7076 replies to this topic

[Mike96]

I've been struggling to get out also Grey.  I think it was last Friday was supposed to be good and I planned on heading to the farm but I had been pretty busy during the day and when the time came my ol bones didn't have it in them... recliner!

[Scott123]

It's been tough this summer. Either I don't feel up to it (and we just had some nice clear nights) or something comes up. I'm hoping the Fall weather will be better.

[Scott123]

An image of the Milky Way, looking south at the foot of the lane.

[Mike96]

Does my heart good!  And help my courage.  Thanks Scott

[Greyhaven]

Scott... This is a very welcomed look at our skies.thanks for sharing it. I enjoy seeing the handle of the Teapot asterism in Sagittarius skirting the southern horizon.  This year with the removal of 5 tall pines my southern horizon my be more friendly to the spying eyes. The only other obstructions being a few hardwood trees that will soon be dropping their leafy sky camouflage, things could be much improved at the Cider House.

 

Grey

[Mike96]

While we were at a high school soccer game at Oak Hill High yesterday evening, featuring granddaughter vs granddaughter I did get a snapshot of the moon… above the red fringe around the horizon.  Does that count? With 300 mm lens?

[Scott123]

Speaking of the Moon....I printed out one of my better images of the Moon and hung it in my office at work. One of my co-workers saw it. Last night she and her husband and two of their grandsons (ages 5 and 8) visited. I showed them my observatory and had the boys help me crank it open. Once I got the scope aligned we took turns moon-gazing. She and her husband took some photos of the Moon using their cellphones held up to the eyepiece, and some photos of the boys looking through the scope at the Moon. A good time was held by all! I gave them an old Orion SkyScanner that had been gathering dust on the shelf, they were pleased.

[mdowns]

It's been very quiet in the kingdom. Are you guys ok?

[Scott123]

It has been quiet! I've just had no energy to do much lately. I hope that the Fall constellations will lift my spirits. I've been having fun 'talking' to an AI called chatgpt. It can answer basic questions about amateur astronomy, but gets some things wrong. Sometimes I just talk to it; 'good morning, how are you?' 'I am fine.' It also can correct my grammar, I have to write instructions for software end users, it suggests better ways to phrase a sentence.

 

I ran the above sentences through the chatgpt, it's wordier, maybe the rephrasing is better. As my old English teachers can attest, I am not a writer. Below is the version chatgpt created.

 

It's been pretty quiet lately! I haven't had much energy to do anything. I'm hoping the fall constellations will help lift my mood. I've been having fun 'chatting' with an AI called ChatGPT. It can answer simple questions about amateur astronomy, though it does get a few things wrong here and there. Sometimes, I just talk to it casually—'good morning, how are you?' and it replies, 'I'm fine.' It also helps me with grammar. I write instructions for software end users, and it often suggests better ways to phrase things.

[Mike96]

Glad to see some activity here Scott.  I’ve been struggling with guilt since I bought the little Seestar last spring and the skies closed in.  I’m hoping cooler weather brings clearer skies.  I have had no experience with AI yet.  I think it’s inevitable though.  I think it will be the next big change society will be dealing with, similar to home PCs and then the internet.  I’m old enough so I was at an age to be neck deep in all of that era…. Building early PCs and 300 baud modems and accessing BBS’s and Archie and Veronica search engines etc..  All pretty thrilling at the time.  I think I still have a printout of the starship Enterprise we did on the IBM 36? Mainframe up at Orono done on the wide carraige teleprinter in all x’s.   I think I now more or less dread any new advances that come down the road.  Ready for the rocking chair and flipping pages in a real book.

 

been doing nut and bolt things here..  bush hogging the fields, trimming back the trees trying to break in and dug a small pond at the farm. Used the material dug out to shim some bad spots.  Easier mowing next year! We pulled the boats and dock at the camp last weekend and I’ll probably drain the water and shut the camp down officially soon.  That time of year…  getting my scope window back from the AC soon!  Lazy man astronomy if the clouds and smoke go away.

[Greyhaven]

Yes, life does have its way of re-setting priorities on us old Yankees. I swear the hours are ticking by at an increased rate along with the numbers of hours in the official day shrinks as the number of daily projects grows.  

 

Today I'm trying to get a few landscape projects taken care of while my toy John Deere is snow blower less. I'm taking a noon break from deconstructing an over grown and out of control evergreen foundation planting. Building my pectorals with the loppers

this morning going to put my electric chainsaw to work on the base this afternoon. I have a "REAL" gas chainsaw I've had for years. A Craftsman  purchased about 25 years ago. It sits on a dark workbench shelf in a very handy storage case containing all the original doodads . I've grown to hate it over the years. It would,and most likely still will, run for a few minutes then requires a long cool down and may, but not always, agree to re-start. Occasionally out of the corner of my eye I'll see it quietly sitting on its throne and gingerly I'll pull it off the shelf caress the black hard plastic sarcophagus it is entombed in and ceremonially use compressed air to remove a few years of accumulated dust and debris. I never let the desire to look peer upon its lifeless remains control me. I simply and reverently slide its sarcophagus back onto the mausoleum shelf. I swear at times when quiet rules the garage I can hear a low muffled laugh coming from its resting place.... 

