OK, Who Moved the North Star?
By Sparks
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
Regina, Saskatchewan
May 19, 2008 11:29pm CST
My kids got together this past Xmas and bought me one of my long time heart's desires.
A powerful Bushnell Telescope so I can play among the stars.
Tonight was the first night in over a month that I've been able to see the stars. So I put it on it's tripod and took out to the middle of the road in front of my house and pointed it north.
Tonight the moon is full and HUGE and ORANGE and smiling at me. Lovely photo op there. Click, click.
I turned towards the North Star - and I couldn't find it!!
So who moved it?
I moved the scope around and suddenly - THERE IT WAS! OK! I'm oriented now and can move on to the constellations. Just before I moved the scope the North Star turned RED, flashed at me and then moved to the left slowly and I lost it!!!!
Now it's not really natural where I am for the moon to be so huge and orange this early in the year, so I'm thinking, ok, the atmosphere around the earth is making it look that way, so why not make the North Star turn red, blink and disappear? Logical right? The 'medicinal' mj I'd been smoking didn't have anything to do with it.......did it? lol
Well without cloud cover it started getting cold, so I gave up my vigil of trying to find the North Star. I am not a happy camper. I use that star to point me in the right direction when I'm looking for specific things in the stars.
Just before I packed it in, my kid walks over to me, pushes the scope just over ninety degrees to the right and says, "There you go mom, now you can see the North Star. There's no satellites in the way if you look at it from here".
Well DUH!
So tell me....could you find the North Star these days with all the satellites and space junk in the way?
9 people like this
14 responses
@mummymo (23706)
•
20 May 08
LOL Well done you spark - I just cannot comprehend where different stars are - not even the great North Star! I have tried , different people have tried showing me and explaining things but I am afraid that I cannot find it on my own - it takes me to find the moon - although I usually do eventually, and all that without the medical mj - I could probably find it easier if I had taken some! lol xxx
3 people like this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
20 May 08
LOL - I'm going to try again tonight without the mj! And I'll have it pointed in the right direction too! ROFL
2 people like this
@kamran12 (5526)
• Pakistan
20 May 08
I didn't spark, trust me, I didn't move the North Star!
And yes, I can find the North Star, it is usually in the north, it has to be it is north star, up above the north pole, but it changes it's positions though it can't be noticed. My university is northwest of my residence. So, I see the star, I set the direction and walk. There are too many things that come in my way, including a river, that I have to always redirect myself to get back on track. It wastes a lot of my time. So...now I use buses and trams to reach fast.
When my partner was here, we used to go to walk at night. Here is a park, not a regular one, less than 50m away from my residence. So, we would go, sit there, talk just about anything beautiful, and see the stars and constellations. Those are memorable days and nights that I won't ever forget. I don't have that many stars now here, or perhaps they have moved to where she is now.
3 people like this
@Angelwhispers (8978)
• United States
20 May 08
Aww Kamran, Sounds like you are a bit homesick tonight for your wife. Sparks is always good at pulling heart strings she does not even know she is pulling. She has on many occasions done the same to me in her innocence. I always think about the Fifel song, from An American Tale, Somewhere out there, beneath the clear blue sky. Its nice to know that at least we sleep beneath the same bright stars. Well it goes something like that.
4 people like this
@kamran12 (5526)
• Pakistan
20 May 08
Yes, spark, my professor told me that not only you have to point the telescope in the north direction but you also must be behind the telescope to see the star. It won't show up otherwise.
Well, doesn't North Star stand out there in your part of the world. Isn't it the brightest there?
Story? I have tried doing such things, serious, it has been a lot of fun even though I didn't succeed always in what I was trying to do. Well, I never succeeded in dense cities as such except when I knew the city very well.
3 people like this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
20 May 08
Or they've all moved to my little patch of sky and it's no wonder I couldn't find the darn star with so much else up there! LOL
But it really does help to find the north star if you have your telescope pointing north! ROFL
I loved your story Kamram. Your expression skills are getting very good indeed. I'm so proud of you!
