Spot the Space Station

[day_trippr]

Man, Blue Origin launch attempt was a total cluster-eff. One delay after another with little explanation if any why each occurred before they said "Screw this!" and quit because they weren't going to make the window in time. Bleh.

Meanwhile, SpaceX doesn't like the weather at sea so their launch is moved to Wednesday with their window opening at 5 PM EST...

 

[balrog]

Pull out yer Newtonians and photograph moon occulting Mars at ~9:20 Eastern tonight.

I'll be battling clouds because, yeah, karma.

Infographic on times for diff places
https://www.astroleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2025-Jan-13-Moon-occults-Mars.pdf

 

[day_trippr]

Very close here...

 

[balrog]

I'm socked in but hopeful.

earlier tonight:

A moment ago.

 

[day_trippr]

The convergence lined up smack in the middle of the crown of a pine tree across the street

 

[balrog]

Of course it did.

 

[balrog]

Getting close, clouds playing "Let's See How Much We Can Annoy Joseph"

Best I can do hand held, leaning on tree, zoom lens

 

[balrog]

Clouds came back. I am tapping out. This was as close as I could get

 

[day_trippr]

lol! Ok, so first, I misread that table and took Boise's times as Boston's. Hence the moon was down in the trees when I posted earlier.
Wondering why you were still putting images up, I just checked that page again. DOH!

So I run out on the deck and a great big bright as all F moon is almost straight up and it was still covering Mars by a scoche.
Way too bright for my phone to do anything useful, and it really challenged my mild astigmatism with flaring.

Oh well, it's the thought that counts, right?

 

[passedpawn]

Wow nice job guys.

The worst night to take a pic of the moon is during full moon. The sun is so direct on it, the cool features are muted. Best shots, are before and after.

I have a 5" newtonian but haven't gotten my camera attached to it (yet).

 

[balrog]

Wow nice job guys.

The worst night to take a pic of the moon is during full moon. The sun is so direct on it, the cool features are muted. Best shots, are before and after.

I have a 5" newtonian but haven't gotten my camera attached to it (yet).

Getting my camera on my 6" Newtonian is still on my list.
I did get the telescope out for the eclipse; just need a better solar filter. Also on my list to make--I have the bits ready.
I was chuffed that the clouds parted beautifully just after the 9:26 occultation time. Up to then they wispy sheets of ISO increasing annoyance kept wafting/breaking over the area.

Jupiter was pretty intense also but with a zoom lens of meager diameter there's almost no point (I think the red spot is not prominent enough without enough aperture/magnification; and certainly not without a sturdy tripod).

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

I've had crap seeing over the past 2 weeks, literally due to the fact that I got a dedicated planetary camera for Christmas I'm sure of it.. had one night to do a test run which went ok but have a ton to learn.. last night I got to peer through clouds at the moon/mars conjunction but wasn't clear enough to get the scope out. I did get a look at the grs a few weeks back but wasn't very clear. Sometime soon I hope for a clear night with better seeing so I can lock down some images with my new camera.

 

[balrog]

Wow nice job guys.

The worst night to take a pic of the moon is during full moon. The sun is so direct on it, the cool features are muted. Best shots, are before and after.

I have a 5" newtonian but haven't gotten my camera attached to it (yet).

Hmm.

I think I'm gonna need a bigger boat telescope

 

[balrog]

Hey @day_trippr , here's one from MA!

https://www.space.com/stargazing/ma...moon-in-gorgeous-photos-from-around-the-world

 

[day_trippr]

Impressive!

Meanwhile, SpaceX moved today's launch to tomorrow at 5pm est...

 

[Konadog]

Well............... nice launch and incredible catch, but the Star Ship is in question now.

 

[day_trippr]

Starship re-entry



Back to the drawing board...

 

[passedpawn]

but the chipsticks!

 

[day_trippr]

So I totally missed the Blue Origin New Glenn launch but here's a playable recording (such as it is - Blue Origin is a long way from the current state of the art of end-to-end flight coverage provided by SpaceX). Jump to 1:54:00 and you can hear what sounds like pumps winding up (turns out it was an APU), followed by what has to be the slowest liftoff of all time!

 

[passedpawn]

 

[beermanpete]

View attachment 867030

That was a mistake!

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Starship re-entry



Back to the drawing board...

Beautiful return to earth though!

The booster catch was magnificent but sad about the lost starship. With all they were trying to do with it made it especially disappointing.

In the end it's still an experimental ship. Better things will come from it.

 

[day_trippr]

Starship grounded.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/17/faa...hip-reports-property-damage-in-caribbean.html

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Starship grounded.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/17/faa...hip-reports-property-damage-in-caribbean.html

I hope a clarification gets published whether the debris was in or outside the zone.

Getting grounded isn't the end of the Starship program but I'm sure the media will paint a different picture. I have already read lots of negative press.

 

[day_trippr]

Heck, Starship gets grounded after nearly every "flight". At this point it seems like business as usual...

 

[day_trippr]

Two views of the instant the Starship 'sploded...

 

[Konadog]

I was just looking to see if anyone had any video of when it happened. There's always someone watching if they know when and what to look for.

 

[passedpawn]

That was a mistake!

How about, "we went to earth"

 

[day_trippr]

"I hate this place"

 

[Konadog]

View attachment 867030

Isn't it obvious, "Writing’s on the wall"

 

[day_trippr]

One take on what happened...

 

[day_trippr]

'Scope people should be looking at Mars I guess...

 

[balrog]

rain all day where I am in TN, without my scope, so someone else will have to pick up the observational slack for me

 

[Rish]

View attachment 867030

Don't eat the sushi.

 

[day_trippr]

Drone cam and various pad cameras captured the launch and return of Flight 7 booster...

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Drone cam and various pad cameras captured the launch and return of Flight 7 booster...

That's incredible footage! Fantastic!!

 

[day_trippr]

Reportedly "Blue Ghost" left earth orbit today on its way to the moon...

https://www.rocketlabusa.com/update...ported-by-rocket-lab-software-and-components/

https://fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-1/

Cheers!

 

[day_trippr]

I imagine someone was mortified

https://www.yahoo.com/news/newly-discovered-asteroid-turns-tesla-021240543.html

 

[Konadog]

They seem to be launching every week or two again. Tonight's was just after sunset so it lit up nicely.

 

[day_trippr]

Cool!
But you need to take that tree down