AJTony
sage
Reged: 04/17/04
Posts: 379
Loc: Hamilton Square, NJ
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After reading Carol's 22 X 100 report in this forum last month, I went outside to check out the smiley face in Auriga. Quite obvious, and it is now on my list of fun asterisms to point out.
Now, the rest of the story: I assumed that this was a well known asterism, and Carol was just revisiting it, so I did a Google search for the asterism, and surprise, except for CN forum/Carol, no hits at all!
Today, I casually asked a local astronomer(involved with a Central NJ observatory) about the Auriga smiley face, and he was amazed, since he was well aware of the area around M36 and M38, but never heard of the asterism.
Bottom line, at the risk of being presumptuous, should we start to refer to the Auriga asterism as Carol's Smiley Face?
AJ
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DenisY
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/10/04
Posts: 2048
Loc: Canada / Montréal
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Hmmmm..  Looks like we going to have to.
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Denis
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Darren
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/17/03
Posts: 885
Loc: 44N, 79W (Newmarket, Ont., Can...
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Seconded.
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Clear nights ... dark sites,
Darren
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Amalia
Reged: 10/16/04
Posts: 5165
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Of course we shall! 
(exept if Carol would not like it...)
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Thick_asa_Planck
Dark Sky Hunter
Reged: 09/04/04
Posts: 3342
Loc: UK
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Question: How do you know when you have done too much astronomy?
Answer: When you start dreaming about it!
I have had the same dream for 3 nights running about a new nebula (that doesn't really exist). It's called the parallel nebula, and consists of 3 approximately horizontal lines of lengths 4, 5 and 4 stars respectively, enveolped in an elliptical blue nebula. It is particularly prominent in the winter months, lying low in the west after sunset and steadily rising throuhg the night, and is visible to the naked eye with averted vision, magnitude 2.0!
It looks like this:
. . . .
. . . . .
. . . .
Am i going crazy? 
Alex
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Not all observers browse cloudynights forums and use the smileyman guys. What you see is what you get 
Besides, you need a widefield telescope to see this well, since the size's something like over 60'. 7 star asterims in milkyway with over 1 deg in size, that's why it is not well known.
The real smileyface, of course, is around Mirfak in Perseus.
Cheers,
Jake
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Maybe the asterism should simply be called Carol 1. Other amateurs have had objects named after them and are listed on star charts.
Roger
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Chris Graham
mmmm...Haggis
Reged: 04/01/04
Posts: 4883
Loc: Stirling, Scotland
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Yeh Carol's Smiley Face sounds good to me 
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-Skywatcher 8" Reflector on HEQ5 with Skyscan
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ArizonaScott
Postmaster
Reged: 04/29/04
Posts: 5528
Loc: Scottsdale, AZ
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I think that'd be a great way to honor Carol's efforts and expertise on CN. Carol's Smiley Face it is! When my new binos show up on Wed. I'll take a look at it.
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Scott
10" LX200 Classic, Konus 200, Orion ST80, ETX90 OTA, 60mm Celestron alt-az, Obie 20x80's, Meade 10x50's
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 6034
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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 What an honor!  Thanks everyone!
Actually, I read about it quite a while ago and it's been a bino favorite ever since.
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Authoring the monthly AstroSketch page in "Sky at Night" magazine
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AJTony
sage
Reged: 04/17/04
Posts: 379
Loc: Hamilton Square, NJ
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What you read about the asterism is not overly significant. What is significant is that when you go to Google and type in Auriga smiley face, your name/post is the only true hit.
AJ
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Canon 15 X 50 IS Binos
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square_peg
Postmaster
Reged: 03/26/04
Posts: 29457
Loc: Maple Valley, WA
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Quote:
Question: How do you know when you have done too much astronomy?
Answer: When you start dreaming about it!
I have had the same dream for 3 nights running about a new nebula (that doesn't really exist). It's called the parallel nebula, and consists of 3 approximately horizontal lines of lengths 4, 5 and 4 stars respectively, enveolped in an elliptical blue nebula. It is particularly prominent in the winter months, lying low in the west after sunset and steadily rising throuhg the night, and is visible to the naked eye with averted vision, magnitude 2.0!