3 people like this
@34momma (13882)
• United States
20 May 08
LOL LOL!! girl lay off the MJ!!! LOL. I live in NYC, you can't see stars in the sky if you wanted too. well not many stars. then you end up mistaken planes for stars. so i could not tell you where the north star was if it saved my life. unless i was puffing on the puff puff. LMAO
3 people like this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
20 May 08
Seems the puff puff didn't help my star gazing, but it sure helped my aching back! LOL
3 people like this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
20 May 08
Geez momma, take all the fun out of my life why don't ya! LOL But you're right - I'd do much better 'straight'! LOL
2 people like this
@FireHorse (293)
• United States
20 May 08
The easiest way I know of to find the north star is by using the big dipper which can be seen all year round even in a brightly lit city. Use the first two stars in the leading edge of the big dipper which forms it's cup and follow them in a straight line toward the north. The north star is the end of the handle in the little dipper which can rarely been seen in a bright city environment. If that fails, just fire up another one and point the telescope at anything shiny ;)
3 people like this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
20 May 08
THe big dipper is one of the easiest constellations to find, but sometimes it's not so obvious - like last night. I never did see the big dipper though I did see the seven sisters, so go figure! LOL
3 people like this
@cynicalandoutspoken (4725)
• United States
20 May 08
I never paid much attention to the North Star but I did remark just Saturday Night how huge and bright the moon was, as I was leaving the prom.
I know where constellations are supposed to be during certain times of the year but I never have time to just lay back and look at stars any more.
But just think....better a satellite than a UFO. You could have woken up this morning and had crop circles in your field.
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
20 May 08
I'd love to have a UFO land in my field! What a trip. Wouldn't even need any mj for that! Do you think they'd take me to their leader? I can sing and dance.......scratch that. No I can't.*sigh*
I just want to go to the moon for breakfast before I die. Is that too much to ask?
2 people like this
@novataylor (6570)
• United States
20 May 08
Yay, you found the full moon! I must say, I'm infinitely more interested in it than in the North Star, but if you love it, then I will too. Damn kid, though, such a smarty! I'd love to have a telescope. I wouldn't know what I was looking at, but I'd sure enjoy seeing it. Most especially, the moon, of course. It's my ruling planet. Yes, I AM a luna bird. And tonight's moon is really quite beautiful, isn't it? Big and bright, but not orange here, just a brilliant white. And as usual, it's exercising its pull on me, moving my blood around in strange directions, giving me shivers. It's probably why I'm still up. Usually, I'd be in bed by now. So blame the moon. Thank you. Enjoy your stargazing. Be sure to make a wish on that falling star that I know you'll see. It's coming true - I'm not supposed to tell you that, but I am anyway. Night, darlin, sweet dreams.
Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have my wish come true tonight.
When you wish upon a star, makes no difference where you are, all the dreams your heart desires will come to you.
You're a shining star, no matter who you are, shining bright to see what you can truly be. Shining star for you to see what your life can truly be.
3 people like this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
20 May 08
"Are you out there, are you listening
Am I'm coming across to you
Is the North Star still shining
In the sky outside your room
You can listen but they're lying
Don't let them tell you
What you've always known
It's the North Star that's the big one
And it's always gonna lead you home"
Lyrics from Elton John's The North Star
Here's the link so you can hear the whole song:
http://www.eltonography.com/songs/the_north_star.html
2 people like this
@Angelwhispers (8978)
• United States
20 May 08
Sir Elton John..... he is one of my husbands and my all time favorites. We have every CD he has ever made,and you know we have yet to see him in concert. We can never afford it when he is with in our distance to see.... Argggg its on our bucket list to do so however.
3 people like this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
20 May 08
LOL - so you have a 'bucket' list too huh?! Too funny.
Being buried in England is the last entry on mine! ROFL
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
24 May 08
Lol Sparks trust you
I only look at the Stars from the ground lol
About a year ago though I thought I was seeing things
I was driving home from somewhere and I had my Daughter with me, when we both saw at the same time something that looked like one of the Stars falling from the Sky
Now if I would have been on my own I would have thought yeah ok Gabs but I wasn't my Daughter saw it to
It might not have been but it certainly looked like it
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
24 May 08
LOL. Stars do fall all the time.
I remember when my youngest was about six, we used to drive to the 'bigger town' a lot to shop and other things, and always ended up coming home after dark along the same road. Every single time there was a 'star' in the sky that my son could see from his side of the car that looked like it was FOLLOWING us home. By the time we made the last turn into the farm, it would be gone though.
This went on for years and we would joke about my son's personal star.
Later I was told it wasn't a star at all but a satellite!I never told my son that though - he loved that star and it made him special and I didn't want to take that feeling away from him.
