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Topic: Enjoy this show, "The Transit of Venus"
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TheMoMan
BlabberMouth, a Blabber Odyssey
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posted May 30, 2012 06:21
Wiki
I am building a projection unit in the barn. Pinhole in the west wall, projector screen to look at.
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If it don't glow it ain't Ham Radio
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GrumpySteen
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posted May 30, 2012 08:55
Will you get enough light from Venus to actually see it using a pinhole projection?
Semi-related thought: There are a bunch of computer-controlled telescopes on the market now. Setting one up with a wireless network and adding a camera that streams over the wireless network would allow you to stargaze from your PC. You could even mount it all under a large plexiglass dome to protect it from the elements for a semi-permanent installation.
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TheMoMan
BlabberMouth, a Blabber Odyssey
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posted May 30, 2012 14:09
GS Venus will be a dark spot crossing Sol. If Venus was closer to Earth it would look like an eclipse.
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If it don't glow it ain't Ham Radio
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The Famous Druid
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posted May 30, 2012 17:36
The transit of Venus is of special interest to aussies.
The 'official' purpose of Captain James Cook's 1768-1771 journey was to observe the 1769 transit of Venus in Tahiti, the real purpose (in sealed orders, opened after the transit) was to search for the rumoured 'Terra Australis'.
The weather report for Wednesday (aussie time) isn't in yet, but if we get clear skies, we should see the whole thing, it starts around 8;45 AM and goes through to mid afternoon. I'll be building a projection viewer this weekend.
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If you watch 'The History Of NASA' backwards, it's about a space agency that has no manned spaceflight capability, then does low-orbit flights, then lands on the Moon.
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TheMoMan
BlabberMouth, a Blabber Odyssey
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posted June 01, 2012 13:42
From these people I learned that there will be a lunar eclipse just before the transit of Venus.
Space.com
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If it don't glow it ain't Ham Radio
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TheMoMan
BlabberMouth, a Blabber Odyssey
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posted June 05, 2012 06:23
Yesterday I did not get up early enough to see the lunar eclipse, however I will set my alarm on my phone to remind me about the TOV.
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If it don't glow it ain't Ham Radio
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The Famous Druid
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posted June 05, 2012 06:29
Heavy overcast and constant drizzle today, the forecast for tomorrow is 'partly cloudy' - I'm not feeling optimistic.
[update]But if it's cloudy, I can watch a live image from NASA
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If you watch 'The History Of NASA' backwards, it's about a space agency that has no manned spaceflight capability, then does low-orbit flights, then lands on the Moon.
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TheMoMan
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posted June 05, 2012 07:55
Well TheMoMan failed to get up in time for the lunar eclipse, however I am setting my phone to remind me of TOV, this afternoon.
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If it don't glow it ain't Ham Radio
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The Famous Druid
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posted June 05, 2012 17:51
Transit starts in 25 minutes - clear skies except the Eastern horizon where there's cloud.
Guess where the sun is?
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If you watch 'The History Of NASA' backwards, it's about a space agency that has no manned spaceflight capability, then does low-orbit flights, then lands on the Moon.
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The Famous Druid
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posted June 05, 2012 18:56
The clouds cleared just in time...
Photographer: Druidling V2.0f
Equipment: Celestron Astromaster 90 (90mm x 1000mm)
The cardboard box it came in
Ricoh R10 camera
Druidling V2.0f was really thrilled.
Druidling V1.0f was (not very) tolerant of our geekiness, but came out to watch anyway.
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If you watch 'The History Of NASA' backwards, it's about a space agency that has no manned spaceflight capability, then does low-orbit flights, then lands on the Moon.
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TheMoMan
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posted June 05, 2012 20:58
TFD... I had good weather also I have a much cheaper telescope and camera, I projected the image into a large cardboard box onto a coffee container lid.
 and 
I was very pleasantly surprised when I actually saw the dot move onto the light. I was also surprised that it moved so slowly.
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If it don't glow it ain't Ham Radio
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Snaggy
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posted June 05, 2012 23:18
Here's mine, luckily the clouds cleared just before sunset!
(Giant binoc projection onto hand-held paper.)
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dragonman97
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posted June 06, 2012 00:56
w00t! I saw it tonight...properly...for a whopping five seconds. Then, sharing being caring and all, I ceded my spot in line, and a maybe 15 minutes later, the clouds rolled in. Those clouds just didn't budge, apart from one 10 second window.
I have a photograph taken by the telescope's owner using an iPhone, but I don't think it would be terribly appropriate to post it, not being my actual photo and all.
While I initially thought "okay" upon seeing it, the whole thought of "That was the Sun! And Venus!" left me feeling like this was a fine enough day. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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There are three things you can be sure of in life: Death, taxes, and reading about fake illnesses online...
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TheMoMan
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posted June 06, 2012 06:19
The thrill of seeing the event for yourself and in person, makes the effort seem small. Seeing Venus or it's shadow cross onto Sol was an event of a lifetime.
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If it don't glow it ain't Ham Radio
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Snaggy
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posted June 06, 2012 12:10
MoMan said: "The thrill of seeing the event for yourself and in person, makes the effort seem small"
agreed! I had watched it on the web, but when I actually saw the Sun and Venus and sunspots in person, it really blew me away (despite being just a "shadow on the wall")
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TheMoMan
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posted June 06, 2012 16:44
Snaggy, TFD, et al. During setting up and getting the projection working I thought I saw solar storms, however I blew that thought off as probably dirt on one of the lenses. So I went and got the windex and some tissues but still had the artifacts. Now watching the NASA video I saw them again.
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If it don't glow it ain't Ham Radio
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The Famous Druid
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posted June 06, 2012 18:35
quote:
Originally posted by TheMoMan:
Snaggy, TFD, et al. During setting up and getting the projection working I thought I saw solar storms, however I blew that thought off as probably dirt on one of the lenses. So I went and got the windex and some tissues but still had the artifacts. Now watching the NASA video I saw them again.
Send NASA some Windex. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Yes, the sun spots were quite big and obvious, which gave me the opportunity to give the Druidlings a short science lesson on sun spots, and how huge they are. Remember, the Sun is 4 times as far away as Venus, so those spots that look about 1/2 the size of Venus in the pictures are actually twice the size of Venus.
A storm bigger than a planet, that impressed the Druidlings.
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If you watch 'The History Of NASA' backwards, it's about a space agency that has no manned spaceflight capability, then does low-orbit flights, then lands on the Moon.
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dragonman97
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posted June 06, 2012 20:32
Snaggy: Thanks for the link - a very cool video to watch!
Now future generations will have something to keep them entertained for 105 years!
TFD: You beat me to the punch about sunspots - and taught me something about astronomy. Cheers, I think? (An astronomer told me about the sunspots yesterday evening.)
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There are three things you can be sure of in life: Death, taxes, and reading about fake illnesses online...
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TheMoMan
BlabberMouth, a Blabber Odyssey
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posted June 09, 2012 07:51
Dman Excellent find.
Second note "Where did everyone go?"
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If it don't glow it ain't Ham Radio
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