While headed to the fridge this evening, I happened to peak out the door and noticed a cloudless, abundantly star-filled sky. It was too beautiful to ignore; even the Milky Way was visible.
(this picture does not do the sky justice. I did feel like dragging out the DSLR and just used the Fuji which has a max of 3 second exposure)
It has been a while since I just went out and stared at the stars. The temperature was rather mild, so why not?
As I sat there being serenaded by the happier crickets and listening to the warming, southwestern-driven breeze rustling through what leaves still remain on the branches, I got a bit nostalgic.
I began thinking of all the times I used to spend at the observatory at the local college on Friday nights. I was fortunate enough to have one of the most awesome astronomy professors at a school that was the beneficiary of an overwhelmingly generous contribution -- a 16" Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.
Our awesome professor allowed anyone that was interested to take a "test" to prove they could operate the 'scope without damaging it. Once cleared, you were given unsupervised, free reign to use it anytime you wished.
I spent many, many, many hours and nights in the observatory enjoying all the things that could be seen from an earthbound 'scope. Some really late into the night/morning -- and many were coooooollldd.
The only thing that was requested was that you would donate your time when you could on Friday evenings since we opened the telescope to the public so everyone who wanted could also enjoy the many celestial wonders that exist beyond our atmosphere. There were about four of us that were there on a regular basis over the course of the two years I was a student there. Over that time, we all developed a camaraderie and become pretty good friends.
It is an experience that I treasure to this day. Those were good times, and I will likely never get my hands on such a piece of equipment as that again nor see any of those objects with such clarity.
We have all seen pictures of the craters on the moon. It's different when you are looking at a "live" picture with awesome clarity. Likewise, with Saturn's rings, the storm on Jupiter, various nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters.
It is quite humbling to stare at all these wondrous objects. It sure makes you feel small when you consider the scale and the fact that this light you are looking at (unless they were planets in our solar system) is millions of years old.
It has been a while since I just went out and stared at the stars. The temperature was rather mild, so why not?
As I sat there being serenaded by the happier crickets and listening to the warming, southwestern-driven breeze rustling through what leaves still remain on the branches, I got a bit nostalgic.
I began thinking of all the times I used to spend at the observatory at the local college on Friday nights. I was fortunate enough to have one of the most awesome astronomy professors at a school that was the beneficiary of an overwhelmingly generous contribution -- a 16" Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.
Our awesome professor allowed anyone that was interested to take a "test" to prove they could operate the 'scope without damaging it. Once cleared, you were given unsupervised, free reign to use it anytime you wished.
I spent many, many, many hours and nights in the observatory enjoying all the things that could be seen from an earthbound 'scope. Some really late into the night/morning -- and many were coooooollldd.
The only thing that was requested was that you would donate your time when you could on Friday evenings since we opened the telescope to the public so everyone who wanted could also enjoy the many celestial wonders that exist beyond our atmosphere. There were about four of us that were there on a regular basis over the course of the two years I was a student there. Over that time, we all developed a camaraderie and become pretty good friends.
It is an experience that I treasure to this day. Those were good times, and I will likely never get my hands on such a piece of equipment as that again nor see any of those objects with such clarity.
We have all seen pictures of the craters on the moon. It's different when you are looking at a "live" picture with awesome clarity. Likewise, with Saturn's rings, the storm on Jupiter, various nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters.
It is quite humbling to stare at all these wondrous objects. It sure makes you feel small when you consider the scale and the fact that this light you are looking at (unless they were planets in our solar system) is millions of years old.
2 comments:
that is a really good picture for that little camera. I bet it was beautiful out there on the deck. That rememberance takes me back too. i didn't go as often as you but i did love looking into the heavens. That was such a time for memories dear...german class, kids young & everyone home eating dinner together. Those stars are as unreachable has turning back time.
yeah i laid it on it's back and took a two or three second exposure. can't remember. pretty good for a P&S camera.
yes, those were good times, indeed. german class ... LOL, that was like a date every week. ;j
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