3 Weeks 4 Dreamwidth: Day 5: Star-gazing

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

There's still about an hour left in the day here, so here goes.

Today is International Astronomy Day.

Question: Have you ever looked through a telescope or gone to a planetarium? Do you have a favourite celestial body?

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I took Astronomy as my science in undergraduate and spent some time with telescopes then but that's the last time (so about 20 years ago). I do love the idea of star-gazing and plaentariums, but between the clouds and the light pollution, I don't do much star-gazing. My sister has a very fancy telescope and I believe she has done some proper star-gazing and belonged to clubs at one point. If I ever visit her, maybe I will. I did take the boys to the Smithsonian Air & Space museum over the Xmas holidays, and that was fun.

My favourite celestial body is the rock formerly known as Pluto!

I did a star/planet spread and realized I have a few Saturn stickers so I may do a separate spread for just Saturn. Scan quality is not great. Using some of the textured paper which I love.

Comments

Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I've been to many planetaria and seen various telescopes. I like celestial bodies in general, though the Moon is probably the one I use the most. For theoretical models, I'm very fond of the toroidal planets.

Re: Yes ...

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Yes, the moon is very cool. 🌚🌛

Interesting read! I did not know about toroidal planets! Thanks for sharing the link!

Re: Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

You're welcome!

I'm a sucker for strange planets, theoretical or observed. I miss when every such article spawned a gush of stories to science fiction magazines.

[smallhobbit]

I did a short course at a library many years ago which was interesting and one of the other participants brought his telescope which was brilliant. I'm currently doing an online course on the moons of the solar system.

I like that collage, it's atmospheric.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Cool. I look forward to hearing what you say about the course.

Thank you!

[debriswoman]

I like the theme and the collage…and, yes, quite something to find clear enough skies for star gazing

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you!

You travel to enough country places that I imagine you could do some star gazing if you wanted.

[dr_zook]

What a lovely spread!!

I'm ridiculously fond of astronomy although I don't understand everything, haha. Looking at nebulae makes me tear up very easily, I don't know what's wrong with me. I watched a documentary about the INSANE project of constructing/shooting the James Webb Space Telescope into space where 1,935 things could have gone wrong (BUT THEY MADE IT 😭) and almost wept through the entire thing.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thanks!

I did not know that about you! That's wonderful. Yes, something very inspiring and heart-warming about human efforts to understand what's Out Thhere.

[dr_zook]

I mean, how can anyone look (!) at the Pillars of Creation and not start to weep? It's beyond me.