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Post by The Brigadier on Oct 9, 2024 18:46:33 GMT
My car that broke down in Switzerland has arrived in my garage in Germany. Bad news- it is totaled. It would be a hassle to even get the parts to fix it, not to mention it would be very expensive. Since we are understaffed again at work, I cannot even go to the garage before Friday to pick up all the stuff I left in that car (like all my SCUBA equipment, which I hope is still present, the sleeping beauties working at the garage told me "well, we have not looked if there was stuff in the car", go figure). So, oh joy! I now have to look for a new car. We will see how that will work out. Ah ****. As the owner of a twelve year old Renault Clio I feel your pain. Keeping my fingers crossed that your Scuba gear made the journey over the border…and that you find a four wheeled alternative soon. |
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Post by number13 on Oct 9, 2024 21:03:11 GMT
Stop me if you've heard this one recently...
but there's been another major solar flare, pointing straight at the Earth this time, and the forecasts are for a G4 Geomagnetic storm (on a scale of 1-5 so 4 is very high) from sunset across Europe tomorrow, Thursday 10th, continuing through the night and still going strong when evening comes across the Americas. The aurora could be visible a long way south. Probably not as bright as it was in May, that was a once in several decades level event, but could be good.
The forecast says 'G4 (Severe) levels is likely with G5 (Extreme) levels possible'. As always there's a degree of finger-crossing to be done, but worth keeping an eye on this.
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Post by aussiedoctorwhofan on Oct 10, 2024 4:08:58 GMT
www.supanova.com.au/guests/anthony-daniels/So the prices for Adelaide Supanova have just been released. To meet "C-3PO" Autograph $200 Photograph $215 This Is The Droid You're Looking For Specialty Pass $515 This is in Aussie dollars.. AUD $415 for a simple photo and autograph! As much as I would love to.. Nope..
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 10, 2024 6:55:54 GMT
Stop me if you've heard this one recently...
but there's been another major solar flare, pointing straight at the Earth this time, and the forecasts are for a G4 Geomagnetic storm (on a scale of 1-5 so 4 is very high) from sunset across Europe tomorrow, Thursday 10th, continuing through the night and still going strong when evening comes across the Americas. The aurora could be visible a long way south. Probably not as bright as it was in May, that was a once in several decades level event, but could be good.
The forecast says 'G4 (Severe) levels is likely with G5 (Extreme) levels possible'. As always there's a degree of finger-crossing to be done, but worth keeping an eye on this.
Would be awesome. If it wasn`t for 100% cloud cover and rain over here.
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 10, 2024 6:57:13 GMT
www.supanova.com.au/guests/anthony-daniels/So the prices for Adelaide Supanova have just been released. To meet "C-3PO" Autograph $200 Photograph $215 This Is The Droid You're Looking For Specialty Pass $515 This is in Aussie dollars.. AUD $415 for a simple photo and autograph! As much as I would love to.. Nope.. Go at least see his panel. One of the best, if not THE best, panel I have ever seen. Very interactive and he is walking through the audience, chatting with people like they are friends.
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Post by aussiedoctorwhofan on Oct 10, 2024 7:03:53 GMT
www.supanova.com.au/guests/anthony-daniels/So the prices for Adelaide Supanova have just been released. To meet "C-3PO" Autograph $200 Photograph $215 This Is The Droid You're Looking For Specialty Pass $515 This is in Aussie dollars.. AUD $415 for a simple photo and autograph! As much as I would love to.. Nope.. Go at least see his panel. One of the best, if not THE best, panel I have ever seen. Very interactive and he is walking through the audience, chatting with people like they are friends.
So in Euro it's $256. In USA dollars its $280 in UK dollars it's $214
We will definitely try to make it to his panel 
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Post by number13 on Oct 10, 2024 9:20:56 GMT
Stop me if you've heard this one recently... but there's been another major solar flare, pointing straight at the Earth this time, and the forecasts are for a G4 Geomagnetic storm (on a scale of 1-5 so 4 is very high) from sunset across Europe tomorrow, Thursday 10th, continuing through the night and still going strong when evening comes across the Americas. The aurora could be visible a long way south. Probably not as bright as it was in May, that was a once in several decades level event, but could be good.
The forecast says 'G4 (Severe) levels is likely with G5 (Extreme) levels possible'. As always there's a degree of finger-crossing to be done, but worth keeping an eye on this.
Would be awesome. If it wasn`t for 100% cloud cover and rain over here.
It's not only us then! It's been raining heavily on and off for about two weeks here, but finally the forecast is good and we should have a clear night tonight. It's still too early to see the comet from the ground, but here it is from space passing the sun, with the huge flares that could be bringing us an aurora...
