may I make an observation?

Aha! Don't worry I'm not going to complain about Facebook and its mates again. My observation is linked to tonights trip to the Herstmonceux Observatory and Science Centre. It astounds me how many interesting places we discover in our area, and this is another case. We've been to the science centre as a family a couple of times in an effort to educate us all. It reminds me much of the Lookout Discovery Centre in Bracknell, with its hands on science experiments, although colder and with more concrete. It is fun enough I guess...well the kids enjoy it.

The place really comes into its own when once a month they open up the Observatory to the public, or at least 3 observatories out of the 5 they have within the grounds. If its a clear night and you have no issues with going out when there's a bright moon (you know who you are) then this is the place to go! I have tonight seen things i've only seen on film or photograph. For instance I saw the moon, and not just bigger than we can see normally, I mean see the moon, the craters and landscape, it nearly took my breath away. We viewed Saturn on one of the smaller telescopes and it looked just like it had been drawn onto the lense. Lastly and perhaps more impressively was a closeup on Orions Nebular. I'm not one of those guys who can pick out groups of stars in the sky, it all looks the same to me. After seeing it tonight and talking to the on hand expert (not sure of the qualification, but he was definately an egghead with a brain the size of a planet...ahem excuse the pun) I can pick it out. I now know Orion is a whole constellation of which 'the Belt' is only a part. It is marked out by 4 prominent stars with the 'Belt' and the 'Sword' within. We had a close up on Orions Sword and saw it was like a cloud, and within it 4 stars had been created over the millenia. This might sound a bit boring to read but it wasn't when you saw it! My kids where captivated.

We didn't hang on much longer, just had a drink at the cafe and went home as it was gone 10pm. We could have seen this time but didn't was Venus, which has been shining brightly lately as you may have noticed. We had arrived at 8pm and it was too low in the sky at that time for it to be picked up by the telescope. The other they were viewing/tracking was a comet, which would have been a great experience if we hadn't had to go.

Here's a photo taken with the kids and there grandmother next to the smaller observatory where we had seen Saturn and the Moon . A friend got a photo of the moon taken through a telescope lense there (unofficially) which as soon as I am sent it on email, I will post it up on blogger.


Before I go always remember to cherish and love your blog.....yes blog not dog ya numpty!!