March 29th post.

Well, I think it's March 29th. First things first, I changed the title of my blog. The other title was just too long and pretentious (not really, but I love 10 cent words.) This title fits me more, and it doesn't have that implied framework about what to write about. In short, I gave myself a little more creative freedom.

This was the week after spring break, which means I got the grades back from all my midterms. I got an A on everything, which is the first time since I don't know, my second semester of college. This is particularly pleasing since I'm in grad school under a provisional status, thus meaning that I had better get good grades if I want to continue going to grad school. I'm not particularly a bad student, it's just that I have a hard time concentrating on subjects that I find particularly dull. This semester, none of my classes are particularly dull, in fact this is my favorite semester that I've ever taken. Maybe I have ADHD or something, I don't know, but it doesn't seem to matter right now.

I guess I should've been working towards becoming a teacher from the beginning. Though, considering the challenging science curriculum I previously had to deal with, I think that I am better prepared for grad school than had I started off working on my education degree. I guess everything works out, in that the worthless science degree that I had to bust my hump for is not as worthless as previously thought.

I guess the other aspect of all of this is that I'm actually working towards doing something that I really want to do. With the biology degree, the degree itself was my goal. Now with becoming a teacher, I am working towards a profession, and especially a profession in which everybody I know think that I am particularly well suited for. I love to talk, I love to listen and I love to help people out. None of my prior quality assurance jobs or science positions tapped into those qualities that are most prevalent in my personality. Quite honestly, the laboratory seems to be one place in which my inquisitive and verbal nature seems to fail me the most. It's ironic to me that the science that I love so much is at such odds with my personality. I can't remember where I read that the perfect career is where one's natural talents intersect with the needs of society, but that certainly seems to be the point in my case. I am finally going to be able to share my love of biology in a way that's not going to get me fired (hopefully) by being a teacher, which is a very important role to play in our society.

February 17th Astronomy Observations

Spring time is astronomy time! I have two telescopes, a Meade ETX-90 and and a Celestron Newtonian reflector. The ETX is what I'm using currently, as the Celestron is sitting in the basement of my parents' house in St. Louis. Anyway, I can't remember if the Celestron is 4.5 inches or 6 right now, but that's neither here nor there, because it's not being used.

Anyway, my ETX setup is pretty nice and portable. I like it because I can throw it in the trunk of the car any night that the observing looks to be potentially good and head out.
Here's the lowdown on my setup:

Meade ETX-90, with an Autostar computer and aluminum field tripod. (I use it primarily in Az/Alt configuration)

Rigel Systems Quickfinder

DewZapper Dew Shield

Meade 4000 series 12.4mm Plossl, 26mm Plossl and 32mm Plossl.
TeleVue 40mm Plossl and 3X barlow

Orion UltraBlock Nebula Filter

I have a Celestron 26mm Plossl, 2x Barlow and some various filters back is St. Louis with my other telescope.

Meade erecting prism for terrestrial viewing.

So, back to the main subject of this post, I took my telescope out last night for some observing at Perry Lake State Park here in Kansas. With little regard for the Clear Sky Clock that predicted horrible observing conditions, I made the 30 mile drive out to my favorite observing spot. Having recently updated my Autostar computer, I felt the need to try out the new and improved features, and it was nice out anyway so I figured why not?

Well, it was beautiful out. I haven't seen so many stars since I was out to sea years ago, and it was the first time I've seen the Milky Way in that long too. Saturn was very nice and bright, a perfect target for using my new Barlow. I could really see the shadow of the rings cast across the face of the planet. The Orion Nebula was awesome as usual, as were a few star clusters I randomly came across. I guess if I'm going to document my observing sessions, that I'm going to have to be more specific, but this is really only preliminary.

The UltraBlock is pretty interesting. It's not really designed for a scope with as small as an aperture as mine since it diminishes alot of the light coming in. But I used it while observing The Great Orion Nebula with the 40mm Plossl, and though it takes some getting used to, it really helps to show how huge that nebula is. Without the filter, the nebula appears to look like a small white fuzzy cloud surrounding some stars. With the filter, a huge green smear filled the eyepiece. It really does do what it's advertised to do, though I'm going to have to wait a while before I can utilize it to it's full capacity by using it in conjunction with a larger aperture telescope.

The TeleVue 40mm Plossl eyepiece is also absolutely amazing. It costs quite a bit more than similar offerings by larger telescope manufacturers, but in my opinion, it's worth every last cent. Absolutely sharp images from center to edge, it's like I'm not even looking through an eyepiece, but rather straight into the depths of space itself.

I ended up leaving early though, since I heard something walking around in the field next to me. It sounded bipedal, not the scurrying sound of coyotes or deer, so I figured better safe than sorry and packed up my gear and got the hell out of Dodge. I figured at worst that someone was taking a night stroll in the woods or something, but I really wasn't in the mood with dealing with anyone if it was. It was probably an animal I'm sure, but when you're out in the middle of nowhere without anyone knowing exactly where you are, the last thing you need is some sort of drunken surprise stumbling up on you.

A brief introduction

Anyone who may come across this blog may wonder what's the meaning of the title. Well, systematics is basically the science of classification. What this has to do with my blog is that I'm planning to write on a myriad of subjects, all pertaining to my experiences in life. (Isn't that what blogging is about anyway?) But I intend to focus on a few subjects, probably, though who knows, perhaps it will be up to the reader to try to discern the real intent and purpose of a seemingly random posting of events, opinion and reviews. Anyway, the systematics part is really implying that there will be some purpose, some classification, upon which to base the following parts. Okay, philosophy aside, I just thought it was a great sounding title. I mean, would anyone be interested something that went along the lines of "Beer, telescopes and the meaning of life?" Actually, maybe they would; I think that I'm going to change my title to reflect this.

Anyway, welcome to my blog. Hopefully I can come up with something interesting enough to be read by someone other than my cat.