Mars in the Beehive open star cluster

7. February 2010 by beckster.

From last nights’ brief excursion outside with the camera…..

The sky was soft so the stars are not pinpoints.  The bright orange “star” at the lower left is Mars.

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Mars…live

4. February 2010 by beckster.

This image was made in Italy just a few moments ago with the Virtual Bellatrix telescope.

Gianluca Masi is one of the best hosts on the planet.

Check out the website at

http://virtualtelescope.bellatrixobservatory.org/

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big dish

26. January 2010 by beckster.

I found an  exposed roll of “mystery” film in one of my coat pockets this week and this is one of the shots from the roll.

Seems it was made several years ago since I haven’t been to the VLA for a while and it was shot with one of those cheapy Ansco panorama cameras…

Needless to say I was quite thrilled to pick up a packet of dishes today…..more to come.

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it’s time to get your Mars on…..

25. January 2010 by beckster.

Without going into a lot of detail……

http://www.spaceweather.com/images2010/27jan10/skymap_north.gif?PHPSESSID=obvebil2bh231miaorhjkvovo5

and check out these cool images of Mars made by my pal Bill Flanagan of Houston
http://media.skyandtelescope.com/images/Mars_Flan2010-01-22big.jpg

and while you’re out-you may as well track down asteroid 4 Vesta
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/home/80433142.html

a finder chart is located here:
http://media.skyandtelescope.com/documents/WEB_VestaPath_Fndr.pdf

I’ll be outside tonight hammering away in 18 degree weather with my scope and camera….

wish me warm!

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Stars in the sky

21. January 2010 by beckster.

Whatever credibility I  may have had as an astronomer will surely vanish after posting this.

But if you know about the viral youtube video of “Pants on the Ground”

just think of that with these Lyrics….if you can call them lyrics.

Please, don’t throw things at me!

 

 

Stars in the sky

Stars in the sky

Lookin with my eyes at the stars in the sky

Light in my mouth

Telescope out, stars in the sky.

Talking in the dark like the Sun don’t shine.

Looking all around stars in the sky.

Looking up!

Hey!  Look at stars in the sky.

Venus and Moon shine so bright

Like stars in the sky

Looking up!

Hey get some stars in your sky.

Looking all around stars in the sky.

Light in your mouth.

Telescope out- there’s stars in the sky.

Talking in the dark like the Sun Don’t shine.

Stars in the sky….stars in the sky….

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