Official Austin Chat Thread (Canyon Lake, Canyon: toll road, showing, close to)

[ashbeeigh]

I very clearly remember a New Years Day in late elementary school in San Antonio (so 94-96ish) when it was in the 80s and my three neighbors and I rode our bikes all around the neighborhood and picked up some neighbors from down the way and had them come down to our cul-du-sac and we played some sport that was all the rage at the time. I think it was soccer (wearing umbros shorts and long socks paired with an "I love soccer" t-shirt). It's not uncommon to be in the 70s, the 80s are pushing it. Last year we had a cold front come through New Year's Eve and it snowed a bit in the hill country. (A lot in the western hill country). I went up to Comfort (just south of Kerrville) and it snowed just enough to record it. And then New Year's 2016-17 it snowed too. We're just in an off year.

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Anyone else fascinated by the Webb telescope? I am curious to see if they can really throw a 'Rube Goldberg' type contraption into space and have it deploy correctly - with absolutely no ability to physically interact with it every again if anything does go wrong. The sun shield is suppose to start deploying today:


If and when it all goes well, the sun shield will result in an approximate 600 F temperature drop from the sunny side to the dark side.

This video shows the complex unfolding sequence of the probe...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzGLKQ7_KZQ&t=92s

[Trainwreck20]

I have watched the process videos over the last few years . I am following it day-by-day now. They have successfully uncovered the sun shield and will start the deployment process later today/tomorrow. This site is a good source for keeping track:
https://webb.nasa.gov/content/webbLa...ereIsWebb.html

[ScoPro]

To tell the truth, I had forgotten about the Webb telescope because of all the long delays in its development.

Astronomy was one of my hobbies during my school years. One of my sons owns my (now) vintage Unitron refractor purchased 60 years ago.

[Trainwreck20]

My youngest daughter is quite interested in astronomy, but it is really a bit of work to find a good viewing spot. We can do some okay viewing out north of Wimberley (at the grandparents, who have a pretty nice 'scope), but Inks Lake works better - but we have to haul the telescope with us, ofc. I do miss the skies when I was a kid out NW of G'town and the Milky Way showed up in spectacular fashion.

[ScoPro]

Best view I ever had of the Milky Way was 63 years ago from the fantail deck of a military transport in the middle of the Pacific. It made quite an impression on me.

Props to your daughter for her interest. UT has an excellent astronomy department with first rate resources, but I’m sure you know that already.

[Trainwreck20]

I once watched the sun projected onto the wall via the telescope on the top of RLM. Not even sure if it is there anymore, but it was very cool to see. You could see all the sun spots and other features of the sun quite clearly. My daughter still has a few years to go before I worry about her college. UT seems much harder to get into than it was back in my day....

I can imagine a 'dark' (i.e. not cruise) ship in the middle of the ocean must be impressive. Hard to imagine a place with less light pollution . My best view was probably 40ish years ago camping in the mountains of SW Colorado. It was almost unsettling how close/clear the Milky Way was.

[Need4Camaro]

Decided to change the oil on all three cars while the weather is nice.



The SS holds 10 friggen quarts.

[ScoPro]

TEN quarts? Oh my!

My little Civic 4 banger holds 3.7.

[ScoPro]

Happy New Year C-Ders!