Perseids next Wed nite/Thurs am -- hit the boonies!

[profdant139]

We are heading out, hoping for dry clear skies. In California, there is a lot of smoke, so we are crossing our fingers. The peak of the shower is at 1 am Pacific time on Thursday morning, but NASA says that there may be some colorful slow "earth grazers" on Wednesday after sundown. Utah is a possibility -- no smoke -- but there may be evening thunderstorms, so we are still not sure what we are doing! That's one of the best parts of RVing -- you can often decide where you are going at the last minute, if conditions change.

[frizzen]

profdant139 wrote:
Yes, I did solve the issue of maneuvering the trailer in tight spots -- we have decided that if a spot is too tight to rotate the trailer with the truck, it's too tight. Too much chance of damaging the trailer's jack wheel and the surrounding foliage.

Wise choice

[profdant139]

Yes, I did solve the issue of maneuvering the trailer in tight spots -- we have decided that if a spot is too tight to rotate the trailer with the truck, it's too tight. Too much chance of damaging the trailer's jack wheel and the surrounding foliage.

[frizzen]

profdant139 wrote:
Frizzen, the moon will set at midnight in 2016 -- not great, but ok. 2017 is a bust -- lots of moonlight. 2018 looks like the next good year, with an early evening moonset.

I just got back from our trip to the Sierra to see the Perseids. Bottom line -- it was pretty good but not great. Lots of haze and smoke from forest fires -- there was nowhere to go to escape the smoke. I am working on a blog post about our little trip -- it will be posted in a couple of weeks.

Moon setting at midnight will be great since I'm usually up around 1 am and I bet every one knows why.

BTW Prof, did you ever solve your problem with manuvering the trailer?

Fort Davis, Tx and the Davis Mts. Observatory are usually pretty warm at night in Dec.

[profdant139]

The Geminids should be good this year -- the night of Dec. 13 to 14. No moon! Gotta find a warm place. One year, we went to Death Valley for the Geminids -- rain and snow every night! Ha! So much for careful plans.

[RWDIII]

RWDIII wrote:

Hey P139
Join me at the Desert View campground at the eastern end of Grand Canyon
I was going to Utah,But decided on Ariz so I can still have a campfire
Right now is 50-50 chance of clouds.If campground is full plenty a dispersed camping south of the canyon.Also I am breaking in my new camper.:B
Was thinking of going to Chaco Canyon,but don't want to go by myself the south route thru the Res.

made a trip to Desert View About 9 PM the clouds left and was very dark sky Because of the trees could not see the Horizen.
Sat around the fire till about ten,saw 2 meteors.got up at 4 till 5 and saw about 10 more,one a flamer.Wasnt the best place because of the trees but a great ;dry campground with a 30 ft limit
In June went to Mather point for the star party,that does it this year for the Grand Canyon
Love the extra room in the new camper For the first time in years was able to see big and little dipper The milky way was very clear
gotta love that senior pass:B
Maybe will go to Chaco for the eqinox in sept

[profdant139]

Frizzen, the moon will set at midnight in 2016 -- not great, but ok. 2017 is a bust -- lots of moonlight. 2018 looks like the next good year, with an early evening moonset.

I just got back from our trip to the Sierra to see the Perseids. Bottom line -- it was pretty good but not great. Lots of haze and smoke from forest fires -- there was nowhere to go to escape the smoke. I am working on a blog post about our little trip -- it will be posted in a couple of weeks.

[frizzen]

Peak will be on a Friday night Saturday morning next year. I can already feel a cold coming on for 8/12/16. Going to have to go to the mountains for fresh air.

[RWDIII]

pnichols wrote:

RWDIII wrote:
That is why I use binocs.Unless it is super dark I can no longer see the little dipper.

Is that due to:

- Generally more air pollution?
or
- Focus of aging eyes getting fuzzier?
or
- Cataracts in one or both eyes?

Last summer I had cataract surgery eyes on both eyes, and boy, what a breath of fresh air that is.

The implants from the surgery brought contrast, clarity, and focus back to what they were when I was a "young man". I still need (new prescripton) glasses after the surgery to keep vision sharpness to what it was when I was a yound man ... but I needed glasses way back then, too. One eye is now returned to 20/20 and the other is returned to about 20/30 ... both levels about the same as when I was a teenager.

But I think it's the restoration of contrast and clarity that is most noticeable. Modern cataract surgery is one area where aging can indeed be reversed. For an even better guarantee of optimum results, I chose the optional procedure of laser breakup of the old lens before the surgery.

The night sky now looks as it used to, I think. As far as I can tell now no binoculars are required to see the constellations.

Light pollution around here,used to be nice and dark
Getting older

[pnichols]

RWDIII wrote:
That is why I use binocs.Unless it is super dark I can no longer see the little dipper.

Is that due to:

- Generally more air pollution?
or
- Focus of aging eyes getting fuzzier?
or
- Cataracts in one or both eyes?

Last summer I had cataract surgery eyes on both eyes, and boy, what a breath of fresh air that is.

The implants from the surgery brought contrast, clarity, and focus back to what they were when I was a "young man". I still need (new prescripton) glasses after the surgery to keep vision sharpness to what it was when I was a yound man ... but I needed glasses way back then, too. One eye is now returned to 20/20 and the other is returned to about 20/30 ... both levels about the same as when I was a teenager.

But I think it's the restoration of contrast and clarity that is most noticeable. Modern cataract surgery is one area where aging can indeed be reversed. For an even better guarantee of optimum results, I chose the optional procedure of laser breakup of the old lens before the surgery.

The night sky now looks as it used to, I think. As far as I can tell now no binoculars are required to see the constellations.

[huachuca]

We'll be on the Outer Banks of NC - Cape Hatteras NS, Frisco Campground Tue thru Sun. They aren't many options for minimal light pollution here in eastern NC. I'd bet Big Bend NP would be awesome for this.

[Padlin]

Headed to UT next month, will try the binocs, guess it's the best I can expect.

[RWDIII]

Padlin wrote:
Quick side question... I've been getting up in the middle of the night to check out the stars for years, never had a problem. The last couple years I get up, go outside, and the eyes can't focus the sky! anyone else? And yes, I have my glasses on. Wondering if it takes longer and longer for the eyes to focus when you wake up as you get older, or is it just me! I have not just sat there for an hour to see if they clear up, I just go back to bed.

That is why I use binocs.Unless it is super dark I can no longer see
the little dipper.

[profdant139]

Yes, there will be meteors until dawn on Thurs.

And Padlin, I have found that my difficulties with focusing on the stars are proportional to my consumption of alcohol. 😉

Just kidding. But I have definitely needed stronger glasses as I have gotten older.

[frizzen]

At least the moon is in the perfect phase this year