with a Sony RX-100 in high winds! Most unexpected.
I was also pleased to get an image of Mars with some detail using a mobile phone camera on a 200mm Dob.
Various upgrades in mind for 2021 – and learning how to use a Canon 1100D!
Happy observing in 2021!
Alan
Thanks for this, Dominic.
Interesting to play around with the histograms and to see the overall growth of imaging in the last few years – a reflection of a more general trend?
Alan
Very helpful, James, as the NASA live stream seems to show a few people sheltering under umbrellas on what looks a bit like Blackpool prom on a bad day!
Alan
Congratulations, Dominic, on your improvements – a nerve-wracking process I expect.
One question. I notice that some of my images have been ‘plate solved’. I don’t speak that language, so what does it mean and why has it been done? (Sorry – that was two questions!)
Thanks
Alan
A rather exciting video of the lunar landing can be found here.
https://news.sky.com/video/square-video-china-moon-landing-001-mp4-12148766
I believe myself that what we call the Universe was created when a microwave oven overheated in a Metauniverse, so creating what we know as the Big Bang.
As a sideline, there are also a large number of people named ‘Alan Thomas’ around. This was brought home to me when I worked at the OU in Bletchley years ago. There was an Alan R Thomas also working there and we were forever getting each others mail and phonecalls, which could sometimes be highly embarrassing. Someone would phone and it was often only after about five minutes that you realised you had no idea who they were and what they were talking about! Ever since I have always included my initial in any ‘official’ context.
It could also be worth contacting the RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) http://www.rnib.org.uk who have a lot of experience with aids for blind and partially-sighted people.
A brilliant idea! Spend hours waiting (unsuccessfully) for clear skies and then cheer yourself up by eating your telescope. I like it!
And there’s a similar expression (last heard in Macclesfield), though slightly less variable in meaning: “Is it ‘eck!” with the last word drawn out according to the degree of dimissiveness.
I tuned in yesterday and found this a very interesting presentation, giving lively and sometimes humorous insights into how professional astronomers spend their time. I hadn’t heard the one about the telescope with bullet holes in the mirror!
It seems there are only about 50,000 astronomers on the planet, so we are a comparatively rare breed. Will amateur astronomers be The Last Stargazers, given that the pros rarely, if ever, peer into an eyepiece?
Well worth catching this if you missed it last night.
Thanks for posting, Andy.
I must say I am a little (OK, a lot!) envious of members down in places like Devon, Somerset, Dorset etc. as I have been out on three occasions so far at unearthly hours here in Warrington and been thwarted by cloud each time. As I write, a leaden sky is pouring rain over my observatory (the back lawn). But I am enjoying the many superb images of NEOWISE that have appeared here – and I’m still hoping to get a glimpse before the month’s end. Upwards and onwards!
