Keep up Jack

 Morning Mugs,

Need a little lift? This weekend you will see the Winter Solstice which means from Monday...the nights start to draw out. Thank fuck for that. I have rfeached an age where I really don't like winter. I don't like dark early evenings. I don't like rain. I don't like wind. There is a slight downside to this in that it will still get light a little later each morning for a while. 

 

Also on December 20th and 21st we will see the 'great conjunction' of Jupiter and Saturn, where the two planets appear to us to be next to each other. It did happen in 2000 but the Sun sort of got in the way of any real vision of such a rare celestial event. Before that it seems it was in 1623, but again records indicate it was too close to the sun to be seen in any great tdetail. There is a some weight to the theory that this great conjunction might have been the Star of Bethlehem! 

Anyway, weather permitting I will be outside with my telescope(s) trying to catch a glimpse. The UK weather had better start to calm down then.And yes, I am a new astronomer if you hadn't guessed. I have rekindled an interest and love of the stars and the night sky and I have to say when you see the closeness of the moons surface through a telescope, and the rings of Saturn 'live' (try that in a Martin Tyler stylee) or Jupiter and its moons...or the M31 galaxy......it is jaw dropping. Obviously the list here is potentially endless!

And today..I promise to write a list of subjects and memories and events to comment on. I need to get this blog back up and running to its former standards! And believe me I have a lot to say. My sanity is depending on it.

Later Mugs, GJ