Truthfully, I am not what you would describe as a night owl. Oh I will get up at 3-4 AM to look at a meteor shower or some other once in a night time event but generally speaking if it doesn't happen before midnight it isn't on my radar. Our annual Messier Marathon is another exception but that accounts for most of my late night astro adventures. I have been known to attend an extended star party but even then I seldom make it up all night. But I do appreciate what that early morning look has to offer.
The last few mornings I have been up around 4 AM to check on the temperature in my greenhouse. I always turn the heat on before I go to bed if the weather forecast is below 40 degrees for the night. The reason I choose 40 degrees is my mistrust of the weather forecasters. They generally are within 5 degrees of the low but if it gets below freezing in the greenhouse, I am in deep trouble. So I get up and check just to make sure. It is well worth the effort.
Right now, my night time routine is as follows----around 8 PM I make it out to the greenhouse to turn on the heat if it seems that it will be needed anytime during the night. Venus is so brilliant at that hour that I am sure someone with good eyes could read a book without any other light source. The moon hasn't made it up yet so that makes Venus seem even brighter. In fact, Venus is bright enough to have the same effect as a bright moon. A lot of the dimmer stars are simply washed out. But I glance around and see what there is to see and then make it back inside to watch the late news and get ready for bed. Then around 4 AM I pull on my sweats and trek out to check on the temperature. That's when I really get an eye full of the morning sky. Lately it has seen severe clear at that time of the morning and for some unknown reason ( although I know it is just my imagination) it seems like there is less light pollution. The moon is up by that time and shinning brightly but if I stand in the shadow of the clubhouse the stars just jump out in the clear, crisp sky. The amazing thing is the orientation of the stars and constellations. It has been so long since I have seen them at this time I needed to get my star and planet locator out and get myself orientated. I know that doesn't sound like a guy who really likes to look at the night sky but it is the truth. Even though it has been rather cool these last few mornings, it is easy to forget that and simply concentrate on what I could see. Not so much that I wanted to drag out the old 20 inch Dob at that hour but it does get the juices circulating. I have resorted to taking out the 10X50's binos to look at a few things. I haven't had the bino chair out lately but it seems like this might be a good time to get it ready for use. There is one simple thing that I can't seem to understand about all this---when it gets to be that night for the monthly LASS observing session, the clouds seem to move in, the wind starts to blow and the temperature falls out the bottom of the gage. WHY, WHY,WHY.
Speaking of monthly star parties, January 21st is the date for our 1st gathering of 2012. I want this year to be a more productive time for our club and I encourage all local members to make every effort to come out. Getting together seems to be a shot in the arm for me. It makes me want to find things that I haven't seen in a long time and at the same time I find myself wanting to visit with the other club members to see how their observing sessions have been going. This first meeting after christmas is also a good time to find out what others may have found under the astronomy section of their christmas tree. SEE YOU THE 21st.
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James,
ReplyDeleteI think we are coming around to the time of year when we get to do more observing. I think the weather is more cooperative in the spring - still a little cold for now though.
Scot