Dec's Guide to the Night Sky for Amateur Astromomers - including Melbourne weather

[Zoe7]

@Owlunar I need to put a telescope on my Christmas list in the hope Santa will bring one for me  We have sucha clear sky down here when there is no cloud cover but I would love to be able to see the stars and planets even closer.

I enjoy your descriptions of how they are aligned - thanks Dec 

[outlander]

Weve been abit overcast here @Owlunar so havent been able to enjoy the stars

@Zoe7 at big w at the moment they have telescopes for $25 im not sure how good they are though

[Owlunar]

Hi @outlander@Zoe7

It was such a glorious sparkly sky last night I didn't go to bed until really late and I was woken up by my MEPACS alarm with the "friendly reminder to press my daily call button" which meant I had to get out of bed and make it all the way to the alarm set to do this with my low BP and puffy feet which was not fun. I could not be further away from the alarm in my house

But the stars and planets - thanks Zoe - sometime I will work out how to post the pics they way you did it but I am figuring that out - found the app - the snipping tool - it believe in trial and error

Outlander - when you start searching the sky for planets and stars it is better to use binoculars because you have a much wider field to find things than you do than with a telescope - I have yet to get a telescope - to begin a low price is probably okay but it might also be frustrating - I am still using my binoculars but the thing is to know where the heaven bodies are so you can find the smaller and less easily found ones because you know they are near a bigger brighter object. That's how I do it

Yawn - tired today but the weather is fantastic

Dec

[Shaz51]

very wet up here @Owlunar, @outlander, @Zoe7 

did you see the starglazing on the abc tv

[Owlunar]

Hi @Shaz51

Not this time but I have seen this professors programmes before

David Attenborough would like this guy to take his place if he ever retires - that is Professor Brian Cox

Fantastic photos of the universe are presented in those programmes - I love them

Dec

[Shaz51]

I will have to have a look @Owlunar 

[Zoe7]

It looks like it is going to be a clear night here again tonight @Owlunar so I can rug up and at least go outside and look into the sky for a while - my way of being a little closer to you knowing you are probably doing the same 

[utopia]

@Owlunar - so at the moment Venus is the bright star to the west. What is the bright star (about as bright as Venus) but in the east/north/east sky?

[Owlunar]

Hi @utopia@Zoe7@Shaz51

Here last night was very cold but clear for a long time in the evening - so it was a good night to go outside and look around - that sparkly sky was so beautiful

Utopia - the bright body in the north east sky is Jupiter - following it comes Antares, Mars and Saturn - and Saturn is very bright atm but rises much later

I missed Venus for such a long time when I saw it a few nights back I felt invigorated and thought I will feel okay now - the dark patch is over for now - and that has been true

I am feeling tired but much better - I hope other people are feeling better - which might be a lot better or a little better - life can be tricky at times - like the stars

Dec

[Zoe7]

It was too cold for me to go outside last night @Owlunar - our nights have been getting really cold here - down to about 4 degrees a couple of times this week. 

I am feeling a little better but still taking it easy today - napping on and off as I need. 

Pleased you are feeling a little better