The Random Thought Thread

MontanaFrank

MontanaFrank

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Dec 19, 2012
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I saw the video below on TV. It's a nice story about a dad and a son who loves pinball. I remember playing pinball on stools when I was a young 'un. Plus, the kid reminds me of me when I was his age.

 
Kolchak357

Kolchak357

Senior Pigeon
May 31, 2012
8,102
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Got another telescope. Can be out on my patio table viewing in under 30seconds. Please place nerd and peeping tom jokes below.

32810916781_d22df2cb61.jpg
 
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WhiteChocolate

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Apr 15, 2014
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Kolchak357 said:
Got another telescopescope. Can be out on my patio table viewing in under 30seconds. Please place nerd and peeping tom jokes below.

32810916781_d22df2cb61.jpg
Click to expand...

a new "telly-scopey-scope?" ;0 very kewl! if it's that quick to set up, guess it's not a motorized polar-aligned kind (well, that's still kewl!)

i'd just like a good halfway pro equitorial mount with a good variable motor to do flyovers of the ISS, or of iridium flares... do some neat vids or pics of those quick-movers. some backyard pros have caught really nice pics of the ISS traversing right in front of the moon... got one of those as my current desktop pic.

speak o'which, right around here we expect a nice ISS flyover in just a half-hour; nice clear sky for it too! if you wanna do some night-gazing yourself, try out http://www.heavens-above.com
 
Kolchak357

Kolchak357

Senior Pigeon
May 31, 2012
8,102
2
No computer, totally manual. Just point it at what you want to look at. As old school as it gets.

Watched the space station for a good five minutes last night. One of the best and longest views I have ever had of it. I just use binoculars for that though. It moves pretty fast and is very hard to keep in the field of view of a scope.

The following link has lots of space station info. Even let's you enter your email address and it will tell you when there is a good view of the space station in your area.
https://spotthestation.nasa.gov
 
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WhiteChocolate

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Apr 15, 2014
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Kolchak357 said:
No computer, totally manual. Just point it at what you want to look at. As old school as it gets.

Watched the space station for a good five minutes last night. One of the best and longest views I have ever had of it. I just use binoculars for that though. It moves pretty fast and is very hard to keep in the field of view of a scope.

The following link has lots of space station info. Even let's you enter your email address and it will tell you when there is a good view of the space station in your area.
https://spotthestation.nasa.gov
Click to expand...

ah well! that tele looks really sweet; probably good 'nuff to see the rings of saturn, or jupiter's moons, or the comets coming by as of recent... would be neat if they could make a nice little tabletop like that that could auto-align itself when powered up for an equitorial. ah, telescopes... if only we didn't have so much light pollution in so many areas!

along the random techno-geek threading, i've been checking out youtube "first looks" of x-plane 11 - looks really good! i've xp 10; great fun, but it always did look old school as far as the rendering... 11 looks -much- improved outta the box. (not sure i can run 11, but now dlin' the demo to see if i can...)

p.s. hehe! i didn't know heretic did "let's plays"... (well, it sounds like how i would imagine him doing one ;) - a good xp-11 first-look viddy...

 
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WhiteChocolate

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Apr 15, 2014
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Kolchak357 said:
This one (link below) will find objects for you once you align it. Not many tabletop scopes that will do that though. My larger scope is controlled with my iPad. Once you align it, you just touch an object on the Star map and hit goto. Then the scope goes and finds it for you. Pretty amazing stuff.


http://www.telescope.com/Telescopes...ector-Telescope/pc/-1/c/1/sc/416/p/102026.uts
Click to expand...

nice! wish it were worth it for me to try to invest in one; i dunno where i'll be in six months at this point... likely a totally iced-over night sky, probably.
 
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WhiteChocolate

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Apr 15, 2014
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and thinking of astrophysics, i can't leave one of my faves out... fact that he's got a degree, maybe that's why he's able to come up with such brilliant guitar chording!

"Brian Harold May, CBE (born 19 July 1947) is an English musician, singer, songwriter and astrophysicist best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen. He uses a home-built electric guitar, called the Red Special..."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_May


p.s. taking the time to read his wiki bio... almost tearing (well, okay, i am! ;) what a brilliant and truly gentle man. and how awesome is the acry, "CBE"... stands for, "Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire"! now, if that isn't a truly galactic title to have!
 
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WhiteChocolate

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Apr 15, 2014
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hey kolchak! came back here just to relisten to some celestial music this morning - just to add to that thread, try out some of this next time you're looking at the stars...

Haruomi Hosono ~ Edge of the End (from "N.D.E.")

way back then, i had previously heard his "quiet lodge" (aka "medicine compilation") cd, and on a whim, bought the "n.d.e." cd... one of my least regretful "random acts of purchase" ever. ;0 and if you dig this track, i think both discs are essential for your listening library...

fascinating factoid: his grandfather was the only japanese passenger (and, obviously, survivor) aboard the "titanic." so, think about that one... ahh, the threads of time...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruomi_Hosono
 

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