So, in only 6 days (20 may) we are due for a solar eclipse, not a total one, but should be visible in many places at least partially. Is anyone having an eclipse party? If so, what is the most approptiate beverage and or snuff? In other astronomical news, there will be a visible transit of Venus (Venus passes across the Sun during daytime) in June. Another party then, surely.
Its a fun time for skywatching geeks.
Thanks for posting this, I always find out the day after somthing cool like this happens, meteor shower, lunar eclipse, solar eclipse, ect.
For a second I thought you were reading Twilight @Xander
ugh!
I will be attending the mmrbq at the Susquehanna bank center featuring godsmack, shinedown, slash with miles Kennedy ,Steel panther, halestorm. I figure I have WoS Sherry ,santo domingo, elmos reserve and Sg black coffee in hand. I don’t drink hard drinks so probably green tea .Gates open at noon .
Pah will miss out on that one 
Will catch the transit of venus in june though!
I’m going to throw on my solar filter and watch the transit on my telescope, in other news as of Feburary 2012 Saturns rings are visible from Earth again.
@n9inchnails i got a wonderful view of them a few weeks ago when demonstrating my new maksutov to a pal! Breathtaking.
looks good i will probably be able to see it … i know a guy who used to work at nasa
when we are at the pub he is always saying when a satellite will be launched and we go and watch them
Reminder: the Transit of Venus begins within the hour! http://sunearthday.gsfc.nasa.gov/2012/transit/index.php
I’ve just finished looking at it through my telescope and tested my new camera mount and got some pics of it. They’re a little fuzzy cause I was using a DSLR and I got no remote shutter and pushing the button causes quite a bit of shake on the telescope and camera mount so I’m going to need a remote shutter for that camera mount. Still looks alright you can plainly see the transit and some sunspots.
Wow, nicely done! I was all ready, with my scope, my camera and my solar filter, but sadly, I saw nothing but clouds. I wish I could say maybe next time…
nice @n9inchnails. Nothing but clouds here, alas. Did you use a self timer and still get shake?
I went outside and stared at the sun…them imediately wondered how I was so damn stupid.
oh my god the sun is an orange.
Good pics @n9inchnails! I watched through the small telescope on my mariner’s sextant which has sun filters by design. There were enough windows in the cloud cover to see the transit begin and for about 30-40 minutes afterward. I let my gf and a neighbor watch too. @bob, the sun actually looks like a navel orange with Venus as the bellybutton. My gf said so today.
Btw, thank’s for the reminder Xander!
My pinhole viewing attempt was fruitless, despite little cloudcover…at least I tried…
@Mouse it never occured to me to use the self-timer, I had to scramble to set up the mount and get some pics before the sun disappeared behind the houses. The pics would have turned out much better if I had thought to use the self-timer