Thursday, April 9, 2009

April Full Moon and Around the World in 80 Telescopes


Hot off the presses, taken last night my April or Full Pink Moon. Called the Full Pink Moon due to the herb moss pink which is one of the earliest wide spread flowers of the spring.


I was just about to put away my camera when all of a sudden the Moon burnt through the light cloud cover, I was looking in the direction of the Moon, and the whole thing just became, was really odd, from nothing to a Full Moon.


Get this, after taken the images I headed over to the Shoppers behind me and got a creamsicle, the orange ones, I love creamsicles but haven't had one for like years, and it was cold out, just had a craving for one.

Got home and downloaded the Moon Images and the first thing I thought of was creamsicle, the orange Moon and white cloud cover, here is the question, did the Moon and cloud cover lead me subconsciously in the direction of buying a creamsicle, or did I just think of a creamsicle Moon because I just bought one?

Part of the International Year Of Astronomy 2009 was a cornerstone project call 100 Hours of Astronomy, which between April 2 and April 5th had a ton of online events where you could discover the Universe with the rest of the world.

One of the coolest things they had , and you can still catch the recorded archived videos here, was Around the World In 80 Telescopes. They had live broadcasts from the largest observatories around and out of this world. It was really interesting to see the different observatories and the people that make them work.

Below Is a video, which I saw live, of the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, which I will be touring in July with my visit to China.


Free TV Show from Ustream

58 comments:

Swubird said...

Bob:

Very cool post. I think I remember seeing the Full Pink Moon when I was a kid. Of course, I can't recall if it was spring or not, but I definitely remember that big moon. Excellent pictures.

I would bet money that you had a creamsicle on the brain. Anything else obviously flowed from that thought.

The video is excellent. Lots of interesting history that I was completely unaware of. A good education.

Another great post.

Ruth said...

I agree, this post is chock full of goodness.

The moon last night was incredible! and creamsicle-ish! Now you have me craving one, mmmmmm. I don't know which came first though, tough question.

I remember visiting Mt Palomar (which was last on the list of 80 when I just looked) as a teen and being blown away by the silence out in the desert. Maybe that's what space sounds like.

Genie said...

I was definitely admiring the moon last night. But it looked nothing like your ginormous moon! WOW! Maybe the moon's monstrous pink pull last night drew you to the nearest pinkish wonder around you, a creamsicle. Yeah, I'm blaming it on the moon's pull. Maybe that's why my a/c crapped out yesterday, right around moonrise now that I think about it!

Ivanhoe said...

That observatory is sooo cool. Reminds me of the one on Petrin hill in Prague. I spent quite a few field trips there as a child :o)
BTW: Your comment on my blog made me laugh.
Have a great weekend, Bob!

Unknown said...

Several years ago, while I was still truckin' cross-country, I was headed east on I-8 coming out of Yuma, AZ early one evening, and it looked like the rising moon almost completely filled the horizon to me for around 15 minutes or so. I mean, it looked it was rising from Phoenix or even closer. So, was it just that I had been driving way too long again or have you heard of something like that before?

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks swubird, the creamsicle is a total mystery to me,lol, why on Earth I would be craving one is beyond me,lol.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Ruth, too cool about your experience at MT. Palomar, what I also think is cool is the utter quite but the Shouting out of the stars in their own way.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Lol thanks Genie, your a/c crapped out? by a/c do you mean Air Conditioner? or Alternating Current? we don't even think of A/C till July,lol.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Lol, thanks Ivanhoe, I wish I had an observatory around when I was a kid, even now, we have nothing major here in Saskatchewan.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Hi FishHawk and thanks for dropping by. I have seen very large Moons, that can't be explained, I know they tend to happen in hot or cold climates where there is lots of temp inversions, the atmosphere has a lot to do with the illusion of largeness, even though it is not a very accepted theory, I just know what I see, and yes you probably did see what you saw if that makes any sense,lol.\m/\m/

Unknown said...

Thanks for the explanation, my dear Bob!!! I have had some thoughts about it being because of something in atmosphere refracting something or another to make it appear to be that close at times, but I was perfectly willing to just accept that it was another case of me staying up a couple days past my bedtime. I never saw any pink elephants or green antelope runnning along side of the truck in the middle of the night, but I have ran into the back of an empty car hauler that wasn't there three or four times between Garden City and Liberal in western Kansas in the middle of the day. Alas, such is the price that must be paid for being a chicken-hauler.

