The Moon in June
18/06/2011 11:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
izmeinaSuch a procrastinating python is the Izzie. Slinked about in the serpent sack as the weather was too miserable to go to the markets. Anyway the new yuppie management have turned City Farm into a neat and tidy dreadfully Durlseyish soulless wasteland. There's no joy in visiting there any more. The lady who makes and sells the most gorgeous beeswax candles must think the same as she never seems to be there now either
Wednesday was a rainy day with intermittent bits of sunshine. Would have been tempted to curl up in the serpent sack after work but there was the minor matter of the public speaking group meeting at 5.30pm. Was rostered on to do an 8 minute speech on the topic of "The Sea"
Been rather uninspired lately and only thought the night before of telling the adventurous sea faring tale of the Plastiki. A few visits to the Oracle of Google was all that was needed to fill in the details.
There's lots of folks in that club who are assigned roles even bigger than doing 8 minute speeches - such as the chairperson or critic and they think nothing of simply just not turning up without even bothering to find a replacement. Hardly any wonder it is going down the gurgler. Although that seems to be the fate of many clubs and societies these days except the ones involved with sport
After coffees in the cute and cosy Cabin Fever cafe down a dark art deco mall in the city - it's the perfect place on a rainy miserable day, it was time to slink off to the meeting place at Silver City
Sat outside around 5ish looking over at the wasteland that is now City Farm but more importantly at the sunset and then eastwards peeking for a trace of the big fat juicy moon.
According to the daily paper it would be putting on a bit of a show that night or rather Thursday morning. Since the Astronomy Almanac is no longer being printed and did not have the brains to check in Cyberia had to rely on what was said in that paper. So this eclipse would be from around 4am to 6sm local time. But that's assuming the weather would be playing nice. Even in so called sunny Dursleyville there's been many occasions missing a lunar eclipse due to cloudy weather
So instead of setting the alarm clock, will just try wishful thinking to wake up on time. The strange thing was the first time getting up around 4ish there seemed to be nothing at all. Just after 5am had better luck. The moon was there in the west visible from another upstairs window but the bit that was not visible was more likely due to hiding behind clouds than being nibbled by the earth. It was only then it occurred to the serpent that the first peek was not real but had actually been in a dream. Most strange indeed.
The next day's plans included a visit to Memorial Hill to see the big fat creature rising just before 6pm. Problem was that it was still a bit cloudy and Memorial Hill while being one of the best viewing spots is not very good on the south east side.
When it comes to the western horizon here we are completely spoiled for choice but finding a spot to view the east with uninterrupted views to the horizon is a much trickier thing. Last month thought we had got the perfect spot but the moon managed to hide behind one of the four or five high rises on the horizon near the casino. Spotted the sneaky critter soon enough and it was still a gorgeous pinkish shade of red. But the dream of seeing the very first tip of the orb peeking out over the horizon remains as elusive as ever. Spotting it while only the first fifth has appeared above the horizon is the best we've ever gotten so far and that's some years back now.
In the end was much too tired to hang around and drag our bag lady stuff up there. Book binding is nearly as bad as scrapbooking from the point of view of supplies and stuff needed. So figured on trying the bus transfer station on the way back to the Lair which is located near the river.
Got there just before 6pm and could either hang around for 15 minutes or so until the critter appeared or just get the next bus back. Could see a couple of stars so knew it would not be behind any clouds this time.
But the silver critter still remained elusive and invisible. Did spot it eventually. Being the midwinter moon, it was much further south than usual and that's where all the best hiding places are.
Never mind - there's always Friday evening. It will still be fairly big. It rained so had to make do with drooling over the picture of the blood red orb in the paper and being told that the Wild West was one of the best viewing spots. Yeah right. Also turned out that it was a rather long eclipse starting around 3am
Next one will be 10th December which is a Saturday. It should most definitely not be raining then but the serpent most likely will be working unless the light show starts some time after 9pm.
Wednesday was a rainy day with intermittent bits of sunshine. Would have been tempted to curl up in the serpent sack after work but there was the minor matter of the public speaking group meeting at 5.30pm. Was rostered on to do an 8 minute speech on the topic of "The Sea"
Been rather uninspired lately and only thought the night before of telling the adventurous sea faring tale of the Plastiki. A few visits to the Oracle of Google was all that was needed to fill in the details.
There's lots of folks in that club who are assigned roles even bigger than doing 8 minute speeches - such as the chairperson or critic and they think nothing of simply just not turning up without even bothering to find a replacement. Hardly any wonder it is going down the gurgler. Although that seems to be the fate of many clubs and societies these days except the ones involved with sport
After coffees in the cute and cosy Cabin Fever cafe down a dark art deco mall in the city - it's the perfect place on a rainy miserable day, it was time to slink off to the meeting place at Silver City
Sat outside around 5ish looking over at the wasteland that is now City Farm but more importantly at the sunset and then eastwards peeking for a trace of the big fat juicy moon.
According to the daily paper it would be putting on a bit of a show that night or rather Thursday morning. Since the Astronomy Almanac is no longer being printed and did not have the brains to check in Cyberia had to rely on what was said in that paper. So this eclipse would be from around 4am to 6sm local time. But that's assuming the weather would be playing nice. Even in so called sunny Dursleyville there's been many occasions missing a lunar eclipse due to cloudy weather
So instead of setting the alarm clock, will just try wishful thinking to wake up on time. The strange thing was the first time getting up around 4ish there seemed to be nothing at all. Just after 5am had better luck. The moon was there in the west visible from another upstairs window but the bit that was not visible was more likely due to hiding behind clouds than being nibbled by the earth. It was only then it occurred to the serpent that the first peek was not real but had actually been in a dream. Most strange indeed.
The next day's plans included a visit to Memorial Hill to see the big fat creature rising just before 6pm. Problem was that it was still a bit cloudy and Memorial Hill while being one of the best viewing spots is not very good on the south east side.
When it comes to the western horizon here we are completely spoiled for choice but finding a spot to view the east with uninterrupted views to the horizon is a much trickier thing. Last month thought we had got the perfect spot but the moon managed to hide behind one of the four or five high rises on the horizon near the casino. Spotted the sneaky critter soon enough and it was still a gorgeous pinkish shade of red. But the dream of seeing the very first tip of the orb peeking out over the horizon remains as elusive as ever. Spotting it while only the first fifth has appeared above the horizon is the best we've ever gotten so far and that's some years back now.
In the end was much too tired to hang around and drag our bag lady stuff up there. Book binding is nearly as bad as scrapbooking from the point of view of supplies and stuff needed. So figured on trying the bus transfer station on the way back to the Lair which is located near the river.
Got there just before 6pm and could either hang around for 15 minutes or so until the critter appeared or just get the next bus back. Could see a couple of stars so knew it would not be behind any clouds this time.
But the silver critter still remained elusive and invisible. Did spot it eventually. Being the midwinter moon, it was much further south than usual and that's where all the best hiding places are.
Never mind - there's always Friday evening. It will still be fairly big. It rained so had to make do with drooling over the picture of the blood red orb in the paper and being told that the Wild West was one of the best viewing spots. Yeah right. Also turned out that it was a rather long eclipse starting around 3am
Next one will be 10th December which is a Saturday. It should most definitely not be raining then but the serpent most likely will be working unless the light show starts some time after 9pm.