 

 

Grey

[Scott123]

Here's my day so far. I went out at noontime to pick up some lunch. My <expletive deleted> truck died as I was turning left as I was driving through a stoplight. I glided to a stop on Madison Ave, that is, Route 201. At noon. On a Friday. On a busy highway. Oi! A person walking down the sidewalk brought me some gasoline, truck still wouldn’t start. The Man with the Can wouldn't take money for his troubles, told me to pay it forward. Bless him, there is still good in this world. Two deputies (they know me, I provide IT support for the Jail and Sheriff's Office) stopped, and got a local towing company dispatched to take me and my truck to my mechanic.While I was waiting three different people from the Jail and Sheriff's Office (where I work) stopped and asked if I needed help, which was nice. Tow truck operator arrives. While he’s hooking up the truck I see a young woman (young enough to be my granddaughter, if I had any) approaching on the sidewalk. She had a container of brownies she made for a diabetic friend, she offered us each a brownie. ‘It looks like you’re having a bad day, maybe this will help!’ she said. We were touched, and thanked her. That was very sweet of her, and the brownie was delicious!

 

The tow truck driver dropped off the truck at my mechanic. Of course, his yard is full, he said he’d try to get to it when he could.

 

My wife is coming to pick me up, she offered to pay for supper, I'm opting for fries and a burger at a local snack shack.

[Greyhaven]

Great story Scott. I could see the silver lining begin to outline your dark cloud of a day. I try to stay positive and make it 80% of the time. The rest of the time its"Get off of my lawn!"

 

Grey

[Scott123]

I got my burger, and we split the fries!

[Mike96]

Scott, not only do the hours slide by much quicker but the effect is multiplied by by overall decrease in speed and effectiveness.  These old bones don't cooperate the way they used to.

[ArizonaScott]

Scott, that's an uplifting story, thank you for sharing and I'm sorry for your misadventure with the vehicle!

[Scott123]

Anyone remember Burma-Shave?

 

I had my AI write me a Burma-Shave jingle about the truck:

 

Friday noon,
The road was clear,
Then a sputter,
You’ve got fear,
Now you’re stuck,
Without a save—
Next time call,
For Burma-Shave!

[ArizonaScott]

There are still Burma Shave signs along Rte 66 as it travels through Ash Fork and Seligman, AZ.

[Greyhaven]

Brings me back to 1960-61 and the 4 cross country road trips my family had. Half of each trip rolling on Rte 66. The Burma Shave entertainment and opportunity to see the scientific marvels, and oddities of nature that enticed us mile after mile to stop for a free gold sample, view Indian mummies and a look at desert wildlife. Dad's collection of mini plastic telescopes each holding a quite alluring pin-up girl photo grew with each stop. The steady beat of the tires hitting the expansion joints in the concrete highway beating like war drums added to the magic. I was an impressionable 10 year old.

 

Grey 

[Mike96]

I envy you the road trips.  My wife’s family also did them.  Her mother was a war bride from Germany and her father promised to show her the US.  One trip all the way into Mexico.  I never made it any further than Montreal for Exp 67 and the annual jaunts to the White Mountains until the summer after I graduated and things weren’t going according to plan and being a bit hard headed I decided I was going to California to live with my cousin.  I saddled up my Triumph and headed west.  Four weeks later I made it home, broke and a little the worse for wear.  Made it to within 100 miles to Denver.  Between broken transmission in Ohio that took half my money and almost two weeks to get it fixed and getting beat up by a couple of cops the night after I got back on the road I should have been smart and turned around then.  It was a month of learning hard lessons and character building.  You can’t believe the joy of crossing the old bridge and being back in Maine.

[Greyhaven]

I hope everyone is getting ready to exercise their right to vote. The Cider House is.

 

Grey

 

 

 

 

[mdowns]

Guys,please remember this from the TOS(terms of service).

 

"c. Topics about politics, religion, or ‘hot-topic’ issues (global warming, taxes, lifestyles, etc.) that can easily become incendiary are not welcome here."

 

If you see your post missing this is why. Save your political comments for the PM service.

[Scott123]

Guys,please remember this from the TOS(terms of service).

 

"c. Topics about politics, religion, or ‘hot-topic’ issues (global warming, taxes, lifestyles, etc.) that can easily become incendiary are not welcome here."

 

If you see your post missing this is why. Save your political comments for the PM service.

Thank you! Let's keep this a fun place.

[Scott123]

The kids who got to see the Moon at my observatory are clamoring for another visit. Any ideas on fun astronomy things to do with a five and eight year old?

Edited by Scott123, 05 October 2024 - 01:34 PM.

[Greyhaven]

Great to hear positive feedback from the kids. I did Den Mother and then Cub Master for a few years and found the kids were a joy. Parents... well, they took a bit of tough love. I was asked to do a six Saturday astronomy class for gifted grade school students that was held at Bates College. I was really looking forward to that, but at the last minute a Bates student with a strong Astronomy background asked to teach it ,so the kids got a much better deal.

 

Grey