Why I'm not an astronomer...

[lisamoe]

Went out to look at the eclipse tonight as the clouds were clearing. It went exactly like every other astronomical event I've ever gone out to watch...

"So, is it happening yet?"
"I don't know, when's it supposed to start?"
"Is it coming from the East, or what?"
"Is that it? Did I see some movement?"
"I think that's just clouds."
"Hey, I think I see something!"
"Yeah? I can't tell, my eyes have starring ever since my eye surgery."
"Let's call mamaduck. She'll know what we're supposed to be seeing."
"'K, had enough eclipse?"
"Yeah, let's go home, we'll say we saw it."

I think we went through more or less the same thing with Halley's comet, the Hale-Bopp comet, a couple of meteor showers and earlier eclipses. Next time I'm taking a picnic and some beer to make standing around outside in the dark worthwhile. We did tell the children that they had to chant "bad snake, bad snake" to get the snake to regurgitate the moon, though. That was good.

Comments

AARRGGHH! You're MISSING IT!

[mamaduck.livejournal.com]

Right now the moon is SO incredible-- all covered in shadow except a little piece of the top. It looks SO beautiful, so WEIRD. In fact, I'm gonna run back out there and look AGAIN!

Re: AARRGGHH! You're MISSING IT!

[lisamoe.livejournal.com]

Actually, I ended up seeing it at about 10:15 when I was on my way to see X-Men and it was very nice and eclipsey. :-)

[ellipse.livejournal.com]

I remember going to watch a meteor shower a few years ago. A couple hundred people all had the same idea I had - going to a large open field in one of the nearby state parks. We all brought our blankets and lawn chairs and waited for the "show" to start. I kept waiting for someone to come out and 'thank us' all for coming and to 'start' the show... heh.

I dunno, maybe some astronomer (Carl Sagan?) to welcome us and say "And now, Ladies and Gentleman, sit back and enjoy tonight's 'Meteor Shower'!" Than we'd all applaud politely and the show would begin.

I get that feeling too...

[willco.livejournal.com]

only, it's when I'm in an airplane. I always half expect the pilot to get on the PA and announce the safety inspection:

"Ladies and Gentleman, performing today for your safety and enjoyment, direct from a connecting flight in Las Vegas, where they opened for the Blue Man Group... the interpretive mime stylings of... THE AIRLINE ATTENDANTS!!!!"

I once asked a particularly animated attendant who she conisered a stronger artistic influence: Marcel Marceau or Shields & Yarnell. Without batting an eyelash, she said, "Mumenschantz".

Re: I get that feeling too...

[neandernerd.livejournal.com]

Oh man! That's great! She's really quick. My Dad loved all of them (well, "loved" may be a bit strong for how he felt about Marceau). I haven't seen any of them in I'm not sure how long. Don't you think Cirque Du Soleil obsoleted the others?

[willco.livejournal.com]

Lisa honey, I love you like a sister, but you have as limited a sense of the cosmic as my sweetie.

I think it has something to do with a preference for "instant gratification".

["Bad Snake"... (snort)... that's funny.]

[lisamoe.livejournal.com]

Yeah yeah, no poetry in my soul...but I am fun!

I like astronomical stuff ok, it's just that I think that it could be speeded up a little to help out those of us with busy schedules/short attention spans, you know? :-)

[willco.livejournal.com]

Short attention spans... uh, is that what we're talking about? :)

I will submit my request to The Powers That me to shorten the metonic cycle to eleven years: a one hundred eleven day year and an eleven day lunar month.

Mind you, the oceans will like be filled with molten rock, and the tides will be hundreds of feet high... but anything to help my friends, y'know?