Stellarium, WOWee! And other fair weather.....

[rogesgallery]

Activities

Hey there friends, summer is waning but there may still be some fair weather left in which to enjoy the night sky. I bought a new power house computer this summer and now am able to explore more graphics intensive programs. Here is one that has fascinated all the kids that I have shown it to.

www.stellarium.org/

You download the software and then you can set your location(or choose one of the default locations) You can then view and navigate through the universe to any place modern astronomy has gone. The kids have thoroughly enjoyed zooming in and exploring the planets of our solar system and their moons.

Some of the planets may not be visible from your location but I found that if I set my location on the Moon (one of the default locations) all of the planets are visible.

There are also settings that outline and map all the constellations, or zoom in on galaxies and near galaxy clusters. The sky moves at the same rate as it moves across the sky in real time, but you can slow or stop that movement with a button in the lower right hand corner of the screen. This makes it easier to zoom in on celestial bodies.

Hope some of you enjoy the exersize as much as I've enjoyed reviewing the summers arguments I mean dialog.

I am...still summering in the physical world
Roges

[gailkate]

Roges! As Brit would say, I am much chuffed by this evidence of your continued wellbeing. Try not to take off for the moon for quite such long periods of time. The stellarium looks like a great source of amusement through the long winter. Could someone please remind me of it when I start to sound terminally morose?

Until then I have hardly any spare hours - endless home renovation, endless campaigning, endless digging, transplanting, hacking out of ungrateful plants that don't deserve room in our small yard. It's hard to think how I ever managed to go to work every day.

[rogesgallery]

Anything good to eat amongst those plants? Check your Email...Or maybe your junk mail file, I'm in there somewhere.

"The Rose is still a Rose"