@vanities (11395)
• Davao, Philippines
21 May 08
your fortunate you got telescope!!and able to see the stars!!
how i wish i have one also...anyway im not really familiar with the north thing or why are you looking for it? whats the significant...just curious or im just being naive i guess..and i will never know what i like to see up the sky!!
how i wish i have one also...anyway im not really familiar with the north thing or why are you looking for it? whats the significant...just curious or im just being naive i guess..and i will never know what i like to see up the sky!!1 person likes this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
21 May 08
The north star is the brightest and most fixed star in the sky. All sailors and overland travellers used the north star for years to tell them which direction (north, south, east, west) was which. It is a great navigation tool for getting from point A to point B. It helps me to locate and find unfamiliar constellations in the universe.
@Qaeyious (2357)
• United States
21 May 08
If I can find Ursa Major, I can find it. Unfortunately since the area I'm living in has high light pollution, I can't find much these days. I can barely see the sword of Orion when it is up - just the five brighter stars.
And it has been a while since I followed it. I was with a group that went out to a deserted area in the middle of Florida for observations, with a cabin to sleep in. Then they built a Wall Mart a few miles to the north east. We asked them to turn the parking lights off during the weekends we were there, but to no avail.
One member named it the "Wall Mart Nebula"
At least we convinced the radio station that built its tower to the south of us to use a red light on top, not white or blue (red is the optimal color for darkness lighting, when you are looking in the dark)
During that time I used the zodiac belt to orient myself. But then, I was more interested in observing planets than actual stars and galaxies.
1 person likes this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
22 May 08
Wall Mart Nebula! I love it! And a perfect example of why it's so hard to see the lesser stars in the sky these days.*sigh*
@cortjo73 (6498)
• United States
21 May 08
LOL! So, ummm...I thought you were going to share that medicinal MJ with me! I won't put the North Star back where it belongs until you share!
But, to answer your question, I would have a hard time finding that natural stuff like stars and planets next to the space junk! LOL!
1 person likes this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
21 May 08
SO! It WAS you who moved it!
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!
I'm going to ignore the rest of your comment, because it doesn't fit my response! ROFL
1 person likes this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
22 May 08
Pennies from Heaven? LOL
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
21 May 08
spark thats great that you have a powerful Bushnell telescope
and it goes to figure that your kid would be
the one to find the north star for you. I would also have
a problem as I have not used a telescope for ages. right
now I am in some pain.I found out that I do not have diverticulitis at all but shingles they broke out this morning
half way round my waist and are really painful. my tummy keeps cramping. woe is me. ouch.the er doctor gave me a prescription and said it will take about two weeks to clear up and I will have to take tylenol for pain meanwhile.
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
21 May 08
Boys are always smarter than their mothers! LOL
Hatley - shingles? Oh my dear, please, please take care of yourself. At your age shingles can be terrible. So please keep in touch with your doctor and take very good care of yourself. You are in my prayers.
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
21 May 08
Sparky after 4 hours online i finally got to yours..LOL and it was well worth the wait!
Love this funny one and our skys aren't what they used to be if we have to look around stuff in the sky thats not been there as long as the North Star..ok MJ could have been responsible but who cares..LOL
1 person likes this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
21 May 08
Oh no - no blaming the mj! I'd have to give it up then, and the pain would become too bad and I'd never be able to use my telescope! *slap your wrist kitty*! ROFL
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
21 May 08
Slap, Slap Slap...ok now that i'm awake..I can see clearly now..LMAO..and i'll never get in the way of MJ..we need Our Sparky to be painfree!
Huggles
1 person likes this
@thebeaddoodler (4262)
• Lubbock, Texas
20 May 08
ROFLMBO Sorry to laugh, but this sounds so much like some of the things I do I couldn't help it.
I don't know if I was ever able to find the north star or not. Every time I've ever tried it (without a telescope because I don't have one) I'd think I found it then get confused with the little dipper, big dipper etc. I'm definitely not an astrologer.
3 people like this
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
20 May 08
Laugh away bead - my kid will join you! ROFL
I'm obviously no astrologer either, but I try! lol
2 people like this
@sisterjinx (1135)
• United States
20 May 08
ROFL.... OMG that is so cute. I didn't even see it coming.
I don't have a telescope yet but I hope to someday soon. We are Full Time RVers and travel alot. I think it would be fun to look at the stars from different places. Of course now I will have to keep the satellite issue in mind. lol
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
20 May 08
LOL - good thinking sisterjinx. We did a lot of RVing last summer and it would have been so cool to set up as we went across country.
1 person likes this
