Starstruck

The moon is out and the SQM reading is 17.74 mag./sq. arcsec. In a couple of weeks it’ll be the dark of the moon, and perhaps I can get out to a dark sky site. Hope springs eternal!

During the Starfest weekend I was informed that this was the wettest summer on record for Toronto and environs, and I could well believe it — the drive down was delayed by torrential rain showers, and though I only slowed down, many drivers just pulled over to wait out the showers. There were further slowdowns [...]

Still feeling ill with a very bad cold, but as long as I don’t cough, everything is stable. Coughing, of course, is hell — I wind up with cramped muscles — but so far I can control things by breathing carefully. If worst comes to worse, someone will drive me home, so everything is in [...]

Today was supposed to be the start of Starfest for me, but I woke yesterday with a mild tickle in my throat which progressed during the day to the obvious beginnings of a summer cold. This morning I woke to a painful chest and throat, runny nose — the full-blown manifestation of the Dreaded Lhurgy. [...]

Starfest is one of the premier star parties in North America, and I count myself fortunate that it is within driving distance of my home. During the early years of Starfest its timing conflicted with a major Mac expo in Boston, but since that show moved to New York and died in the move, I’ve [...]

Shortly after 10 am yesterday my internet connection failed. I noticed right away, but I waited twenty minutes before contacting my ISP. Tech support there told me nothing was wrong, but after about forty minutes of struggle, I was able to convince them otherwise, and was passed on to ‘second tier’ tech support, from whom [...]