Coolio

Madelyn (4) chilling with Albert Einstein at the Griffith Observatory

About three weeks ago, Mark got a huge package in the mail from his brother James:

 It was a telescope!

 

 James was upgrading, so we bought his old one. He is so excited about having another amateur astronomer in the family. He hooked us up with everything we needed to get started, and more.

 

The kids just wanted to play in the box.

 

  

  

  

The tripod didn't arrive for a few more days, so Mark just set up a table outside to look at the moon for the first time:

 

(Can't get clear pictures when it's that dark out)

You can see some crazy detail of the moon's craters! It's blindingly bright looking through the lens...we need to get a filter to look at it better.

Then the tripod arrived (it is gigantic--my camera one wouldn't have been big enough) and Mark's been out in the backyard stargazing ever since. Last night around 11:00pm, something bright on the east horizon caught his eye:

 

Any guesses?

 

I hopped onto the Griffith Observatory Sky Report (we visit there nearly every time we go to California) to see what was visible in the sky this week.

It's JUPITER and the four Galilean moons! COOL, HUH!!!!! (This was the actual position of the moons when we saw them)
 

Maybe next time James upgrades telescopes, we'll inherit an even bigger one and be able to see the stripes like that. Can't wait.