Mars

Dave590 · 09-08-2003, 05:42 PM

Has anyone here taken the time to go out at night to take a look?

A couple of weeks ago, when it was at it' s closest, it was still a little fuzzy because of the haze created during the days heat. But the last few days have been cool, and the night sky clear.

If you have not taken the time to get a look, don' t get all worked up thinking your gonna see something spectacular, but with a good pair of field glasses, it' s still pretty interesting.

For anyone interested in locating it, here' s how.

It is generally following what we consider to be the path of the sun. It is rising around nine at night. It might be a little later if you have an obstruction in your way...But you should see it by around ten at night for sure. It' s rising a little to the south east, and arcing a short path to the south west.

It' s obvious in that it is the big RED star.

For what it' s worth, the North star is pretty obvious right now also.

In case your not sure how to find it...When your looking at the big RED star to the south east, look over your LEFT shoulder, and you will see the big dipper. Follow the handle of the big dipper down to the bowl, the last two stars of the bowl will point to the North star. The North star is about four times the distance from the last star in the bowl as the distance between the last two stars OF the bowl.

You most likely won' t be able to see the LITTLE DIPPER, but the north star is the last star in the handle of the little dipper.

It' s pretty cool to watch.

Now, what does this have to do with politics????????

I can' t think of a thing............But you do have to look to the LEFT and the RIGHT to find them[8D]

8x8bull · 09-08-2003, 05:47 PM

pretty dumb post man, Mars is an old story but i would like to send all the libbies over there as an experiment!

Dave590 · 09-08-2003, 05:59 PM

8X8, I take it from your response that your not a fan of the stars. You should go outside from time to time.

Mars might be old news, but it' s clearer now than it was at it' s " peak" .

8x8bull · 09-08-2003, 06:03 PM

I know but i figured that it would be intresting if we had a SURVIVOR type show and send some liberals there and see if they survive? you know it might work

whelen36 · 09-08-2003, 06:16 PM

thanks for the post dave , i wanted to see it back then but it was raining here for almost two weeks straight. thanks for how to find it to.

8x8bull ,
did you know that you can hunt deer by moon phases , and that the stars are also a way of telling where your general location and direction of travel based on the time of night it is ? same can be said of the sun during the day . the sky is a very important outdoors tool

not flaming you bud , just wondered if you knew

Dave590 · 09-08-2003, 06:18 PM

The whole " survivor" show lost my interest when they started voting folks off.

It would be a REAL survivor show if they voted someone into a pot and ate them.

My idea of a survival show is to get all the decent folks like CalHunter out of the state of california, Put up a HUGE fence, turn on the camera' s, and let ' em loose.

Now THAT would be entertainment....It might even make pay-per-view.

Dave590 · 09-08-2003, 06:49 PM

Whelen, Thanks...Celestial navigation is one of my past-times.

Here is something that might be of interest.

The NORTH star is very often very hard to find. But, once you have found the big dipper and the north star consistantly on clear nights in the comfort of your own back yard...You can very well " guestamate" where it is by just finding the big dipper when your in the woods and in doubt.

The bottom of the bowl ALWAYS points to the north star...And it' s ALWAYS just as far away from the last star of the bowl.

But because all of the stars rotate around the north star, the bowl is often pointing in a different direction when you look at it.

You will always know within a few degree' s, where north is, just by looking past the bowl of the big dipper.

Charlie P · 09-08-2003, 07:18 PM

I' ve checked it out every night that I could see it. Something tell me I won' t be here 65,000 years from now to see it again.

Christine B · 09-08-2003, 07:18 PM

Hey Dave,
I had no telescope but did have some very large Telephoto lenses, and the trusty Ole Pentax that my father left me. Just mounted one of the larger mag lenses and camera on the tripod and checked it out on 8/27. It was finally a very clear night, and if I' m not mistaken closest to Earth that it will be on this go around. I could see the ice cap, in addition to the areas with dark and lighter colorations. It was not as clearly defined as it would have been with a Meade, or Celestron Telescope but.....was a nice show for my son and I just the same. [8D]

I agree with Charlie, won' t many of us be around for the next time.....

Quote:

did you know that you can hunt deer by moon phases , and that the stars are also a way of telling where your general location and direction of travel based on the time of night it is ? same can be said of the sun during the day . the sky is a very important outdoors tool not flaming you bud , just wondered if you knew
_____________________________

Excellent point!

Dave590 · 09-08-2003, 08:24 PM

Christine, you got a better look than I did. My " telescope" consists of a Cam-Corder tri-pod with forty powered field glasses hose clamped to the top.

I like to watch constelations rather than individual stars, So I am set up a little different than most.

I' m glad you got to get such a good look.

With that said, You can probably see quite a bit with your out-fit. Full moons probably present quite a photo opportunity.

The milky way is out in all it' s glory tonite also.[8D]