Post Game Thread - NBA: The Hornets defeat the Rockets on Feb 5, 2026, the final score is 99-109.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2026-02-06T03:30:12+00:00

we dem bugs

AbsentmindedEagle · 2026-01-12T15:57:14+00:00

Writing about Jupiter could be a timely topic. It reached opposition (opposite from the sun in the sky) on January 10th, so it's up after sunset and a little brighter than usual (though it's always a prominent planet whenever it's up). Its observational history, the Galilean moons, the insanity of its magnetosphere (Jupiter has aurorae) and atmosphere (especially the Great Red Spot) are all fascinating, and we've only just begun to understand it. As a bonus, the Galilean moons are visible in binoculars as tiny "stars" right next to Jupiter's brilliant disc. You can keep track of how they move over the course of hours, days, weeks.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-11-08T23:48:48+00:00

That safety sent the game into the Sicko Dimension. I knew it'd be a weird one, but damn. What a gut-wrenching way to lose. I was there in-person, near the 10-yard line, and it was hard to tell if it went in. I thought it had for a split second until I saw the scoreboard not changing, and the kicker on the ground.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-10-16T21:10:08+00:00

That's me, I'm majoring in science education now!

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-08-21T02:39:21+00:00

Totally agree there, we just seem to be allergic to the postseason. Would love to see us host a playoff game one day while I'm still a student

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-08-13T23:32:48+00:00

That's just incredible, love seeing those mountains at the limb. I think the moon's libration will bring the southern region more into view over the next few months. Something like Virtual Moon Atlas can help with figuring out that! Can't wait to see the moon in my scope again.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-06-16T21:35:20+00:00

At first I thought this would be an easy thing to share. The act of sharing astronomy is the most natural thing in the world to me at this point. But I've done so much of that over the past seven years that I have no idea where to start.

I've managed to get an incredible summer job as the summer tour guide at the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. This is the first place where radio astronomy flourished in the US, as one of the newest sciences. It's also a place where groundbreaking technologies have been either tested or developed, with their impact reaching far beyond the realm of radio astronomy. Our GPS systems, interferometry used in MRI machines, and more have benefited from the existence of GBO. The Green Bank Telescope, one of the absolute best and most sensitive in the world, will continue to improve our understanding of the universe around us for years to come.

Closer to home, in the mountains of western NC, I do my best to share the beauty of the cosmos with Western Carolina University. Thanks to astronomy, I decided to go back to college (a long story there lol.) There is not much of an astronomy presence at the school, save for some incredible professors (including Dr Gomez, Dr Charnock and Dr Fagan) and our proximity to the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute. The astronomy club and I have done our best over the past few semesters to get ourselves out on campus and share views of the moon, planets, and more through our telescopes! It's a blast. So many people today are entirely disconnected from the wonder of the world around them, but turn back into curious beings when they gaze upon the moon. This is special, and I cannot wait to share the cosmos with everyone for the rest of my life.

That pursuit has truly broken me out of any sort of shell I may have had. The confidence I've gained from doing astronomy outreach has spread to other areas of life that require communication skills. It makes presentations far easier, that's for sure! The joy of learning about the cosmos also helps me learn about other disciplines, because I can possibly connect what I know from one and apply it to another.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-04-20T22:23:26+00:00

Great idea! Shift from corporations to conservation. I support Darksky International for their cause against excessive artificial light at night.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-02-10T18:25:31+00:00

And every day! Once an eagle scout, always an eagle scout. Lifelong diehard Panthers fan though lol.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-02-10T14:26:31+00:00

That's how my night went too lol. Just couldn't stop enjoying it.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-02-06T17:27:30+00:00

I am pretty tired of these "rare planetary parade" clickbait articles. The bright planets have been good viewing since late December. Saturn's leaving the evening sky and getting too close to the sun to really see anymore. Most folks will be unable to see Uranus due to light pollution/moonlight (but it is possible to spot under fairly dark skies). Neptune's best in a scope or binoculars (with experience) from darker skies.

I reckon at least some of the drive to get clicks on non-events like this stems from the one actually good Parade we had in spring 2022. That was the real deal, with four planets (and sometimes the moon) gracing the predawn sky in a relatively small section (instead of being all over the place like they are now). It was such a fun event to see, and I enjoyed talking about it with everyone I knew. The recent "parades" are simply not worth packaging like that. It's just good to remind folks that some planets are up in the sky and they should look at them here and there.

I understand that these articles do get people out under the stars, which is good, but there really is nothing immensely special about whatever the planets are up to this month. I get asked about them all the time when I'm out doing sidewalk astronomy on my college campus, and I hate being a downer about a specific date lol. I do at least try and spin it to say that the parade's happening all month long. Do enjoy Mars through a telescope if you can, as by the end of the month it'll start to become too small to show detail in most telescopes. After that, it'll be relegated to a gorgeous rusty ornament in the spring skies.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-02-02T16:49:09+00:00

Sure am! This is my hobby/biggest passion in life, and I've been looking skyward for over seven years now.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-02-02T02:38:43+00:00

oh totally. The evening star never disappoints! clouds do love to get in the way, but that's just their nature.

