The most ridiculous thing I've done in my life!

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milanpicard
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The most ridiculous thing I've done in my life!

#1

Post by milanpicard »


So, I set the alarm for 5.00 AM to catch the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus. I knew I would not see it from the back garden because the hill is too big of an obstruction for objects that are so low on the horizon. So I went out to the street in front, which runs toward the East. Still upward, but not very much.
So, I go out and expectantly scan the horizon. A good chunk of the eastern sky is visible before houses and the hill obstruct the view, but amazingly, nothing is there. Fine, I enter the alleyway that goes down to the train tracks for a more level field. I know that a stupid dog lives there, usually docile, but at night every dog turns into a beast, so I take it slow. Still nothing!
Now I am frustrated. Come on, what happened to the planets? Fine, I only have four hours of sleep in me, so I can't have ruined my night for nothing! I start going up the main street, toward the east. When I get to the top of the hill, I HAVE to see something. The sky is getting bluer in the east, I walk for five minutes, more and more of the horizon unfolds, NOTHING! What is going on? Have all four planets blown up? Alien invasion, natural disaster? Or is everything we have been taught about the nature of creation a lie and the Earth is flat??
Now I am really annoyed. I get to the top of the hill, still nothing! The football stadium obstructs the view, but finally, I see something to its left, a faint dot, but I can tell a planet from a star, and I know the plan of the alignment, so that must be Saturn. Fine, then Mars must be behind the stadium, but the conjunction?
I still walk and walk and finally, from below a very low-hanging lil cloud, two pale dots of light appear, quite close to each other. They have not exploded! But I have never seen either of them so faint before. And so low on the horizon, my calculations were so wrong! All right, let's get the gear. Unfortunately, I am not Megatron, so my 8dob stayed at home, I have a pair of 15x70 binos. I grab them and look at two anticlimactic, nervously dancing dots of fireflies. Shoot, I remember why I hate binos! For so much trouble, they are not much of a consolation prize. The conjunction is more beautiful to the naked eye.
They are rapidly rising and are brighter and brighter! Finally, the sight is almost worth the trouble now! But I am so cold, because I am still in my home pants, not at all adequately dressed. So I head home, and now I can still see them as I go back down the hill and look behind, they are rising so rapidly! I look back when I am in front of my house, bam, they are still there, smiling at me brightly! I look at my watch: 5.30. Darn it, with better planning, I could have slept half an hour more and saved me a nocturnal trip into the tundra while wondering if Galileo was wrong! Oh, well, after everything, I think I can say the viewing of the conjunction was a ridiculous success!
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Re: The most ridiculous thing I've done in my life!

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Post by Butterfly Maiden »


I have to say @milanpicard that is one of the most 'unusual' viewing reports I have read for a while.

Obviously quite frustrating for you, but nonetheless it was an interesting read :smile:
Vanessa

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Re: The most ridiculous thing I've done in my life!

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Post by turboscrew »


milanpicard wrote: Sun May 01, 2022 7:24 am So, I set the alarm for 5.00 AM to catch the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus. I knew I would not see it from the back garden because the hill is too big of an obstruction for objects that are so low on the horizon. So I went out to the street in front, which runs toward the East. Still upward, but not very much.
So, I go out and expectantly scan the horizon. A good chunk of the eastern sky is visible before houses and the hill obstruct the view, but amazingly, nothing is there. Fine, I enter the alleyway that goes down to the train tracks for a more level field. I know that a stupid dog lives there, usually docile, but at night every dog turns into a beast, so I take it slow. Still nothing!
Now I am frustrated. Come on, what happened to the planets? Fine, I only have four hours of sleep in me, so I can't have ruined my night for nothing! I start going up the main street, toward the east. When I get to the top of the hill, I HAVE to see something. The sky is getting bluer in the east, I walk for five minutes, more and more of the horizon unfolds, NOTHING! What is going on? Have all four planets blown up? Alien invasion, natural disaster? Or is everything we have been taught about the nature of creation a lie and the Earth is flat??
Now I am really annoyed. I get to the top of the hill, still nothing! The football stadium obstructs the view, but finally, I see something to its left, a faint dot, but I can tell a planet from a star, and I know the plan of the alignment, so that must be Saturn. Fine, then Mars must be behind the stadium, but the conjunction?
I still walk and walk and finally, from below a very low-hanging lil cloud, two pale dots of light appear, quite close to each other. They have not exploded! But I have never seen either of them so faint before. And so low on the horizon, my calculations were so wrong! All right, let's get the gear. Unfortunately, I am not Megatron, so my 8dob stayed at home, I have a pair of 15x70 binos. I grab them and look at two anticlimactic, nervously dancing dots of fireflies. Shoot, I remember why I hate binos! For so much trouble, they are not much of a consolation prize. The conjunction is more beautiful to the naked eye.
They are rapidly rising and are brighter and brighter! Finally, the sight is almost worth the trouble now! But I am so cold, because I am still in my home pants, not at all adequately dressed. So I head home, and now I can still see them as I go back down the hill and look behind, they are rising so rapidly! I look back when I am in front of my house, bam, they are still there, smiling at me brightly! I look at my watch: 5.30. Darn it, with better planning, I could have slept half an hour more and saved me a nocturnal trip into the tundra while wondering if Galileo was wrong! Oh, well, after everything, I think I can say the viewing of the conjunction was a ridiculous success!
At least, you got to see something... :lol:
- Juha

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Re: The most ridiculous thing I've done in my life!

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Post by Thefatkitty »


I second Juha's comment... :D Still, that was a good read; you had me laughing, I can see myself doing that!

Unfortunately, I am not Megatron :lol:

Thanks again!
Mark

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Re: The most ridiculous thing I've done in my life!

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Post by John Baars »


Great report!
Looking for exploded planets in the wilderness and finding them quite intact at home! Haha!
Refractors in frequency of use : *SW Evostar 120ED F/7.5 (all round ), * Vixen 102ED F/9 (vintage), both on Vixen GPDX.
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Rijswijk Public Observatory: * Astro-Physics Starfire 130 f/8, * 6 inch Newton, * C9.25, * Meade 14 inch LX600 ACF, *Lunt.
Amateur astronomer since 1970.
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Re: The most ridiculous thing I've done in my life!

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Post by Unitron48 »


Entertaining read! Glad you were able to capture the conjunction!!

Dave

P.S. I have a few similar stories...especially trying to capture Mercury!!
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Re: The most ridiculous thing I've done in my life!

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Post by kt4hx »


Oh the hoops we jump through sometimes to get that best view! :lol: A tripod or monopod will help you a lot with the binocular jitters for longer and more detailed views Milan. Ultimately you saw what you wished to see and that is truly a success.
Alan

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Re: The most ridiculous thing I've done in my life!

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Post by Makuser »


Hi Milan. I got up very early a couple of mornings ago and looked out of our bedroom window (which faces east) and saw Venus and Jupiter brightly between some tree branches. I said wow, so I quickly went to get my binoculars for a better view from outside. And of course by then the clouds rolled in I could now only see a very dim Venus. :cry: Thanks for sharing your frustrating report with us on here Milan and you are not alone.
Marshall
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Celestron Omni XLT150R f/5 Refractor on CG4 mount with dual axis drives.
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>)))))*>
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Re: The most ridiculous thing I've done in my life!

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Post by Bigzmey »


Most importantly you saw it. Congrats! You did some extra moves but at the end it paid off. It is better this way, than if you woke up half hour later and so nothing. :)
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