"Professor Goddard does not know the relation between action and reaction and the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react. He seems to lack the basic knowledge ladled out daily in high schools."
--1921 New York Times editorial about Robert Goddard's revolutionary rocket work.

"Correction: It is now definitely established that a rocket can function in a vacuum. The 'Times' regrets the error."
NY Times, July 1969.

— New York Times

Unexpected sighting

By ebfaulkner6a at Fri, 05/09/2008 - 4:07pm

 Setting up my sd Skysensor controlled Vixen mount in front of my yard when I noticed the day or 2 day old Moon in the west, just down the street (so it seemed).  I also noticed a "bright star"  southeast of the Moon and questioned myself could that be Mercury? I've never seen it before.  I quickly turned on my laptop and the SKY by Bisque and searched for Mercury.....there it was next to the Moon.  By the time I aligned the tripod and mounted the Orion 80ed, Mercury was on the edge of a branch from the tree across the street, so it was blurred when I looked thru the scope.

I now need to wait for a clear night to IMAGE Mercury thru my C11..... it will be up for awhile yet, best night should be next Wednesday evening, meeting night for the club...and the only clear night of the week according to the weatherman....that means Gene will be imaging and not at the meeting!  Sorry.