f-stop: The Sea Of Fire

USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) patrols hostile waters

 

Stars Over The Gulf II

Captain Donnelly meets the "Red Turkey"!

The first Laramie Star Party was a great success! Eleven Shipmates (including the Captain) joined me on the bow to view the Moon, Saturn and the International Space Station passage which just nicked the edge of Luna, making for a spectacular view through the eyepiece!

The skies were clear for the first few hours, and I'm especially impressed by the cooperation of the Skipper and Navigator, who shaped our course to keep the Moon and planets on the port beam (where masts and booms don't interfere with the view) and decreased speed so as to reduce vibration and improve the view through the telescope.

A good time was had by all, and I now have a "go" for future viewing sessions on a not-to-interfere basis with ship's operations. I'm already planning for the next one. I wonder how many of my crewmates have really LOOKED at the Milky Way...

Stars Over The Gulf I

Calm seas and beautiful skies; the dust storms that have masked the heavens for several weeks appear to have moved on. Last night I gathered a few Shipmates on the portside bridge-wing and took them on a naked-eye tour of the visible planets and Milky Way.

At these latitudes (about equal to those of southern Nicaragua or northern Costa Rica) we can see well down into Centaurus to the south while the familiar stars of Ursa Minor (including Polaris, the "north star") are lost in the summer haze to our north. Thus, the central bulge of our galaxy stands high and impressive in the inky sky.

Just a fantastic view!

Tonight--if the weather and seeing conditions hold--I'll take the Astroscan 'scope to my favorite observing location up forrard. I think it's time to introduce some of my friends here to a few deep-sky wonders.

Stay tuned!