Stephanie Barr said...

I feel like I've seen the moon every color, but I always love it. was that orange moon you have on the side bar always there? It's excellent!

MYM said...

Wow - the moon is huge in those photos. I really love the photo you have on your sidebar as well - just lovely.

Livingsword said...

Hi Bob….

Wow you are such a colour savvy guy…have you thought of being on Home and Garden? I mean most guys know 5-6 colours…LOL

Phlox subulata!!!!!!! I can’t believe it!!!! Its named after Dr. Phlox from Star Trek Enterprise!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phlox_(Star_Trek)

Mmmmm I love creamsicles but haven’t had one for years….subliminal message!

Oh those French Roman Catholic missionaries evangelizing for astronomy in the video…naughty naughty…LOL

Cool post Bob…I have to run off for a creamsicle but while here I wanted to try and guilt trip I mean see if you were interested in joining us with our Playoff Fantasy Hockey…check it out here:

http://lifeontheblade.blogspot.com/2009/04/stanley-cup-playoffs-luongo-ovechkin.html

:)

Bob Johnson said...

Lol FishHawk, that is reassuring you haven't seen pink elephants or green antelope, I really couldn't explain those if you had.

Truth be told, there are a lot of theories for the Moon illusion but no consensus why the Moon looks bigger on the horizon, pilots have seen it look really big in the air, go figure.

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Stephanie, I just put that one up, it is one of my favs.

I just rediscovered it going through my archives, I took over 100 images of the Moon that night at various settings and that one particular image the clouds did their magic.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Drowsey, the image on the sidebar had the clouds pass by at just the right time, and the orange light of the Moon transferred beautifully to them, was at the right place at the right time with the right settings.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Lol, hey Livingsword, the reason I'm good at colors is I used to be the manager of the paint and hardware dept at Sears years ago, I had to know a lot of names and what basic colors you had to mix to get , indigo, and mauve, so yes I know my colors,lol.

Lol, never thought of Phlox from the Enterprise, how bout that, pretty cool.

Lol about the hockey, I really should take a look, I hear hockey all day long at work, they have a pool going on, like I said before Bobby Orr was my last favorite player, goes to show you how long I've been out of it,lol.\m/\m/

Anne Vis said...

Great info!

Mike said...

Hey Bob - thanks for sharing a very good post and as usual - great images. Orange moon and orange creamsicle - you were lead there. Hope you enjoyed it.

Janet said...

Absolutely breathtaking photo !!

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks a lot Anne.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Mike and actually I did enjoy the creamsicle,lol.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Janet, and thanks for dropping by.\m/\m/

flit said...

those are awesome shots!

Cashmere said...

Wow! The moon sure looks huuuge! Nice capture there.. :)

Ivanhoe said...

Hi Bob,
I just wanted to say Happy Easter & let you now that I had to move. You can now find me at: http://ohiowithlove.blogspot.com/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks a lot flit!\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Cashmere, and thanks for dropping by!\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Happy Easter to you as well Ivanhoe, I will update my blogroll.\m/\m/

Livingsword said...

Hey Bob….

You are a rainbow of surprises…
:)

Hmmm Livingsword wonders to himself:

*I have never seen Bob and Phlox together in the same room at the same time*

Hey Bobby Orr #4 was my fave while growing up! I played hockey with him when I was a kid! Ok it was a different kid but his name was really Bobby Orr! And it was at the time Orr was HUGE….

We need you in our Stanley Cup Playoffs Fantasy Hockey…Max has joined up AND she currently leads me in the regular season game!!!!! So if a Portuguese “doll” can do that…lets see if she notices here that I called her “doll”!!!!! LOL

The more the merrier and it is very easy to set up…

kRiZcPEc said...

"full pink moon" thanks! I learnt another astro term today!

Bob Johnson said...

Lol, you knew a Bobby Orr, too funny. I just joined the fantasy hockey thing, I had my friend help me with the picks, since I have very little idea who is who, Bobby Orr wasn't on the list,lol.

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks kRiZ cPEc, cool you learned another astro thing, thanks for dropping by.\m/\m/

Unknown said...

Hey Bob....
Have a very Happy Easter !_!

