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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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: 3341
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: 4869
Loc: Stirling, Scotland
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Yeh Carol's Smiley Face sounds good to me 
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ArizonaScott
Postmaster
Reged: 04/29/04
Posts: 5028
Loc: Phoenix, 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
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 5880
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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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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square_peg
Postmaster
Reged: 03/26/04
Posts: 23948
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: 5880
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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Jeremy Perez
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/12/04
Posts: 1669
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: 5028
Loc: Phoenix, 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: 5880
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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ArizonaScott
Postmaster
Reged: 04/29/04
Posts: 5028
Loc: Phoenix, 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: 3506
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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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 5880
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
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Loc: Phoenix, 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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Jim52
sage
Reged: 01/18/04
Posts: 342
Loc: Kirkland.Illinois
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Carol, Thanks for something new to show to people! I saw it for the first time tonight with my 10 x 50's. That grin is so wide, it reminds me of a frog's face (except frogs don't have teeth, of course. I connect the dots subconsiously.) I like to show folks the E.T. cluster(ngc457) it's always a hit, & I know they're going to love this one too! Thanks.
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 5880
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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You're welcome, Jim!
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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First, thank you Carol for telling me about this cute asterism, but I don't think she likes me. I had a look at the asterism on the 3rd with my 12x50s and she seemed to be happy to see me  . I then used my 20x80s, and I then noticed that she was sticking her tongue out at me!
Here's a quick sketch I made of the face.
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~Steph~
Texas Wildflower
Reged: 06/11/05
Posts: 21658
Loc: North Texas
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Hey, thanks for bringing up this old thread, I wasn't around last year so now I have something new and fun to look for that isn't on the usual charts!
Steph
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Mark K
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/16/04
Posts: 860
Loc: Bury, Lancashire, UK
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For some reason, I keep looking for a figure of a certain game-show hostess of the 1990s, our own CAROL SMILLIE !
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 5880
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Excellent sketch, Autolycus! The colors make it realistic, and you did a great job on Struve 698 (the right 'eye'). With the 11x70s I never noticed her giving me the raspberries, though.. that's too much! I'll take a look with higher power if it ever clears up.
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Tim13
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/07/04
Posts: 575
Loc: Midwest
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This is crazy. M36, M37, and M38 are a few of my favorite objects in the night sky, so I tend to spend a lot of time in Auriga, and I never noticed this asterism.
Now I can't wait for the weather to clear up.
Tim
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Mike Moffatt
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/13/05
Posts: 856
Loc: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
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Definitely going on my list of things to take a peek at Carol!
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~Steph~
Texas Wildflower
Reged: 06/11/05
Posts: 21658
Loc: North Texas
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I did get a quick peek at it on Monday with the binos, very neat to see it live!
I'm also working my way through Touring the Night Sky with Binoculars (approx. title from memory) by Harrington, and he mentions Jeremy's nearby GRRR asterism but pictured it as something else (forgot what, sorry). The pic in the book also shows it from a different angle, so apparently he, at that time at least, hadn't discovered your Smiley Face either! I had to laugh when I saw the pic after reading this thread!
Steph
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 5880
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Iirc it's been referred to as a flying fish. Come to think of it, it does resemble Delphinus a bit but I like 'Jeremy's Grrr' better.
Geeze, I'm glad everyone's getting such a kick out of the smiley face.. that big old gap-toothed grin never fails to crack me up.
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novbabies
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