One degree to go!

[25931]

without me having to look it up, when is the day with the shortest true solar time? Is that also the winter solstice?

A somewhat academic question for most normal people who are more interested in the amount of daylight.

 

[johnalison]

I pay attention to them because my telescope can just about reveal Saturn's rings to me. And easily reveals Jupiter's four evident moons allowing me to think about how Galileo worked out that they were orbiting...

Galileo, in spite of his fame, must be the most under-appreciated historical figure of all time. We tend to go on about Newton, who was of course remarkable, but the conceptual break with mediaeval thinking really comes from Galileo. Not only that, but his analysis of mechanics alone was as full as circumstances allowed and has effectively led to the modern world.

 

[mjcoon]

Galileo, in spite of his fame, must be the most under-appreciated historical figure of all time. We tend to go on about Newton, who was of course remarkable, but the conceptual break with mediaeval thinking really comes from Galileo. Not only that, but his analysis of mechanics alone was as full as circumstances allowed and has effectively led to the modern world.

I have Dava Sobel's book "Galileo's Daughter". Judging by the state of the paperback spine I might even have read it!

 

[Buck Turgidson]

A somewhat academic question for most normal people who are more interested in the amount of daylight.

Yes, but these nuggets are golden when it comes to pub quizzes ;-)

 

[capnsensible]

Another thread that's throwing in some interesting things. ??

 

[Humblebee]

Some food for thought there, Black Sheep, and perhaps you've pointed me in the right direction...
Will the sun's declination move 1 degree further South before the midwinter solstice when it will begin to move North again?
I'll share the prize with you Mr Sheep!

Please may I claim the prize which I will share with Black Sheep?
Get well soon John.

 

[Humblebee]

Indeed - but I hadn't noticed that the az of Jupiter and Saturn are about to be as close as they are. It's not something I look at very often...

Jupiter has been fairly conspicuous for a month or so now, currently visible from 5.00pm to 6 pm WSW 15 degrees above horizon from my latitude, circa 59 degrees north. Saturn still visible at an imaginary 10.00 on a clock face from Jupiter, a finger's width at arm's length away. Sorry, someone will express it better!

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

I am star struck by the shining astronomical knowledge declinicly twinkling down from these philosophical posters.

 

[mjcoon]

Jupiter has been fairly conspicuous for a month or so now, currently visible from 5.00pm to 6 pm WSW 15 degrees above horizon from my latitude, circa 59 degrees north. Saturn still visible at an imaginary 10.00 on a clock face from Jupiter, a finger's width at arm's length away. Sorry, someone will express it better!

I've been taking (not very interesting!) photos of the two of them since June...

 

[laika]

On Saturday at a few minutes past 0800Z the Sun will have one degree to go before the it reaches it's max declination S on the 21 December at the Winter Solstice.

I for one was thrown by your phrasing in the first post which I took to imply that at *time of posting* there was one degree to go to the thing that would be happening at 0800Z rather than that at 0800 there woudl be one degree to go...

 

[Uricanejack]

I've been taking (not very interesting!) photos of the two of them since June...
View attachment 104430

Its as good as any of mine. Photography isn’t one of my skill sets. Quick snaps with a cell phone Is all.
I can see the rings of Saturn quite clearly. It’s a small image with my spotting scope.

 

[Blueboatman]

The longest solar day to me was when I took 4 hours with Blewitts book and a plastic
sextant and actually first managed to produce a useable position line .. it felt like the longest day ever !

Bloomin worth it though?

thanks JM , a jolly cheery , dare I say Christmassy thread. Speedy fix ( ahem)

 

[johnalison]

The longest solar day to me was when I took 4 hours with Blewitts book and a plastic
sextant and actually first managed to produce a useable position line .. it felt like the longest day ever !

Bloomin worth it though?

thanks JM , a jolly cheery , dare I say Christmassy thread. Speedy fix ( ahem)

Mary Blewitt gave a talk at our club many years ago, under her married name of Mary Pera. The talk was about racing rules. As far as I remember, she was a lawyer and on the yacht racing rules committee. She came across as a very distinguished character, though I didn't get to speak to her personally.

 

[mattonthesea]

One degree to go would put you in Mayfair; or 45 in the electronic company!

 

[john_morris_uk]

One degree to go would put you in Mayfair; or 45 in the electronic company!

At least no ones suggested it was how far I’d got in Freemasonry! (And no I’m not.)