(I've not inserted the GIF directly as it's a 46Mb movie from the current last few days and I'm thinking of peoples' bandwidth and download on mobiles! But it's well worth seeing. These movies update automatically, so it will show the solar environment now, whenever 'now' is.)
(VERY IMPORTANT NOTE to all readers: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!
Looking for objects close to the sun is not only incredibly dangerous - the sun can blind you, permanently, but also virtually impossible from the ground. For the comet, wait until Friday 11th onwards AFTER SUNSET.)
Lots more amazing solar views from the SOHO satellite at |
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Post by fitzoliverj on Oct 10, 2024 16:17:21 GMT
Good news! 5USA is to start showing the US series "Blindspot" from Saturday. I enjoyed this the first time round, but we only got the first series on 'proper' television, so hopefully Channel 5 are going to show all five series.
Bad news! They're showing 2 or 3 (mostly 3) episodes a night. Every day. Including weekends. The first week alone there's seventeen episodes. I don't have the space on my digibox!
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Post by number13 on Oct 10, 2024 20:13:55 GMT
Hi everyone, quick update. That aurora is happening right now 21.00 BST and is visible as far south as the south of England. It's not spectacular but you can see a pale green glowing band low in the north, if your sky is dark & clear enough.
Try 'night mode' or similar on your phone camera and it will probably show better than you can see it visually.
If activity is constant (it won't be) the peak should be around 11 pm local time which is local 'magnetic midnight'.
Good luck. 
You can see the professional data here. Higher peaks on the graph are better! (For reference that big aurora in May was a K index of 9+ !) :
UPDATE: For about 15 mins around 10 pm there was visible red and on the camera, lots of red rays. Wow. Two 'big ones' in one year! The display is quieter now but it's not over yet so I'm freezing my nose off at the window, just in case... |
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Post by number13 on Oct 11, 2024 0:17:01 GMT
The sky over England turned red and green at local midnight!! Far brighter than the aurora I saw earlier in the evening and the show isn't over yet, it's just moving west. WOW.
Conditions appear perfect with a big southward shift in the magnetic field.
If any of our members anywhere in the US/Canada are reading this and have clear skies, look north this evening. The aurora could appear very far south indeed if this keeps up. (In May they saw it in Puerto Rico!)
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Post by relativetime on Oct 11, 2024 7:47:42 GMT
Feeling too anxious to sleep, so it's going to be a rough night for me.
Again.
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Post by The Brigadier on Oct 11, 2024 11:48:08 GMT
Tipping the hat in the direction of number13 for all the Aurora updates. Found myself outside with my daughter at 10pm last night gawping at the red light display above our heads through our mobile phones and getting childishly excited at what we were seeing. And considering the British weather when these celestial events happen, I'm thrilled I actually got to see it! 🤩 |
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Post by number13 on Oct 11, 2024 11:57:40 GMT
Tipping the hat in the direction of number13 for all the Aurora updates. Found myself outside with my daughter at 10pm last night gawping at the red light display above our heads through our mobile phones and getting childishly excited at what we were seeing. And considering the British weather when these celestial events happen, I'm thrilled I actually got to see it! 🤩 A salute from the Brig! Very pleased you enjoyed it, I've seen only 6 aurorae this big in the last 40 years and two of them have been this year.
It was an amazing night and clear across most of England I think, which is even more amazing after recent weeks and 300% rainfall totals for September.
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 11, 2024 17:24:43 GMT
Feeling too anxious to sleep, so it's going to be a rough night for me. Again. Sending you big hugs! |
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 11, 2024 17:26:59 GMT
The sky over England turned red and green at local midnight!! Far brighter than the aurora I saw earlier in the evening and the show isn't over yet, it's just moving west. WOW.
Conditions appear perfect with a big southward shift in the magnetic field.
If any of our members anywhere in the US/Canada are reading this and have clear skies, look north this evening. The aurora could appear very far south indeed if this keeps up. (In May they saw it in Puerto Rico!)
I am very happy for you that you got to see the event! I actually was outside in the evening, and there were gaps in the clouds, but of course not where the aurora was happening. And then it started raining again.
THANK YOU very much for keeping us updated, will also keep a lookout for the comet, hope the comet will be around next week, because for the whole weekend, enduring rain has been forecast.
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 11, 2024 17:34:53 GMT
So today was the day...
decided on a new car.
It will again be an Opel (German budget car brand) and I am going to buy a "newer" one (2 years old) and it will have warranty for repairs till end of 2026.
I hope this will keep away yearly expensive repairs.
Yes, I could have gotten an older and cheaper car, but I have seen in the past years, that "older and cheaper" cars are surprisingly expensive also.
Sadly, buying a new car will put a HUGE dent into my finances.
My parents are giving me a loan, but I will have to pay them back over the next years. Just when I had paid back all my loans..... GROAN. (see what I did there?)
This means, I am on a VERY strict money saving regime now.
