The Closest Star

First off, if you haven't noticed or are not affected, Blogger is having sign-in issues for some users trying to leave comments. I'm one of those very fortunate affected users [yes, that was some sarcasm]. For some of you, there's just no way for me to comment until they fix the issue. If you don't allow name/URL in your comments, I can't comment at all, and if you don't have an e-mail linked to your blog profile, there's no way for me to get in touch with you. I hope Blogger fixes this glitch soon. It's driving me nuts. Yes, I tried the cleaning my cache thing. 4x. It didn't work.

Anyway, Libby, thanks for the shoutout on your blog. Such a fab addition to our corner of the blogosphere. So, right back at ya, Libby.

In other news, the doctor's office called yesterday. I don't have lyme's disease. Which means, I really was invaded by aliens then. What? See THIS POST.

This is opening weekend up at PMO. I'm excited about my fourth season as a star guide up at the observatory. I'm even happier that it's now official that I'll be here all summer and next summer. :D Yes, my life is no longer in flux. Happy dance over this way. Very happy dance.

To celebrate the holiday weekend, the start of summer here in the northern hemisphere, here are some sun-inspired videos I found.

The first was recently taken by the SOHO observatory. A comet hitting the Sun. This is pretty spectacular.




This one is a solar flare, which is just cool. Or, I should say 'hot'.




So, I'll be spending the weekend wrapped up in winter gear. Through June is usually the coldest up at the observatory. It sits at 6300 feet [Pine Mountain's summit is 6600], so it gets frigid once the sun sets. I'm usually outside with a smaller telescope. The constant wind makes it even colder. There's pretty much always wind. I'm a sick gal. I actually enjoy not feeling warm again until well into the next afternoon. It's very refreshing when it starts to heat up around here [usually after the 4th of July]. Orson Bradbury is excited, too [my telescope]. lol OK, not really. It's a telescope. It doesn't talk or anything. It'd be cool if it did.

Click on either photo to enlarge.



Looking toward the Cascades. Sunset at the summit.



My favorite photo of the Moon.
I took this last summer through my telescope.

Have any plans for the weekend?