(Viewed 1,221 times)

[cwelsh]

My husband Mike and I live in Palatine, IL and are both into astronomy. I have an 8" Meade Starfinder dob and he has an assortment of reflectors and refractors too numerous to mention. My interest in astronomy is pretty general and low key. I am not a tech person or a gear-head, hence my easy-to-use dob with no gadgets other than dew-heaters. Start talking technology and watch my eyes glaze over. My favorite observing targets are double stars and the moon. My efforts at deep sky objects have been limited by my ability to get to really dark skies about once a year when of course it rains. I am an Astronomical League supporter and currently working on the Herschel 400 list.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Christine,

Thank you for registering as a Chicago Astronomer Member and for your first post.

It's great to read that both you and your husband share a great interest in astronomy, as sometimes one doesn't share the passion that the other one does.

Welcome and let's read of your observation sessions.

[Centaur]

Christine --

Welcome aboard. I'm glad we got the registration procedure straightened out.

Others should know that you are the one who won my November New Moon Spotting contest, due to your report at another website. I hope you don't mind that I pasted your wonderful anecdote of the event in the Tranquility Base forum on this site. Good luck in the December contest, although you may have inspired others to compete with you.

-- Curt

[cwelsh]

Thanks for the welcome!

No problem Curt, I hope that folks will compete for new crescent sightings - it's a fun and worthwhile challenge. Looking forward to more from you - do you also post waning crescent challenges?

[Centaur]

In the case of an Old Moon, Christine, the challenge would be to become the LAST person to make a sighting. It would be made at a time of the day when few people are observing. Interest may be thin. However, if a number of others indicate some enthusiasm, I may act on your suggestion.

I was conducting contests back in June for the last person to observe Venus as an evening star and the first to spot it as a morning star. That generated considerable interest.

Of course, we could hope to observe the helical risings and settings of various planets and stars, but the Moon and Venus seem to be the principle objects of interest. At least that has been so since the Egyptians started depending on a calendar (rather than observations of the helical rising of Sirius) to determine that the Nile would soon flood.