No more unnecessary purchases.
No more concerts.
No more "fun" things.
I have already paid hotel and tickets for the concert where I am going to tomorrow (Windrose and Powerwolf in Frankfurt), and I have paid for the Doctor Who convention.... and I might justify to have a picture taken with Katy Manning, but sadly, this is it for the time being.
Oh well.
What can you do.
At least I am looking forward to the Metal concert tomorrow and the convention end of the month (even if I cannot spend any money there).
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Post by number13 on Oct 11, 2024 19:42:50 GMT
The sky over England turned red and green at local midnight!! Far brighter than the aurora I saw earlier in the evening and the show isn't over yet, it's just moving west. WOW.
Conditions appear perfect with a big southward shift in the magnetic field.
If any of our members anywhere in the US/Canada are reading this and have clear skies, look north this evening. The aurora could appear very far south indeed if this keeps up. (In May they saw it in Puerto Rico!)
I am very happy for you that you got to see the event! I actually was outside in the evening, and there were gaps in the clouds, but of course not where the aurora was happening. And then it started raining again.
THANK YOU very much for keeping us updated, will also keep a lookout for the comet, hope the comet will be around next week, because for the whole weekend, enduring rain has been forecast.
Thanks, and you're welcome! Our weather for the next week looks useless for comet-watching, not wet like we've been having but cloudy in the evenings. The comet will be around for weeks in the evening sky, getting fainter of course but hopefully still good later this month and without bright moonlight by then.
It has been seen this evening in Europe, not spectacular yet but not difficult with binos even though still very low down. I looked for it but guess where the one cloudy part of the sky was? 
Here's a view from Slovakia:
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 12, 2024 9:36:50 GMT
Well, I had been up last night till 3am because I played the amazing "Detroit- Become Human" (still on sale on STEAM right now, very much recommended, get it!, it is a science fiction MASTERPIECE).
What an emotional journey, I did not even notice the time pass.
Wow, just wow.
Completely dragged me away from my petty little problems in real life.
Now I will do some chores and then hop into my hired car to drive to Frankfurt to see the Windrose / Powerwolf concert (Power Metal) tonight.
I wish a good weekend to all of you.
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Post by number13 on Oct 13, 2024 11:49:18 GMT
I saw the comet! With binoculars and then (just) without, and got an image. In very clear skies after rain and at a good location.
It's about how I expected it to look at this stage, not easy to see yet, still very low down in the bright twilight and definitely wouldn't be spotted 'casually' from the UK yet. Further south where it was higher up in a darker twilight sky, probably. Views should improve a lot for all of us as it quickly moves out from the sun this week, although the moon will be bright for another week or so.
One thing - the media should know better and while I'm never surprised by online tat, this includes the BBC who used to have standards! Despite their silly 'news' pieces, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is not in any way, shape or form "The Comet of the Century" and was never going to be. (Comet McNaught gestures dismissively from January 2007 for starters - that one had colossal multiple tails and was much brighter, albeit only from the southern hemisphere.) And with 3/4 of the century left to run, full of as-yet-unknown comets, it's a daft thing to say anyway! Can they forecast the future? 
But it will be a rather nice comet later this week, despite the moonlight (take binoculars and sensible expectations), and maybe even better when the moon pushes off and we can see the comet high up in a properly dark sky. |
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Post by tuigirl on Oct 13, 2024 12:22:32 GMT
I had a fantastic time at the concert last night.
Bands were Wind Rose (they are always good fun and full of energy), Hammerfall (who are NOT my thing) and of course Powerwolf, who are known for their fun and engaging live shows full of pyrotechnics. Attila (vocals) and Falk (piano / organ) act as a comedy duo, a bit like Stan & Ollie. This time, Falk was burned at the stake (with real flames) and his piano went up in flames. One of my personal highlights is the flame-spouting church organ on stage.
I know, comedy metal is hated with passion by some people, but it is very much up my alley.
Since I am having this discussion with my religious dad, Powerwolf is NOT a satanic band- in real life, Falk even collects historic bibles. It is all fun and games (although, I am aware that some people need to have the terms "comedy", "allegory" and "metaphor" explained to them). However, the band tries to point out and raise awareness for sexual misconduct and abuse in the church, as well as for crimes like witch burnings and the crusades.
Sadly, only few cosplayers were there, I only counted 5 (!!) cosplayers, which was disappointing. Germans are boring, there were tons of cosplayers during the US tour! Last night, we were 2 werewolves (including me) and a bishop with 2 nuns, and we went and posed with people in the breaks to add to the fun.
This was a very much needed boost for my mood- I just get a lot of positive energy and vibes out of making people smile and laugh. I think I posed with 40 or more people, and even more people gave me a thumps up or said that they loved my werewolf costume.
Mission accomplished.
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