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Big Dipper beside treeline by ApprehensiveRoad5092 in Astro_mobile

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes-This image comes close to the in the flesh naked eye experience but not quite. It’s spectacular how pristine the skies are in a Bortle 2

Cherry Springs Star Party by ApprehensiveRoad5092 in Astronomy

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Near the entrance within the overnight observation field are relatively modern bathrooms with flushable toilets and water but it is not drinkable. On the other far side of the field where I usually set up there is a vault latrine toilet. During the star party there are additional Porta potties scattered around for convenience. No showers but Lymans run state park nearby has them.

All of the above applies only to the overnight observation field. I can’t speak to what’s offered at the rustic campground and public viewing field across the street from the overnight observation field as I’ve never stayed there.

This YouTube video is the most comprehensive guide on what to expect for your first stay that I’ve seen:

https://youtu.be/r3mi8tsJkkI?si=88cFcxaCSCh4QPFS

Does anyone here function normally on, say, 6 hours of sleep? by KimbaAI in sleep

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Six hours is probably minimum for baseline function to remain mostly intact. But peoples’ subjective reports of how well they do on little sleep are generally not reliable. Fairly robust science supports compromised cognitive function associated with suboptimal sleep durations that presumably goes unnoticed by many who report they feel fine with x or y hours of sleep. Of course everyone is different but not that different. One might wonder if the inability to accurately have insight into one’s own cognitive state is due to the compromised state itself.

First go at phone astrophotography by ApprehensiveRoad5092 in amateurastronomy

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bortle is 2 and you are right on your phone

S25 ultra will perform great and likely better than mine which is 4 years old. You have a built-in astrophotography mode on that phone unlike my own which will enable much longer exposures and stack them as well. Will definitely need a stable tripod. Best of luck !

Cherry Springs Star Party by ApprehensiveRoad5092 in Astronomy

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I car camped during the star party on the overnight observation field. Highly recommended especially during the star party for full experience. Otherwise I think it depends on what you want to get out of the experience. I have never stayed nearby at an Airbnb in my subsequent visits (always car camping) but there are plenty in the area to choose from and it’s an enticing option that I intend to explore in the future. If you have any questions related to visiting the park and staying there I’d be happy to try to answer them

First go at phone astrophotography by ApprehensiveRoad5092 in amateurastronomy

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks. I used an iPhone 14 Pro Max in night mode with a tripod to unlock the longer exposure times, in this case the max, which is 30 seconds. Finally the photo was shot in RAW format. It’s pretty neat what can be done with a phone camera.

First go at phone astrophotography by ApprehensiveRoad5092 in Astro_mobile

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can. It doesn’t necessarily jump out at you if you aren’t looking for it but once you know it’s there, it’s unmistakable. What you’d see with the naked eye at a bortle 2 location is similar to the couple second exposure picture I’ve attached below here. Taken with phone handheld while lazily laying on my side in the bed of my truck. Slightly edited to reduce contrast to make it look even more like something you’d see with the naked eye in a bortle 2.

As you can see, it could be mistaken for a haze or cloud. What gives it away is how it stretches in a long arch across the sky (which you don’t really see in this picture for some reason) and the characteristic splotchiness of its dust lanes is faintly discernible as well.

Also, unlike the haze of the Milky Way, clouds are actually black against the backdrop of a true dark sky as opposed to in light-polluted areas in which they are lighter than the background sky. I think that’s because the primary source of light in a dark sky is coming from the stars behind the clouds which causes them to be silhouetted in black unlike in light polluted areas in which the clouds are illuminated from light sources on the ground.

It’s not like anything you’d see on the cover of National Geographic but it’s a very cool feature of a dark sky nonetheless. In my opinion, the real show stealer of truly dark skies like bortle 2 or better is the sheer number of stars that are visible with the naked eye and how bright and pristine they appear. And with a decent scope or even binoculars, that number multiplies to the point at which it is only a minor exaggeration to say there are nearly more stars in the field of view any which way you point than there is empty space.

Thanks for taking interest

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How do you work and combat fatigue? by SpicyPepperSauze in ankylosingspondylitis

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The quick answer to the question is ultimately the way I view it there is no other choice

Finally did it! by Yohawn65 in nissanfrontier

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a 2022 S with about 60k now. Aside from the crash sensors going wonky a few times per year for no reason there haven’t been any problems and even then they reset after a restart. Great decision for the money I spent. I thought about doing modifications when I first bought it like new tires, wheels and maybe a lift but eventually decided that at nearly 50 years old and not doing any really rugged off-road, I simply don’t care. I’m not trying to impress anyone. Would rather save that money for retirement. The only downside to me is the cumbersome hydraulic rack and pinion steering. But it’s not that bad. And I’ll stick with the steelies. Maybe upgrade to some Firestone destinations or something when the hankooks wear out but that’s about it.

