Bupkis

Another from XKCD:

Sixth Jupiter of the Year

Shot this right at dusk while Jupiter was transiting. Not too bad seeing, maybe 3-4/5. LRGB, DMK21AF04.US, 10" LX200 @ f/25

Hook 'Em Horns

Just in case my relatives in Fayetteville missed the game: UT 52, Arkansas 10

And in case they forgot: UT 52, Rice 10

This is Not Tina Fey

Straight Talk Express

An Insane Full Moon Photo

Bart Declercq in Haaltert, Belgium made this 23,000,000-pixel image of the 99.74% full moon with equipment similar to mine.

He writes:

Took a while to process, at 43 separate 1000 frame AVI's, up to 35 alignment points per AVI and 128 best images per point.

Taken with Celestron C9.25 in prime focus (F/10 = 2350mm) with DMK31 camera and infrared filter.

The original image is 4820x4820 pixels and 3.9 megabytes in size (the original 16-bits TIFF is 50 megabytes) and can be accessed here.

Next goal, on a high mid-winter full moon, is to do this at F/16, which should result in about a 64 million pixel image, and will require well over a hundred AVIs.

At the theoretical limit of my scope, it should be possible to go up to F/24, which will result in a roughly 200 million pixel image, but which would require more than 200 AVI's - the biggest problem with that would be that there's not enough time in one night to shoot such an image with the DMK31...

PMILF

I just may start taking more interest in Ukrainian politics.

I Stand By What I Said

From XKCD, one of my favorite web comics:

Fifth Jupiter of the Year (The Small One)

Drug the LX200 to Mansfield Dam last night for Dam Astronomers and shot this Jupiter. Seeing was pretty poor, so I took the Powermate out and shot this at f/10. LRGB with the DMK21AF04.US.

Talking Heads

I want to have Jon Stewart's love child.

Sunset, The Moon and Venus

The four-day-old crescent Moon and a brilliant Venus set over Cedar Park, Texas Wednesday.

<edit 5 Sept 08> I read today that this is a side-effect of Kasatochi Volcano erupting last month. We should be seeing this for a few more weeks.

More Advice on Raising Your Child

Most of the American populace thinks it improper to spank children, so I have tried other methods to control my kid when he has one of 'those moments.'

One that I found effective is for me to just take him for a car ride and talk.

Some say it's the vibration from the car, others say it's the time away from any distractions such as TV, video games, computer, iPod, etc.

Either way, my kid usually calms down and stop misbehaving after our car ride together. Eye to eye contact helps a lot too.

I've included a photo below of one of my sessions with him, in case you would like to use the technique.

First Day of School

Hard to believe he's a first-grader already. More pictures here.

Who Thought This Was a Good Idea™?

From CNN: Democrats to kick off convention with 'One Nation' theme

I mean, sure, I'm all in favor of unity and teamwork, but "One Nation?" Did no one at the DNC think maybe, just maybe, channeling 1930s Germany might not be the best course? "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer!" What's next, "God is with us?"

I would have expected this from the folks who brought us the Department of Fatherland Homeland Security, but the Dems? Come on! Sheesh.

Oh, and Hillary supporters? Get over it.

Portraits

I've admired these portraits (scroll down to the end) by fellow Austin Astronomical Society member Todd Hargis, so when we were both at the Eagle Eye Observatory last month, I talked him into shooting mine. I think he did a great job, given what he had to work with.

Another Olympic Swimmer

Sing it with me, to the tune of Camptown Ladies:

"Peter Van Den Hoogenband, do-dah, do-dah..."

Explaining Michael Phelps

From Sports Illustrated:

British swimmer Simon Burnett provided his theory to U.S. head coach Eddie Reese when they ran into each other in the cafeteria.

"He was saying to me, 'I think I've figured out Michael Phelps. He is not from another planet; he is from the future. His father made him and made a time machine. Sixty years from now he is an average swimmer, but he has come back here to mop up."'

Makes as much sense as John Naber's remark on NPR the other night that they need to re-measure the pool in Beijing, as it seems to be a little short.

NBC Can Bite My Mac-Using Ass

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Fourth Jupiter of the Year

Took a break from watching the Olympics to catch this Red Spot transit. There's also a smaller red spot on the northern equatorial band. The moon is Europa. Altitude here is 36°. 10" LX200 @ f/25, DMK21AF04, RGB. The L channel was just awful, so I left it off.

A Quarter-Century Too Late

My high school fantasy came true!