h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Please start forums below so I know you've visited!



- X

*looks up*

So you've found me already?

You weren't lost

If you are looking for a shortsighted astronomer, living in a built-up area full of artificial light, with no telescope available to him, I would be glad to help out the research team!

CR

You don't need to see the stars in order to be an astronomer. That's one of the things that shocked me when I took some astrophysics courses en route to my journalism degree (don't ask) - a lot of the people in my classes didn't know the constellations, stars or anything from an observing side. They were mostly heavy into the theory and not so much into the observing.

Besides, you don't need a lot of advanced knowledge to be able to help out on the Moon & Tides page.

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm a case in point of that, Jimi. Although I'd love to observe, I've lived most of my life in a city which suffers heavily from both light pollution and cloudy skies.
Although I'm on a physics and astronomy course I've only been near a telescope twice, once at an open day by Sheffield university and once when a friend of mine doing a third year project took me up to Durham's.
I *loved* it both times, seeing Jupiter 'IRL' was sooooo cool, I could see the bands and everything and I was like 'Wow' But in my astronomy course, my lecturer glibly showed us a slide and said they've found a new nova in the constellation of Aquila. This is a diagram, here's where it is in the constellation. I may well have been able to find it bar one small problem: I've absolutely no idea how to find Aquila! I've got astronomy computer program charts, but I've not yet worked out how they transfer to the real world...

Hi JimiX,
I've been away on holiday. I'll just leave my carde here so you'll know I've been here!
'll be back later.
-B-

Thanks B !!

The Perseids meteor shower reaches peak activity on the
nights of Aug. 11/12 and Aug. 12/13. So beeline and I are recruiting
Researchers from across the northern hemisphere to take part
in a scientific survey by counting meteors on those two
nights.

Details can be found at http://www.h2g2.com/A411111 and
there is a link from there to the results page.

The sign-up forum is at the bottom of the page!



Thanks!

- X

The September update is now available!



Good month for planetary observing!

- X

I'm still here!
-B-

Aurora Borealis.
Friday September 8th there was a display of green AB in the nightsky over Bergen. I have never heard of this fenomena this early in the fall! I have always thought that AB is to be seen only in the winter when it's cold and clear.
The said Friday it was clear but quite mild, about 11 degrees Celcius. Thought you'd like to know....
-B-

Aurorae occur year-round, it's just that in the winter the nights are longer so we've got a better chance of seeing them. There was a big display in the Spring this year and I saw them one summer night about a decade ago.

Good for you! They're always special!!

But I've got it finished now...

Is done and on time even!

I've included a link to the Astronomy Society and my new page on the X-mas Day eclipse.

- X

Lucky lucky people. Why don't I ever get an eclipse (partial thought it may be) on Christmas day. It's just not fair!

Novembers looking good, and on the weekend of the leonids I'll be on a farm somewheere quite far away from a city, WOOHOO! So if it's clear I'll be out there (yeah right, like it'll be clear)

And thanks for the astro society link Just one thing though, do you prefer your page viewed in alabasta? Coz then the blue box will look kinda funny. Arg these skins. Is it possible to specify in the GuideML for it to be viewed in goo or ala, which wold solve the problem. And can I upload pictures that are not in a rectangular box (in HTML?) which would also solve the problem.
Oops a little of the topic.

What about a leonids H2G2 observation? I couls suggest it on the soc page.

Nick

As the Leonids always fall on my birthday, I don't do much serious observing that night...

More of a drunken look up and catching a few here and there.

And as for the skin, I wouldn't worry about it. It doesn't look terrible in alabaster. But it is something to remember when you're designing graphics for h2g2 - having a dual-skin look. That's why I got rid of the Post logo on my page - it looked horrible in alabaster.

Oh well, we'll all adapt sometime.

[-B-]

(only my card again)

For 2002 is complete!



- X