The Moon is Waxing Crescent (23% of Full)
| Civil Twilight: | 7:09 AM PST | Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent Moon  |
| Sunrise: | 7:40 AM PST | |
| Sunset: | 5:17 PM PST | |
| Civil Twilight: | 5:48 PM PST |
The Full Moon this month is called the Harvest Moon.
The Hopi Indians called it the Feasting Moon.
Selling the Night Sky...
An Observatory astronomer here once had a great idea for making a fast buck. He'd nab a copy of the city's list of fire hydrants and sell them one at a time to anyone who'd send him a check for $50. He'd promise to name a plug after anyone whose check didn't bounce, and then send that person a lovely certificate and a map with the location of the hydrant on it. Then, he'd file his 'Fireplug Registry' with the Library of Congress just to make it really good and official.
Needless to say, much to his wife's regret, this fellow is still an astronomer and hasn't yet moved to the south of France. John Houseman is famous for saying that to make something really big, you must earn it the old-fashioned way, with hard work. In his case, he was talking about money. But it works that way in astronomy, too. Long nights at the business end of a telescope aren't a myth. Immortality isn't easy. So, it is particularly distressing lately to see the unsuspecting public taken by these 'star' dealers who, after exacting a fairly hefty price, promise to name a star after you.
These dealers promise to 'record' your star in an 'official star registry', that henceforth that star will be known by 'your name', and that a 'starchart' will show up in the mail which will point to the exact location of your star. The 'star chart' part of the deal is true. We know, because dozens of you show up at the Observatory with your charts asking for a peek at 'your star'. The truth is, no one is ever going to call SAO11392 by the name Rufus Q. Fishynoggin, or any other name for that matter.
There are billions of stars out there. The brightest of these were known to the ancients, and the names they gave to them are the popular names we still use today. The fainter stars are being given catalog numbers which are recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), an internationally sanctioned consortium of the world's astronomers. The 'official registry' spoken of by the dealers (and by the way, there are several, so 'your star' may have as many names as there are dealers) is presumably kept nowhere but in their own offices. It is neither recognized by the IAU nor the Library of Congress (which has issued its own release on thissubject), nor any other Observatory, including us.
A friend of mine once told me he wouldn't know a constellation from a prune danish. Someone else said that he thought the Big Dipper was a pothole somewhere on Route 66. It seems many of you are functionally illiterate when it comes to the night sky. But it's certainly nothing to be ashamed of (they don't teach it in most schools, and most newspapers only carry astrology columns - definitely not the same thing). But there are ways in which anyone can become familiar with the night sky.
Sky Publishing Corp. in Massachusetts, the same folks who publish Sky and Telescope Magazine, produce a marvelous little gizmo (those clever Yankees) which will give you a current picture of the night sky once you dial in the date and time. We call it a Star Wheel. And it's easy to read, not something you have to stand on your head with in order to understand the projection. It isn't fancy - made of cardboard, it neither lights up nor whistles Twinkle, Twinkle, but it is something particularly handy. I've had mine for years, and find it indispensable in writing this newsletter. It'll even give you a fairly good approximation of when a particular constellation is due to rise - so should you, for instance, find yourself pining for Orion, you'll find that he rises just after midnight this time of year. They are good for latitudes between 30 degrees to 40 degrees.*
In an earlier column I wrote about how living in Yachats during the summer is like being in a marathon. The season starts slow then moves along at a brisk pace with lots of visitors in the area and lots of people passing through town.
There is action in the air and the energy is apparent. Sounds of activity at night, people frolicking on the beach, crowds in the restaurants and pubs and lines at the grocery store. Then magically after Labor Day "The Change" occurs. For those of us who live in Yachats it's a given that Labor Day is the end of the summer vacation season.
However for newcomers to the area the sudden quiet and lack of people can seem odd and perhaps a bit disconcerting. Instead of hearing traffic on the highway the sound of the ocean becomes the noise of the night. You can find a table at a restaurant with ease and shopping is a breeze.
Perhaps it's my imagination but things suddenly slow down. It's as if someone shifted gears and we're all moving a bit slower. On the other hand after Labor Day the number of large RV's migrating towards the south increases but that is usually during daylight hours. When the kids go back to school the older folks come out to play!
Occasionally we are doubly lucky after Labor Day because the weather stays nice. We had a small storm but since Labor Day it's been great to be outside in the evening enjoying the scenery and quiet calm. The weekends still have a plethora of activities for locals and visitors alike like the Sunday Farmers Market at the Yachats Commons and this year there have been a lot of folks from the valley visiting and enjoying things.
In reality the time right after Labor Day is a wonderful time to take a vacation in Yachats. The crowds are gone, the weather is Indian Summer like and you never have to experience the hustle of summer visitors who are in a hurry to enjoy their time off and sometimes move at the speed of light and act like they are in the center of an urban city with a lots of hustle and bustle.
Now I'm suggesting the "The Change" is taking place in Yachats and I'd also suggest if you like the serenity and beauty of the what they call the Gem of the Oregon Coast now is a great time to come visit Yachats!!
To reach Rick Schultze email: yarick@pioneer.net
Todays Fortune !
There is no time like the pleasant.
