A viewing night with a difference tonight...
Had an impromptu BBQ on the shores of the Arafura sea in NE Arnhem land.
With Jupiter rising in the east as the sun set, a lovely evening began.
The constellations you would all be familiar with (Centaurus, Crux, Carina, Vela etc..) dominated the southern horizion.
Following a great BBQ Dinner it was lights out & a sky tour of the northern constellations of Auriga & Ursa Major as it rose through the NE horizion.
The clear skies were ensured by the fact that I didn't take a telescope along.
A very interesting story from one of the guests of his experience in 1958 (I think)
watching through a small refractor and seeing a new "Star" appear!
Expecting a tale of a supernova, I had not heard of, I was surprized to hear that he had in fact witnessed one of the moon missions, where they curcumnavigatred the moon.
The bright new "Star" was in fact the stage 1 & 2 separations of the launch rocket.
Now we can so easily watch the ISS pass us by, predicted within an accuracy of seconds
How the times have changed.
How did you spend your Wed night
