A quick thank you

Rather to my surprise,there ARE a few people subscribing to this. (Hi, Liv!) Honestly, I know it isn't the overwhelming quality of my images, but rather the fact that there is so much in the sky that is utterly breathtaking if not mind-blowing, and all of it is just beyond the reach of our eyes. I hope that people see that my reason for doing it was that I had to simply tell someone-anyone-how excited I am at finally getting that extra little boost in vision that lets me get a glimpse for myself. It's one thing to look at and admire professional images, but I never feel connected to them; they are abstract and unknowable, no matter how awe-inspiring. But somehow, seeing the same objects with my own eyes, even if I have to use some eye-enhancing tricks like storing photons with a camera, those objects are now part of MY universe, and I am part of theirs. After that, the professional pictures gain some reality as well.

So if you have subscribed, it is you doing me a service, not the other way around-I get to tell someone about the exciting things I see, which is as important as seeing them.

And if you have never actually looked through a scope before, then NOW is the time...Saturn is in prime viewing position right now, and for a "first object" nothing is better. Sure, you may know what it's rings look like, but when you actually SEE them...the sky changes forever, and you become part of the universe, not just part of the flat skin of one little rock.

If you don't have access to a scope or someone with one, email me with your location and I will find an astronomy club holding a star party near you-a large part of any astro club meeting is giving people their first looks.