Altitude of the Sun (pt. 2)

Quoted from my Part One post, “When measuring the altitude of the Sun, it is important not to look directly at the sun” yet in this observation, that’s what I did. However the Sun was so low in the sky (5°)  and I only saw a few rays through the trees (through the small hole of the quadrant) that even though my eyes were exposed to UV Rays, I did not consider it “looking into the Sun.”

At 3:50 pm EST on December 14, 2017, the Sun was 5° above the horizon

Polaris, Cassiopeia, and the Big Dipper Later in the Night

Two and a half hours later, Cassiopeia had slightly shifted position [*vertical, not horizontal] and I didn’t think the Big Dipper changed very much. So there wasn’t much to report for changes. Once again, the southeastern sky was an astounding sight and I’m so glad that this night gave me many observation opportunities. ✪ The sky was absolutely perfect. ♥



Related Observations:
Polaris, Cassiopeia, and the Big Dipper  http://northstargazer.blogspot.com/2017/10/polaris-cassiopeia-and-big-dipper.html?m=1
Polaris, Cassiopeia, and the Big Dipper Later in the Year  http://northstargazer.blogspot.com/2017/12/polaris-cassiopeia-and-big-dipper-later.html?m=1

Polaris, Cassiopeia, and the Big Dipper Later in the Year

When I went out this night, there was so much to see and being out there left me with such a happy feeling.
For this task I had to view Polaris, Cassiopeia, and the Big Dipper and compare what I saw to when I observed them earlier in the year (10/1). I noticed a shift in the orientation of the Big Dipper and that Cassiopeia had moved to the opposite side of Polaris.
It wasn’t necessary that I included these in my drawing, but I saw Castor and Pollux, Capella, and Orion, the latter two of which were very bright.

The next task was to go out a few hours later and look at the same things again, so let’s check out what I saw later in the night!



Related Observations:
Polaris, Cassiopeia, and the Big Dipper  http://northstargazer.blogspot.com/2017/10/polaris-cassiopeia-and-big-dipper.html?m=1
Polaris, Cassiopeia, and the Big Dipper Later in the Night  http://northstargazer.blogspot.com/2017/12/polaris-cassiopeia-and-big-dipper-later_29.html?m=1

International Space Station ☄

I had a schedule of when the ISS would be in the sky each night, and for two weeks, I'd been watching for it, but it was always cloudy. The first day I looked, it was a clear night and I was looking in the right spot, but for some reason, I just didn't see it. Now, I can't believe that I didn't see it that night because when I finally saw it for this observation, it was so big compared to the stars, shining brightly and moving fairly quickly in an arc across the sky. I remember stepping outside and looking up, spotting the ISS immediately. A smile stretched across my face - I was happy, excited, and thinking about the astronauts and scientists up there. Once the space station started to leave my view, I remember taking off one shoe and hopping one-footed through my house to the front door so I wouldn't let the snow inside. I watched the ISS pass through Cassiopeia (my favorite constellation), travel east, and then set behind the trees. It was suddenly over, but those two minutes of awe and excitement were one hundred percent worth it.