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Showing posts from December 16, 2012

“The dew was falling fast, the stars began to blink; I heard a voice; it said `Drink, pretty creature, drink!'” - William Wordsworth

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(Credit:  Pandadumpster @ Flickr) This picture looks exactly like the sky we were viewing.   It's the most wonderful time of the year - for viewing the Geminid meteor showers .  In years past the showers have coincided with a bright full moon.  This December the annual event peaks on the new moon insuring a dark background of a sky for optimum observing with the naked eye.  After a few shout-outs on social media I had myself a little Geminid party heading for the beach - the darkest place in our area to observe the cosmic fireworks show.   I suggested any stargazers bundle up because our Florida temperature had taken a serious dip in the mercury. Shortly after sundown we arrived on the beach armed with blankets, pillows, & thermoses of hot chocolate.  We settled in on the cold damp sand with our eyes scoping out the darkening horizon for meteors.  With the help of our smart phones and various sky watching apps, we were able to watch Orion rise above the horizon f