~D~

Livingsword said...

Hi Bob!

That’s great!

However you also must join the group at the Sportsnet webpage called Life on the Blade…

You will see on your personal Sportsnet usersite on the sidebar a button that says “Group membership” click on it. Then you will see a section on the right called Join a group…click on “L” and scroll to Life on the Blade which you select and then punch in the password: blade

Your friend is also welcome to join as is everybody!

Max is currently leading me in the regular season game!

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks and Happy Easter to you as well Dorothy.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Lol, Okay I joined your group, do my pics automatically go into the the new group?\m/\m/

Hayley/Shu Fen said...

wow!

the moon you see is so huge...

in singapore the moon is tiny...

Bob Johnson said...

Shu Fen, it was pretty big that night, I did use a 300mm telephoto lens and a 1.5 tele-xtender to mag as well, thanks for dropping by.

Nature Nut /JJ Loch said...

Beautiful post and photos, Bob!!! The April full moon is my favorite. I missed it and am thrilled you captured it.

Happy Easter!!!

Hugs, JJ

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks JJ, Happy Easter to you too.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks free cracked software, I have bookmarked you as well.\m/\m/

betchai said...

wow, i am really in deep awe since i do not think i ever saw a full pink moon. it was pretty cloudy here last night and we had stormy skies, but i do not know if we would have full pink moon in this side of the globe too.

Bob Johnson said...

Hi betchai, you might not either, on the prairies we have a true flat horizon which affords us a colorful Moon, being so low on the horizon the Moonlight goes through more dust and particles closer to the surface which scatters the blues and allows the reds through to be seen by us giving the beautiful colors, you not having many true if any flat surfaces wouldn't get that effect.

You do have awesome landscapes which would give you a beautiful backdrop for other types of shots, like a cool background for the Milky Way.\m/\m/

AngelBaby said...

I loved the pictures of the moon - so cool. About the creamsicle I don't think I have ever had one of those. The moon's color is probably what made you want one, a very powerful suggestion if I do say!

Happy Easter!

Love and Blessings,
AngelBaby

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks AngelBaby, creamsicles are the greatest, hey you have a Happy Easter too.\m/\m/

Cruiselife & Co said...

Wow, that's really amazing I really don't think I have ever a seen one. Thanks for a first Bob!

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks and no prob Dr. Lauren.\m/\m/

Speedcat Hollydale said...

Blue moon? Harvest Moon? Full n Pink Moon?


Great post as always ... and I hope you had a wonderful Easter !!

Bob Johnson said...

Hey Speedy thanks and thanks for dropping by, I had a super Easter, hope you did as well.\m/\m/

Max Coutinho said...

Hey Bob :D!

I must begin by saying that this is one gorgeous pink full moon! It invokes romance :)!

Oh Lord of the Astropics, I also love creamsicles (since I was a kid): so I totally get you! There is something about them and cold weather that I just can't explain!

Continuing...

"did the Moon and cloud cover lead me subconsciously in the direction of buying a creamsicle, or did I just think of a creamsicle Moon because I just bought one? - I think that perhaps when you saw the moon and the cloud over it clicked something in your subconscious (i.e. something that made you feel good and comfy) and then you knew you just had to have a creamsicle. Then, your mind related the creamsicle to the moon (since it was the source of your subconscious click) hence the name "creamsicle moon".

The Shangai Astronomical Observatory is quite impressive! So, you will tour it, eh? Excellent :D! You must be eager!

Have a great week, Bob :D!

Cheers

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Max, woo hoo another creamsicle lover, super, shows you have excellent taste,lol.

I am very eager to get going, lots of once in a lifetime memories, and the cool thing is I'll be able to share them with everybody through the blog, have a great week Max, and thanks for dropping by.\m/\m/

myonlyphoto said...

Bob holy smokes you are able to see moon like this. And what is wrong with my side of the world, lol. Thanks for excellent post, and wow you like creamsicles, lol, that is 'cute' - I had to say it. Anna :)

Bob Johnson said...

Lol, thanks Anna, didn't you know the Moon is huge here... and creamsicle color,lol.\m/\m/

Catalog Printing | CatalogPrintingExperts.com said...

Cool! Thanks for sharing this!

Marvin said...

I like the first pic the best.

Catalog Printing said...

excellent