November 25, 2005
Morning Has Broken
I have had a great interest in astronomy for my entire life. I recently purchased an inexpensive pair of binoculars made for skygazing and this morning is the first time I've had a chance to use them. It's cold here now, the kind of cold (18 degrees F) that enforces stillness and calm on the morning. The sky is cloudless, so I knew that I would have a few minutes of viewing before the sun peeked over the horizon.
The first object I found was a bright morning star that turned out, according to my astronomy software, to be Jupiter. Once I was focused in, I could tell that the object was, indeed, a bright disc and not a star. Amazing. I then gazed at my old friend the Moon and saw the Sun peeking over the rim of an enormous crater near the light-dark line on the planetoid (I don't remember what that line is called). The sun was brightening the entire sky by then and I was getting cold, so it was time to retire and start the day.
I still have a childish fascination with space and I hope I never lose it. Mornings like this are filled with the same wonder I knew as a little kid waiting for the school bus. In this way, at least, I never want to grow up.
Posted by Matthew at November 25, 2005 07:09 AMTrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.opaquelucidity.com/movabletype/mt-tb.cgi/611
I believe the line is called the terminator.
I'll be back.
Posted by: Troy Overton![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.opaquelucidity.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at November 25, 2005 09:04 AM
I don't stargaze often (prob'ly a bit too hyper for hobbies like that), but the Perseids meteor shower is on my birthday every year. So once a year, I set my alarm for 3:00 am, and go enjoy my perseonal birthday meteor shower before starting my day. It's nice, how quiet and peaceful it can be.
Posted by: Christy at November 25, 2005 10:33 AMI love to stargaze myself. The year my wife and I moved into our home she bought me a nice reflector telescope for Christmas. I can't tell you how many nights I spent out there freezing my butt off (I know it doesn't get as cold here in Texas) looking at the different planets & star clusters. I can see the Great Red Spod of Jupiter and last year I even saw a couple of the moons. I can also see the rings of Saturn and the polar ice cap on Mars. Troy is right about the line being called the terminator. Oh yeah, good to have you back.
Posted by: John at November 29, 2005 10:35 AMI love to stargaze myself. The year my wife and I moved into our home she bought me a nice reflector telescope for Christmas. I can't tell you how many nights I spent out there freezing my butt off (I know it doesn't get as cold here in Texas) looking at the different planets & star clusters. I can see the Great Red Spod of Jupiter and last year I even saw a couple of the moons. I can also see the rings of Saturn and the polar ice cap on Mars. Troy is right about the line being called the terminator. Oh yeah, good to have you back.
Posted by: John at November 29, 2005 10:36 AM