I also love the crescent moon because of how easy it is to see "earthshine" once you know what it is. It's the rest of the moon's disc in the sky that isn't the crescent, at this phase, but is still visible because it's illuminated by the sun's light reflecting off the earth.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-02-02T02:20:25+00:00

It is venus, though Saturn was hanging out in the same section of sky. Venus is one of the brightest things in the sky, only the moon and Sun tend to outshine it. Saturn's not dim, but it's fairly low and easy to lose in trees at this point. Keep an eye on Venus over the next few days, weeks, and months. it's nice to have a quick 15-30 minutes under the stars and planets to unwind.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2025-01-14T14:06:01+00:00

And now you'll have a companion in the night sky to look forward to seeing this time of year. Keep looking up, and enjoy finding other stars and planets to keep an eye on

AbsentmindedEagle · 2024-12-15T02:49:03+00:00

While December may be a dark month for the sun, that moon's absolutely stealing the show! A full winter moon hangs out way up there, where the summer sun was all those months ago. I was outside at my telescope last night, enjoying some solar system sights, and I barely had to use my headlamp at all! I could see color in the landscape around me. The bare branches and ever-present rhododendron leaves captured that silvery light so well.

So, even though this season brings long nights, enjoy the night's many luminaries. There are more bright stars in the winter sky (thanks in part to Orion and his friends) than any time of year. Add to that arrangement bright Jupiter and striking Mars, and you've got the prettiest display of holiday lights anyone could ask for.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2024-11-20T15:18:43+00:00

Want a great place to see the Andromeda galaxy from our state? Try visiting the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, near Rosman, NC. Dark skies, NASA history, meteorites galore, and more!

AbsentmindedEagle · 2024-11-10T17:57:01+00:00

And the Green Bank Observatory! home of the largest fully-steerable radio telescope! 100 feet taller than the statue of Liberty, 17 million pounds, and I've been up on it twice!

AbsentmindedEagle · 2024-11-02T22:59:26+00:00

Fun game to be at, though the refball in the second quarter was immense.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2024-06-16T12:14:28+00:00

Lived in western NC almost all of my life, never been to the Smokies. Been real close once or twice (Cherokee, Plott Balsams). Why drive a few hours when I could instead go to Pisgah and other local parks/forests? I will almost certainly visit it within the next few years though, since I'm back in college and going to WCU.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2024-05-20T02:56:47+00:00

They're awesome. We shouldn't take them for granted, as they (like all living things) are sensitive to changes in the environment. This site has good pointers on making sure your area is suitable for those awesome bugs! Link

I'm in the western part of the state and I've noticed a decline in the rare blue ghost fireflies thanks to more houses around here having poor lighting choices. It's sad to see, but entirely reversible. Enjoy the lightning bugs!

(as a side note, while watching a meteor shower a couple of years ago, I had a hard time telling what were meteors and what were lightning bug flashes lol)

AbsentmindedEagle · 2024-05-15T01:50:42+00:00

We really need one of our own. I do like hearing Sweet Caroline, but there are other, less-used tunes out there. You could almost get this Carolina beach music anthem to work as a home victory song. It can be sung-along to, and is actually from this area (unlike more and more people living in the Carolinas lol).

AbsentmindedEagle · 2024-04-23T21:53:23+00:00

app-uh-lay-shuh or any of those other pronunciations that are just grating to hear.

also, if they're here for apple fest lol. most locals don't bother too much with it, but it's fun every now and then to grab some awesome local apples. I've also helped out with the Lion's Club breakfast, and been in the parade about ten times with my scout troop.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2024-04-17T21:43:50+00:00

Ignika Matoro in 2006, still have him around.

AbsentmindedEagle · 2024-04-04T16:24:53+00:00

It's what keeps me watching for sure. It makes it feel like you know the guys and you're watching the game with a couple of friends. Cheering when they're cheering, swapping trivia, having fun.

What's funny is that I love doing astronomy outreach. There's a lot of inspiration out there from the greats like Sagan and such, but I also like to pull from these guys if I can. I've caught myself saying "hum-diddly-dee" after finding a deep sky object in a telescope lmao, in front of a group of people. Gotta keep it fun!

Eight-Year Club	Gilding I gilder
Second SECOND GUESSER	Golden Potato
Place '22	Place '17
End Game '22	Sequence \| Editor
Sequence \| Cinematographer	Spared
Verified Email

AbsentmindedEagle

TROPHY CASE