Giant satellite outshines stars, sparking fresh concerns for astronomers

Observatories in the United Kingdom.......

Observatories in UK (England) | 2022 List | Go Astronomy *

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"Live long and prosper"

 

If there were ever a time to truly observe the many wonders of the night sky from London, it would have been, most certainly, during the blackouts of WW2.

Then again, I doubt that even the most dedicated of astronomy buffs of that day were thinking little beyond surving the countless bombing raids London suffered from 1939 onwards.

The bases of trees and lampposts were painted white, to aid motorists and pedestrians on those dark and uncertain nights.

Buses wore headlight shields, with white discs carried at the rear, to make them more visible to motorists following behind.

Tube drivers, when operating on outdoor sections, were cautioned to coast as much as possible, to avoid the bright flashes from the arcing from conductor rails.

The interiors of buses, trams, and Underground trains had cup-shaped shields to further diffuse whatever light might escape through the windows.

No wonder the Brits had such "stiff upper lips"; they MORE than needed them, during those dark and cheerless War years.......

"Live long and prosper"

 

During WW2, with London in so much turmoil, it would seem to me that, aside from the most die-hard, amateur astronomers were more likely to be pointing their telescopes or binoculars upwards, looking to spot any approaching Luftwaffe aircraft, instead of gazing at the night sky.

Indeed, when the city was heavily cloaked in near-total darkness at night, it would have been the full moon, on a clear ("full moon" night) that provided most of the light for whoever was out and about.

The front mud guards on the buses were painted white, to be more easily seen on dark streets.

During the War, it would have been in the small towns, far from the bombing, where an amateur astronomer could still concentrate on the night skies, instead of hearing the sirens howl and wail, and having to make a mad dash for the nearest Underground station, in case an air raid was approaching........

"Live long and prosper"

 

Here is an excellent page on famous British astronomers, through the centuries.

Note that astronomy in what is now Great Britain dates back to pre-historic times........

The Greatest British Astronomers Every Geek Will Recognize

 

Cataloguing and naming stars and satellites. Look how serious. ​

 

This one indeed has an "Einstein" look to him, for certain!

"Live long and prosper"

 

Interesting to remember, also, is that, in 1609, Galileo discovered craters and flat surfaces on the Moon, called "maria" (pronounced "mar' eee-ya", from the Latin for "seas".

Non-astronomy enthusiasts are shocked to learn that, during some periods, and, if the sky is clear enough, you can often see the Moon during daylight hours (this is usually around the time when the Moon is waxing towards a first-quarter, or gibbous" phase.

Likewise, when the Moon is waning, approaching the last-quarter phase.

This is an aspect to astronomy that even many urban dwellers can enjoy, if conditions are right (I've been doing it for decades, now!)

"Live long and prosper"

 

I couldn't argue with him.

 

I wonder if a volcano has ever formed inside a crater.

 

I have read much over the years about possible volcanic eruptions on the Moon; there has been, not surprisingly, much debate among astronomers on this topic.

I have read that, according to some astronomers, the rock that makes up the Moon's surface was formed by the cooling and condensing of molten matter.

There are, also, discussions on the "maria" being the result of solidified lava flows, some the results of collisions with the Moon long ago.

More recently, "Alphonsus" (and other craters) are inspected regularly for a reddening or haze that would indicate volcanic activity.........

"Live long and prosper"

 

Jupiter, the undisputed "Monarch of the Planets" is quite fascinating, as are, of course, our other planets.

Though it is roughly 11 times larger than Earth, it is mostly a huge ball of gas; its rocky core, interestingly enough, contains more mass than Earth does.

Both Uranus and Neptune are mostly masses of gas, surrounding a liquid ocean and a rocky core.......

"Live long and prosper"

 

Yes. The deserts are growing and one day the whole planet will become a sandy beach.