Astronomy Group

[Ocean Girl]

I started an astronomy social group( Astronomy for Sailors), thought it would be a good place to discuss stars and interesting celestial happenings. We sailors tend to have the best view to the night sky.

I remember the first time I was shown the Southern Cross. I was cheek to cheek with an handsome South African on a deserted tropical beach, that is when my love for stargazing really took off . I have seen numerous satellites, shooting stars, also saw the space shuttle silhouetted againsts a starry black sky (very cool!).

Erika

[vintageray]

I gotta ask. How many have seen UFO's? Who better to see them than sailors?

[Ocean Girl]

Me me, but I cannot share, I was sworn to secrecy by the little green fellas. Scientist say we will have proof of Alien life within 25 years.
Erika

[Ocean Girl]

Welcome IWSteel to the group (we are a clan of 3!). Do ya know anything about the geomagnetic activity section on the great link you gave us?(SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids)

Could a severe storm interfere with compass course and such? or is my ignorance showing

[iwsteel]

E,
I have always held to the theory that(was pretty sure i invented it in 81 ha ha) that the iron core is inductively heated by the plasma bath the sun emits.....not internally driven as popular belief. But either way you are measuring flux lines with a compass. Many things can interfere locally since its such a small force(as another magnet or big ferrous metal in close proximity ). But untill the flux lines change via pole movement or distortion it should read true. I suppose a burst of solar energy could distort the field and skew the lines of force the compass measures throwing it off a bit. But the field is complex and between the north and south poles is just a fraction of the main inductive field. And then its kind of got a shroud where the plasma parts around us that interacts on the leading edge of the business end. i'll find a pic(ok i think its attatched) and the link. i just got a look at it once but thats what i remember. heres a good link USGS National Geomagnetism Program | Home another Magnetic Declination, Models, Data and Services | ngdc.noaa.gov heres the link with the neeto data http://hfradio.org/prop/realtime_mag...simulation.jpg Magnetic Field Simulation showing Solar Wind affect on Magnetosphere <---- It almost looks like an eye. I guess its like waves bashing your boat... her lines stay true till they dont.

Sorry so blabby but i find it interesting...the mechanics of it all.

But i'd say to answer about the compass readings...they probably wouldnt change much unless the compression zone on the windward side changed...that could cause a shift in the pole position. But its fairly constant. So it wouldnt affect it much. maybe about like mis-reading your declination chart? and adding a degree. Not sure how accurately the compass navigates and declination lines do change.

If a huge enough wind hit to cause the flux lines to change gps is going down for sure and it might even splash a satellite or two.

I prefer using the stars but you need an accurate clock....and good sun time sense of direction.

When i get lost i look for the big dipper.....in full pour position it spells IW..lol But i would like to see the Southern Cross and....... its a big moon tonight.

[iwsteel]

I assume if your within a degree? thats Close with a compass?

[iwsteel]

YouTube - Southern Cross : Crosby, Stills & Nash

[rebel heart]

I got a copy of Stellarium (free / open source). Awesome stuff. They have an ocean background that makes it really cool. I loved looking around last night.

Stellarium

[Ocean Girl]

IW,

- my deer in the headlight look. Uh, you do know I am blonde right?

When I read your link about solar storms I thought that maybe that could explain the weird behavior of a compass while offshore a few years back (and my wrist watch too). We had just chalked it up to Bermuda triangle stuff since we were in fact in the Bermuda triangle.
I guess the solar storms would more likely interfere with our gps rather than our more basic navigation tools..?
E

[stevensc]

Re video of Crosby Stills & Nash, wow, David Crosby was like a zombie! Still one of my all time favorite songs!
Steve

[Ocean Girl]

Originally Posted by stevensc

Re video of Crosby Stills & Nash, wow, David Crosby was like a zombie! Still one of my all time favorite songs!
Steve

probably cause that poor guy has gotta sing it twenty times a day, the woes of making one of the most perfect sailing songs ever.
Erika

[hummingway]

Perseid shower in the perfect darkness of Desolation Sound this year. Wow.

[paradix]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

IW,
When I read your link about solar storms I thought that maybe that could explain the weird behavior of a compass while offshore a few years back (and my wrist watch too). We had just chalked it up to Bermuda triangle stuff since we were in fact in the Bermuda triangle.
I guess the solar storms would more likely interfere with our gps rather than our more basic navigation tools..?
E

Yes, solar storms are more likely to interfere with GPS by taking out the electronics on a satellite or two...

Your compass behaviour was more likely caused by a local magnetic anomaly - perhaps you were sailing over a submerged shipping container full of stereo speakers at the time

[anotherT34C]

E,
I have always held to the theory that(was pretty sure i invented it in 81 ha ha) that the iron core is inductively heated by the plasma bath the sun emits.....not internally driven as popular belief.

If that were the case, wouldn't the Moon's core be hotter than the Earth's?

[iwsteel]

T34
Does the moon have an iron core?

Not sure how hot the moons core is.

But it would be shielded when behind the earth(from the sun) and out front other times.

I will look into it sometime. To tired now.