Butthead Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Was thinking that perhaps the best way to remember Sir Patrick Moore and his legacy is a thread for everyone who has an interest in what's above us in the night sky. I'm going to kick it off with what's in the night sky this month, so if you happen to find yourself under a clear night sky have a look upwards and share in the wonder. Dec 12th - 14th. Geminids, meteor shower. Peaks on the night of the 13th with predicted 100 plus meteors (or shooting stars) per hour. Look towards the south-east and find the twin stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini, and the meteors will be appearing from just to the NE of Castor. Use your smart phone astro apps or download the free Stellarium if you need help locating this and the other highlights below. Dec 10th - 12th. Mercury, Venus and the Moon If you are up around 6am have a look to the South East and you'll be able to see these 3 objects together in the same patch of sky. Venus will be bright, sometimes known as the UFO star and thought to have been the Star of Bethelem. Mercury is worth a look as being close to the sun it's not often we get to see it for such a long duration. Jupiter, up high and in Taurus for the whole month. You'll be able to spot it's moons with a reasonable sized pair of binoculars. On Christmas Day the Great Red Spot storm systems will be centrally placed around 7.30pm. One for those with scopes and surely better than watching the dire evening tv. Outside the solar system, there are some spectacular naked eye things to see and even better with binoculars. The Orion Nebula The Andromeda Galaxy and also worth viewing the Triangulum Galaxy, both part of our local galactic group. The Pleiades and Hyades open clusters. It was posted in another thread, but worth re-posting Moore's Winter Marathon here [url=http://astrog80.astro.cf.ac.uk/mwm/]http://astrog80.astro.cf.ac.uk/mwm/ Let's all remember Sir Patrick Moore the way he would want us to do 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearam Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Thanks for the info, mate. A fitting tribute to the great man. RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butthead Posted December 9, 2012 Author Share Posted December 9, 2012 He was a big cricket fan and a decent player but I reckon he'd like the idea of us football fans taking an interest in his life's work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anag Ram Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Yeh - a true character with enormous passion for life as well as his subject matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hucknall Ram Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 He was of course the games master aswell RIP http://www.knowyourmobile.com/siteimage/scale/0/0/292170 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramexpat Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 does anyone else remember him from gamesmaster aswell , rip Patrick , finally with the stars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butthead Posted December 9, 2012 Author Share Posted December 9, 2012 Yeah I remember his cameo role on Gamesmaster. It was odd seeing a respected figure doing what was a kids gaming show but that was SPM having a bit of fun whilst reaching out to everybody no matter their age or background. He holds the record for the longest tv show and presenter with the Sky at Night running for over 50 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brammie Steve Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 RIP Sir Patrick, Star of the Sky at Night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brammie Steve Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got till it's gone? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hG3HuGmY68 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SillyBilly Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Butthead, do you have a telescope, what are you using? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butthead Posted December 9, 2012 Author Share Posted December 9, 2012 I've got a 5" doublet refractor on an AZ mount, purely visual and got the hand of star hopping using a Sky Atlas. Sure you've mentioned before but what you using? Just found out Froggg has got one of those Mak planet killers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trekkie_ram Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 I'm definitely going to have to befriend someone with a telescope/binos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamNut Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I've got a 5" doublet refractor on an AZ mount, purely visual and got the hand of star hopping using a Sky Atlas. Sure you've mentioned before but what you using? Just found out Froggg has got one of those Mak planet killers. Sounds like you have an impressive tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamNut Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 On the subject of SPM....he will be remembered also for those memorable tv appearances during the Apollo programme, and also for popularising astronomy. I read a couple of his books: Life in the Universe, and Life on Mars. It was interesting to read that - even in the 60s - they genuinely expected to find vegetation or lichen on Mars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Hindge Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Personally will always remember him as "The Games Master" some of the tips that man gave me were out of this world, LEGEND Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butthead Posted December 15, 2012 Author Share Posted December 15, 2012 anybody have any luck with the Geminids? typically it was clouded out for me, bloody weather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boycie Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 anybody have any luck with the Geminids? Nah mine are giving me some right jip at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyram Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 I know it's not much to do with astronomy, but I thought I'd post these pictures here which were taken from space. I think they're amazing. [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20214931]http://www.bbc.co.uk...onment-20214931 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozza Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 I know it's not much to do with astronomy, but I thought I'd post these pictures here which were taken from space. I think they're amazing. [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20214931]http://www.bbc.co.uk...onment-20214931 we really are just a speck of dust.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boycie Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Another one Ladyram missed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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