Seeing Stars from a Well

[AussieTrooper (Ben)]

I remember seeing this tried out some time ago by either a high school or university group in the UK. They worked out a time when a bright star would be visible, and tested it out. Might have been Vega.
They saw nothing.

[RobinClayton]

I remember being told this theory by a teacher in high school, maybe about 40 years ago now. He was serious that deep wells could be used for observing. I thought it didn't make sense at the time and the previous replies confirm it was a myth. This was a teacher I had a lot of respect for, but this one comment just didn't gel at the time.

The myth has been around a very long time.

[julianh72 (Julian)]

Antares (Mag 1.07) passes within about 1 degree north of the zenith at my location (Brisbane) in early November at around 1:30 pm.

I'll have to dig a well and look straight up to test the theory for myself.

(Or maybe I'll just head outside and look straight up to see if I can spot it with binoculars and naked eye.)

[Rob_K]

OMG, it's full of........ um, er BLUE!

Cheers -

[Steffen]

Originally Posted by Tropo-Bob

I was again told a version of this story when doing Astronomy Outreach last night. Basically, the story goes that my father/uncle/family friend said that when he dug wells, it was so dark down there that you could look up and see the stars.

I can totally believe that. Of course, you'd have to be down there at night...