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[boozeclues]

so It was sort of clear last night and the moon was riding high so i went out to observe last night at 2am and when a car drove by my house and stopped.

I kinda waved but it was 2am and I don't know who they are so I went inside my house and turned my front lights on and they drove off. I went back outside and 5 mins later there were like 5 squad cars in front of my house!


I guess that car thought my 5" dob was a weapon or something and I had used it to break in!
"
Obviously this was easily explained one cop said " Oh hes just using his telescope lol" as they were getting out of their cars and then they all turned their flashlights off which was kinda cool.


Anyone else ever have this happen?

[erikruud]

I haven't had it happen yet, but I expect that it will happen one of these days. I especially wonder what it looks like to others when I put my scope on the driveway during the day time and aim it down the street to align the finder.

I have had a few people from the neighborhood stop by as they out walking the neighborhood at night.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Heh...

Never happened to me, but you could have been using a mega-watt laser device for evil....is what the brain stem must have thought.

[Paulie pchris00]

The night before Thanksgiving, Bill and I were observing at Conway Observatory. It's Lake County (IN) park property, and 95% of the time, unoccupied. It's in the middle of nowhere, and I have a feeling teenagers use it on the weekends as a party spot. Thanksgiving Wednesday being one of the biggest party days of the year, a Lake County Officer pulled into the lot. I didn't know it was a cop, but since he didn't kill the headlights, I knew it wasn't a member. I hurried in and turned on all the red lights around the building as a signal that observing was taking place, then walked out the front door. I was immediately greeted by a blinding spotlight in my face. The officer was talking on the phone, watching me stand there in the spotlight. I kept my hands visible, and when he was finally ready to deal with me, I said I was a member. He saw Bill with his telescope, and decided we had access, and were doing what the facility is there for. Ruined my night vision for awhile, but other than that, no harm done.

I don't observe from home much these days, but when I did, in the summer I would try to be out early, set up in the driveway where neighbors could see me and see that I was observing Jupiter and the Moon in the twilight. I still do some of my solar observing in the driveway, just to keep myself visible to the neighbors. I've never had a problem.

[patrickm]

Are you sure you weren't just seeing Sirius? It is frequently mistaken for other objects this time of year.

Yeah. Me. Police. Sunken Gardens. "Keep your hands where I can see 'em!" "Put your hands down!" "You drinking?" "Wow, Saturn is cool!" "You can stay."