Stargazing (Pt. 1)

So tonight I felt like stargazing. Astronomy had always been something of an interest of mine, but I've just begun to be mature enough for actual backyard astronomy instead of sitting in a chair, staring at a screen and oohing and awing at how beautiful the universe is with color enhanced images from Hubble.

Orion was out. It's my favorite constellation. Using my current astronomy book, Night Watch by Trace Dickenson, specifically the chart on the winter sky, I began to use Orion as a point of reference. I was able to discover Canis Major, Taurus,Auriga, and maybe Canis Minor. Of course, I could have gotten confused and mistaken one of the feet of Gemini for Canis Minor, seeing how the Moon is in the middle of Gemini. (You know what they say: The Moon is always out when you want to look for something faint. Overwhelmingly so tonight, since it drowned out a constellation of the Zodiac/I could read my own handwriting by it. If the Princesses were real instead of cartoon characters, then Luna would be such a troll for those of us who bother to stay up. Or a narcissist. Considering the whole Nightmare Moon thing...)

I also saw the Pleiades through my pair of astronomy binoculars. They may be little specks of light, but they're beautiful jewels hanging on velvet. My regret is that my hand is not steady enough to fully appreciate their beauty. I may get a telescope at some point, but not right now. I have neither the budget for something of better quality than the "Christmas trash" scopes you see in department stores, nor the skills to use it effectively. I would like to get an Orion made Newtonian telescope on a Dobsonian mount, but the 4.5" Dob starts at $250. *sigh* I guess I'll shop around some more. I may just use an achromatic refractor for the observing I'll be doing, since for right now I do not have the skills for deep sky, which would lower my costs by half but limit me to the Moon, planets, double stars, etc.. (Not that those objects are not worthwhile, mind you.)

Did get to spend some time with my brother. Maybe we'll have something to talk about other than video games now? I doubt it, but still there's hope. I also renewed my membership with the Astronomical League. Maybe I'll complete some of their observation programs this year and earn some pins? I hope so, at least knock down some of the ones without major equipment requirements like the Lunar I, Constellation, etc.

You know, this might be a reason why I lean towards Twilight Sparkle as favorite pony.