Dennis Observatory "telescope"
:sun: Two weeks ago we inaugurated the Dennis Observatory (our backyard) and watched the solar eclipse with a Cheerio box pinhole projector.
Today we’re back at the Dennis Observatory and Solar Laundry Service (95 degrees with a 12 mph wind dries your clothes really fast). This time watching the Venus Transit with a bit more sophisticated technology – binoculars duct taped to a tripod with a piece of card stock covering one side of the binoculars.
Everyone has been saying that this is a once-in-a-life-time event (well, the pair of transits is, it happens in pairs 8 years apart and then 105 years later). But that doesn’t impress Brett a whole lot. He says once-in-a-life-time events happen every day. I still appreciate that he at least pretends to be excited about astronomical events with me. Of course, in two weeks we have the equinox which is a very special astronomical event in our family.
Check back later when I upload photos we take of the transit from our observatory.
~*~*~
Update:
We teamed up with NASA Edge in Hawaii to watch their live broadcast of the transit as well. Brett came home and asked me what I was watching with my lap top out in our observatory and I told him I was “watching them watch this (the transit) in Hawaii.” Their telescope is a little bigger than ours so they got this image:
NASA Edge image
In their image you can see some tiny dots that are sun spots, in addition to Venus. We can see them with our set-up too but our camera system isn’t good enough to get a photo of them from Dennis Observatory. But trust me, they’re there. And I find it beyond cool that we can see sun spots in our backyard.
Here are the two astronomers at the Dennis Observatory.
Some of the images we were able to get.
I am an educator and PhD. I quilt, belly dance, run, read, and try to grow things. I am a Mormon. I am infertile. I am a daughter, sister, aunt, grand-daughter, friend, wife, and mom.
Brett L. Dennis
Mama g
Giggles
AmandaStretch
Of *course* I’m excited. But it’s not my fault that the Venus Transit happened on the same day as the Wisconsin gubernatorial recall — also a once-in-a-lifetime event, mind you. :brett:
Also — that image of the sun on your white paper was simply fascinating! (Although, I would have used a different piece of paper — there was a little dark spec on the right hand side of that one that wouldn’t come off.) :brett:
So Brett, what are you wearing on your head? Towel day was a week and a half ago. 🙂
This wouldn’t have counted for towel day anyway. Lisa tells me it was a tablecloth. It only makes sense that it would have been sitting there in order to keep the sun off the back of my neck, right? :brett:
(Oh, and just for the record, I do know that the word is spelled “speck” but I’m used to spelling it at work where it’s most often short for “specification.”) :brett:
Great pictures. We will have to take a field trip to the Dennis Observatory. :sun: :star:
We didn’t have the glasses needed to see the event. But it was cloudy anyway. They said on the news that the clouds broke for about 8 seconds and it could be seen. I would have loved to have seen it.
I think with the towel on Brett’s head, he is trying to become an Arab. :p
Lisa, is this my Mom or your Mom? I’m pretty sure it’s not your Mom because she goes by Mama G, but I would also be a bit surprised to see my Mom using emoticons. :brett:
You underestimate your Mom. :lisa:
Brett, it’s your Mom because I have a smiling meatball (spongie) next to my name. 😀 :tractor: 🙂 :sun: :star: :cactus: :daisy: :pansy: :heart: :love:
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