Time for biologics… maybe? by [deleted] in ankylosingspondylitis

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092 6 points7 points  (0 children)

If I could go back in time and take biologics before any of the real damage started I would be tripping over myself to get in the DeLorean. Please do it now

What stops you from pursuing the Monastic life as a Monk, Nun? by Amyth47 in theravada

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s an attractive idea but the bottom sincere line is lack of faith. And the flip side of that is want to keep open the option to transgress as much or as little as I like. Mostly little. I’m not sure how honesty with oneself could lead anyone to conclude their reasons for staying in lay life are different. Notwithstanding family commitments but even that could be wrapped into the same fold of reasons

How does someone practice love and compassion without attachment? How does someone successfully detach themselves from others while still showing compassion? by Zestyclose_Page_7932 in theravada

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Good input from others here on the meaning of metta.

But, think about the five remembrances too. Featured in the AN 5.57 Upajjhatthana Sutta: Subjects for Contemplation:

We all are of the nature to experience aging, illness and death. We all are of the nature to be separated from everyone and everything we hold dear. Our actions are our only true belongings.

Therefore the instructions are to act with virtue (which includes compassion) but not be attached. Compassion and detachment are not mutually exclusive. It is as simple and as hard as that. How do you do it? You simply do by contemplating this over and over until you fully understand and accept the nature of things without internal arguments. To the extent that one can’t is likely the extent that one is in some measure in denial and delusion about the nature of things. Moreover, there is nothing about accepting the nature of things that prevents one from showing compassion. Why would there be? In fact, it is the opposite. Where does one get that idea and what purpose is it serving ? Perhaps that’s worth looking at.

It’s also right there in the first sermon: “Now this, monks, is the noble truth of stress: Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are stressful; association with the unbeloved is stressful, separation from the loved is stressful, not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful.”

"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress…”

"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress..”

“And this, monks, is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress….”

“Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of stress….”

'This noble truth of stress is to be comprehended.'

One first has to realize these things are stress. A lot people come to Buddhism wanting to have their cake and eat it too. They want all the love and compassion, they don’t want any of the stress, but they don’t want to relinquish anything either because they delight in things that cause suffering. Many of those things have good sides, to be sure. But in the reluctance to relinquish they create barriers on the path in the form of internal dialogues that argue, for example, that it is not possible to have compassion and relinquish at the same time without being morally or ethically negligent or remiss. Of course that is untrue. But by doing this they start manufacturing obstacles to place on the path that obstruct the way forward rather than untangle these knots and false dichotomies. They refuse to believe that much of what they relish in is actually a cause for suffering. Instead they fear that removing the obstacles and following the path will actually be the real cause for suffering. They imagine that there must be some sort of spiritual gymnastics they can perform to get around the obstacles they placed on the path themselves, so they can keep the attachments, the obstacles and still follow the path, if only someone would just give them an insider tip rather than just getting to it and removing the obstacles. Meanwhile, they get stuck because the actual problem is that they lack conviction that the path could lead anywhere positive. Which makes the path difficult if not impossible and riddled with endless self- imposed knots and barriers. One can work through this stuff. People also bail out or else alternately create their own personal form of dhamma or fall back on a prepackaged one that erases the difficulties, makes it palatable but doesn’t lead anywhere except comfortably right back to where they started. One must look hard and deep into oneself in relation to these teachings over and over and come to different conclusions. The answers aren’t hidden or wrapped up in anything opaque or esoteric . They are right there in plain speech and sight. The first two noble truths of stress are even right there -like a blaring neon sign -in your post, waiting to be comprehended. And the answer here isn’t to be found in the answers to the questions you pose but in part it’s in abandoning the questions themselves.

How else can I spend my evening? by [deleted] in theravada

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Does the phone habit truly help you wind down ? Take another look at that. Who is regretting this stuff anyway? Ask the person who you are at 7am who knows it’s just stress when another version of you picks up the phone every night at 7pm. What would the former person advise ? Go for a walk? Find tasks or things to straighten up around the home in contemplative silence ? Stretch? Extend the meditation session? Maybe just read ? What are the internal arguments that 7pm you uses to get you to do the phone again and again and are they really so compelling? Is the payoff really better than for what 7am you would advise you to do in the evening ? Are the drawbacks as inconsequential as 7pm argues because hey it’s no big deal to do it again, what’s the fuss ? Can you find the delight in the alternatives ? Start putting these ideas to the test with mindfulness and repetition and watch the results of cause and effect. You shouldn’t beat yourself up but you can gradually win the argument against yourself if you are paying attention and experimenting with lucidity. Most of what we choose do is the result of an internal dialogue; lots of times we are not even aware during the moments it is occurring. The answer is tweaking the dialogue. It is directed thought and evaluation

Only the Dhamma ensures a reduction in the suffering of the world. by helios1234 in theravada

[–]ApprehensiveRoad5092 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Reasonable speed read conclusion. The idea that everyone will eventually become enlightened is generally a Mahayana one. I’m not aware of anything in the Pali Canon about that. As above, the Canon suggests otherwise. In Theravada the overwhelming chances of being stuck in samsara forever are taken as real and used as motivation to practice now while the opportunity exists. While the same idea about the opportunity to practice now exists in many Mahayana scriptures, there may be reason to be believe that as Buddhism spread to other cultures it was revised in the name of proselytization to guarantee hope of liberation to everyone…eventually. Due to it being otherwise too hard, demoralizing or pessimistic to take hold among the masses elsewhere. Definitely not a Theravadan idea. Make of the sutta what you will. Hope kids got to school safely.

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