[travel.au, beauty] stars

[wispfox]

Random stars thoughts.

I now know constellations in the south better than I do in the north. Go figure. 'Course, I hardly knew them here, so it wasn't that difficult to do. :)

I need to remember to go outside and try to find orion (since that constellation is visible in both hemispheres).

The Southern Cross, if including the stars which help locate it, makes me think of a kite, not a cross. And the milky way is lovely; I don't think I've ever seen it that well (possibly - based on the Southern Cross being in it, and only visible in that hemisphere - because I can't see most of it here). Not sure I've ever seen the stars as clearly as I did ~1.5 hours away from Melbourne, but that may actually only seem to be the case because there are just _more_ stars visible there (I've heard that that is true, but don't know how accurate that actually is).

I really should brave the cold some night and star gaze. They are generally much, _much_ clearer in winter than in summer, here, IIRC (probably because the cold prevents much in the way of cloud cover, although I think there might just be better availability in winter, as well). I'm just not really entirely sure where to _go_ to see reasonable amounts (as vs. an easily countable number) of stars, at least not within a reasonable distance from where I live.

Comments

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Concord... MA?

Seeing Orion doesn't require much distance from city lights, agreed. But if I'm going to go star gazing, I want to _really_ go star gazing. :)

I was figuring VT, Northern NH, or western MA, yes. But all of those require multiple hours of driving, each way, which is annoying.

I couldn't actually see the Pleiades very clearly in the other hemisphere, as they were just above the horizon. Where are they here?

Star gazing is also a good excuse to snuggle under a blanket with other folks in the quiet of the evening. :)

True. :) And unlike in .au, it's safe (but cold!) to sit (or lie) on the ground in the country. No scary ants or other things which will bite or sting or something! And my car has a sunroof, which means that I _could_ look from in it. But with a much restricted view!

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

Well, if you want someone to accompany you star-gazing, just ask...I don't mind driving, since I know driving late at night is not something you're all about. galaneia's actually got more astronomy background than I do, so it would be fun to drag her along, too -- but that means waiting until Spring, when she returns from AU.

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Hmm... I shall contemplate this idea. I figure it'd need to be a weekend, yes?

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

Weekend would be best; we'd probably also want to wait for a New or Newish moon...

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

There's a new moon on March 29th (which is after Spring officially starts; when does she get back?), so either the weekend before or after probably works. Alternately, I can check for when next month's new moon is?

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

She returns the 21st; the weekend before or after could work. (Amazing! I'm always astonished at how hard scheduling can be.)

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

Before or after the 29th, I meant!

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Alright. I presume Friday nights would not work, yes?

In which case, I appear to have either Saturday night free, but suspect the one after the 29th would be better, as it means I could swap calls with Joe to a Friday night that isn't a Psinging night. That work? And is it ok if I see if my roommate wants to/can go?

(I don't know yet if I have either Sunday free, so not listing those)

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

I have no schedule, by and large; but Friday nights(/2) it might be nice to go Psinging, so it's just as well to leave them free.

Roommate == Ayalanya? That'd be fun for galaneia also, since they knew each other growing up... But the more the merrier in any case. :)

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Alright. Shall I tentatively plan for the first Saturday evening in April, then?

Roommate = jasra. Asking her if she's interested.

[jasra]

Oooh, very possibly interested. Need to see how busy weekends before that end up being. :)

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

Nifty. I can't recall if I've actually met you in RL.

[jasra]

Not sure. I've been here since mid-September. :)

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Incidentally, I _do_ intend to be at tomorrow's Psinging. :)

[jasra]

Oh hey. It's Thursday. Sheesh. I think that happens because I work from home and don't pay as close attention to the calendar 'cause of it.

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

Well, I *meant* to go, but Couch Suck happened after my workout, and I never made it back out of the house...would have been nice to see you, retrieve my hat, get some singing in, etc....

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Your hat, is, incidentally, at work group, for the next time brynndragon goes. :)

We should check to see if the weekend before after the new moon are going to be clear. I know I picked one tentatively, but if it's cloudy, that won't be useful! :)

Bad couch!