Feeling very stressed about everything, and I went out to do some astrophotography. I was hoping for auroras, and was first excited to see an orange glow on the horizon, then annoyed as I realized it's probably a combine still harvesting, then delighted again as I realized it's the moon! Hello, moon. (Also hello Pleiades, hello Andromeda galaxy, hello Milky Way, and fuck you, Starlink)
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While I was out photographing, I saw out of the corner of my eye the BRIGHTEST satellite flare I've ever seen - this happens when the sun reflects off a big flat thing, like a solar panel, directly at you. It was much, much brighter than Venus. It was just for literally one second, so I couldn't look around me carefully, but I'm pretty sure it was bright enough to cast shadows. Just getting me ready for 50,000 mirrors in orbit, constantly repointing. FUCK.
@sundogplanets I'm sorry the wretched things won't even let you get a proper break from the stress. It sounds like sitting down to immerse yourself in some music and hearing a pneumatic drill start up outside . . .
So many satellite streaks in 13 second exposures (and one airplane, you can tell because it's dashed)
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@sundogplanets is that Andromeda just above the two pine trees on the right ?
You can still get photos with few/no satellite streaks, but it's hard (of course there's software processing to get rid of streaks, but that's not my point here).
While there are still lots within ~2 hours of sunrise and sunset, we're getting to the time of year when my latitude has long periods of time during the long winter nights when due to geometry there are no sunlit satellites in the sky. I'm looking forward to it.
@sundogplanets These incredible vistas
@sundogplanets Oooh, that makes sense on the plane, never thought about that! (ie because they blink)
@sundogplanets Milky way! Yay! (no such thing here near Los Angeles 🤪 )
@sundogplanets That's great! What did you use?
@sundogplanets you are such a delightful person to follow. It brings me joy a Hope.