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

Tonight the full moon will be nestled among Messier 44, the Beehive Cluster (Praesepe), a feature of the constellation Cancer 'the Crab', so you have a perfect excuse for moon-gazing!



Since when did people start talking shorthand? A mutual friend asked after Ron at the cinema this morning, and I said I hadn't seen him since before Christmas, then explained why I've called it a day. "That's out of" she said. "Out of?" I repeated. "Yes, out of order".

** people start talking shorthand **

some people are wordlazy...

Just wait. Soon ppl will talk in txspk

There's a television commercial in the states with a kid who speaks in text-speak only with subtitles underneath.

It's selling an unlimited text messaging feature of a brand of mobile phones. It's pretty clever actually...

I'm barely coping with teenaged neanderthalian grunt spk at the moment

I saw the title of the thread and just *knew it was one of yours, GB We saw the full moon mid sky at 4pm, full daylight, man in the moon and all - was most impressed - it is the first time she has seena daytime moon. The fact that it was full made it all the more special.

I haven't ventured out to look at the stars though

*goes back to read the first post again*


Yesss! Good on you, Annie. I know it was a difficult decision but of all the people I know, you least of all deserve to be treated poorly Well done, hun

Just gone outside to look....

Here in France, the is astonishingly bright, very clear face & lovely large aura around it. As for stars, only spotted Mars, but it's too cold to hang around looking for the rest!

for sharing the info with us GB!

zdt

I hate that shortening, although it becomes such a habit - I'm sure that I do it unconsciously.

Like here, at New Year, you say "Frohes neues Jahr". And people just say Frohes. Drives me bonkers

*nods and agrees with Wilma*

it was "out of" and you've made a good decision there
(what did you see at the pictures?)

On the matter of shortspeak - sometimes in answer to a question, my little joke is to reply, "needless to say..." and then of course stop there.

On the matter of the moon - well, it's just spectacular this evening.

Well please enjoy it on my behalf because all last night it was so thick cloud that I couldn't see the moon, barely a glimpse, never mind the Beehive clusterit was like looking at a torch behind a velvet curtain.

I saw "P.S. I Love You" which I thoroughly enjoyed because it not only was a good story with great actors but there was just kissing and no sex. The only nudity was a man's bum when he got out the shower

So you DID see a full moon then!!!

More than I did - I had the same cloud cover, added to a very fine mist - too fine to see, but just enough to make you damp if you moved. Very surreal. Oh, and it was blummin' freezin...!

I was lucky then, seen two very clear full moons last night!

zdt

Not sure I want to hear any more!!

you deserve better hun. You'll find someone who cares enough to put you first
Too cloudy here to see down to the bottom of the village let alone the sky

Hiya Tabs

Nice view of the moon LAST night in Cleethorpes

OK, dare I say it - tonight - two days after the full moon, it will rise with a new partner, glorious Saturn. So, let's just book the clouds now, shall we?

OMG catch me I'm going to faint.

It's CLEAR here. I've just been out with my binos and gawped at Mars - now where's the moon and Saturn?

hands Galaxy Baby a chair with wheels and binoculars attached...

OMG where's the hot



3rd time lucky, there's the glorious moon and Saturn sharing the same view in my binos



Just a little further along is the wonderful Winter Triangle, Mars in Taurus *waves* but oh, oh, oh, M42 the Orion Nebula and Capella in Auriga is a gorgeous glittering blue. It's like being a conductor of an astronomical orchestra, just awesome out there. If I was still a smoker I'd need a ciggie now...

Excuse me while I go wash my face in some warm water......*sigh*

Now here's something you won't see very often...

"A large asteroid will pass close enough to Earth next week that amateur astronomers should be able to see it, NASA scientists said Wednesday."

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/01/24/science-asteroid-visible.html

Heh cosmic pebbles!

OK you can book the cloud cover nowI've had my one-clear-night of the year