Week's nekked eye OR

by Jamie Dillon

It's been long weeks since Felix has been out under the sky. From 4 Sept to 2 Oct, I got to observe 4 times in 5 weeks. These last 7 weeks have been one of the worst weather stretches I've yet seen.

That said, this week I've been happily reverting to ancient form, sitting out and taking in the unaided sky. Had two dry clear nights this week under the waxing Moon, and it was just fun to take in what beacons are in the winter sky. The long arcing oval from Taurus thru Orion to Canis Major, to Gemini and Auriga, is enough to cut into a person's dark adaptation. And that third member of the Gemini twins is tantalizing.

It's also been fun to watch the planets dancing in the morning sky. Venus and Jupiter have been playing tag with Spica. Still have to spot Mars rising. And Mars and Venus are due for a close pass in two weeks, with all 5 nekked eye planets being visible before dawn from mid-December thru the New Year.

There's hope for us stargazing nuts, isn't there?!

Happy approaching Thanksgiving, y'all.

Posted on sf-bay-tac Nov 24, 2004 00:50:07 PT
Converted by report.pm 1.2 Jan 21, 2005 20:28:07 PT