It looks like this:
. . . .
. . . . .
. . . .
Am i going crazy?
Alex
Yep, you're going crazy if your nebula is "lying low in the west after sunset and steadily rising throuhg the night".
From Maple Valley, things in the West drop below the horizon, while things in the east "steadily rise through the night."
A few weeks of cloudy weather makes me dream of crazy things too, Alex. Comes with the territory. 
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Tom (Pegster)
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 6034
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Quote:
What you read about the asterism is not overly significant. What is significant is that when you go to Google and type in Auriga smiley face, your name/post is the only true hit.
AJ
Thought you were kidding so I tried it... gotta love Google!
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Authoring the monthly AstroSketch page in "Sky at Night" magazine
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Jeremy Perez
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/12/04
Posts: 1930
Loc: Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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Carol, I had a laugh spotting that asterism the other night while scanning through Auriga with binoculars.
You know, something in that image you posted caught my eye. Does anybody else see an oblique grrr face looking down on the smiley from above and to the right? :-O
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ArizonaScott
Postmaster
Reged: 04/29/04
Posts: 5528
Loc: Scottsdale, AZ
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Jeremy, now I really can't wait to get my new binos on Wednesday to check this out. Should be interesting.
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Scott
10" LX200 Classic, Konus 200, Orion ST80, ETX90 OTA, 60mm Celestron alt-az, Obie 20x80's, Meade 10x50's
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 6034
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Quote:
Carol, I had a laugh spotting that asterism the other night while scanning through Auriga with binoculars.
You know, something in that image you posted caught my eye. Does anybody else see an oblique grrr face looking down on the smiley from above and to the right? :-O
Isn't it a stitch? It honestly makes me every time I see it.
Eeek, that other one does look like a crabbyface, but the poor thing looks like it's missing an eye. 
I read somewhere that it reminded someone of a fish, and with a stretch of the imagination it does looks like a miniature Delphinus [with a nightlight above his head].
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Authoring the monthly AstroSketch page in "Sky at Night" magazine
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ArizonaScott
Postmaster
Reged: 04/29/04
Posts: 5528
Loc: Scottsdale, AZ
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Carol- I'll never look at Auriga the same way again. After receiving my new 10x50's yesterday I had to give them a trial run. First stop was Carol's Smiley Face and Jeremy's Grrrr. Gotta admit it reminded me of your avatar, and made me smile too I also took some long looks at M36/37/38, M42, M45, M31, the Hyades, and comet Machholz. Before I called it a night I took a look at the CSF asterism again and headed off to sleep, still smiling. Thanks Carol!
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Scott
10" LX200 Classic, Konus 200, Orion ST80, ETX90 OTA, 60mm Celestron alt-az, Obie 20x80's, Meade 10x50's
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jwaldo
Smart Mime
Reged: 04/26/04
Posts: 3519
Loc: SoCal
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I'll have to check that out tonight! I never really noticed that as a smiley face before!
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-Jim
DHQ 8"
C102 w/ upgraded focuser
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 6034
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Thanks Scott!  I had a look at it last night with the 22x100s and it just isn't the same.. low power shows it best.
Quote:
reminded me of your avatar
Nuh-uh.. I have all my teeth!
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ArizonaScott
Postmaster
Reged: 04/29/04
Posts: 5528
Loc: Scottsdale, AZ
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Quote:
I had a look at it last night with the 22x100s and it just isn't the same.. low power shows it best.
Quote:
reminded me of your avatar
Nuh-uh.. I have all my teeth!
It did look great in the new 10x50's. The FOV would've been too narrow in my 20x80's. You better take a new avatar pic and show me the pearly whites, but somehow I didn't take you for a toothless redneck like us folks from Arizona
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Scott
10" LX200 Classic, Konus 200, Orion ST80, ETX90 OTA, 60mm Celestron alt-az, Obie 20x80's, Meade 10x50's
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