[AZ-Observing] Re: specks flying in formation
- From: "Jennifer Polakis" <m24@xxxxxxx>
- To: <AZ-Observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 14:12:06 -0700
Tom worked out the trigonometry while I studied up on the Pacific Flyway.
The math proofed it impossible for them to be my hoped for Sandhill Cranes
flying in to the Bosque del Apache by Moto's house in NM ~350 miles away.
But there's a good chance they were Canadian Geese deciding Roosevelt Lake
was a tad too warm and a bit spoiled by motor boats. After thanking their
hosts for the much needed rest and food, they pointed their great flying V
toward the Chiricahua Mountains with hopes of a winter-over with that other
Canadian, Jack Newton, at the Sky Village.
I knew all along in my heart of hearts that they couldn't possibly be the
stupid-arse pigeons flying over to Tempe Public Library to feign an interest
in literature while using the building for another purpose like they tend to
do. They couldn't even discern a Les Paul from a pile of accordions!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brent A Archinal" <barchinal@xxxxxxxx>
To: <AZ-Observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <barchinal@xxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2006 11:23 AM
Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: specks flying in formation
Jenn -
If you could make some estimate of how big the "specks" were relative to
the size of the Moon (e.g. 1/100th the diameter?), and used an estimated
size for a goose, it shouldn't be too hard knowing the Moon's diameter
(~30') and altitude in the sky to use trig to figure out a ballpark
estimate for their height (left as an exercise to the reader of course).
Anyway, my understanding is that such sightings are extremely common.
Amateur astronomers in general may not see this often though as few spend
that much time observing the Moon - well, except during occultations like
this one. However, I have had read somewhere that birdwatchers routinely
monitor the Moon all night at various times in the Fall (particularly when
full of course) to get an estimate on bird migration numbers. Yes, they
multiply the number of birds seen by the area of the sky/area of the Moon!
- Brent
----- Forwarded by Brent A Archinal/GD/USGS/DOI on 10/11/2006 11:12 AM
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From: "Jennifer Polakis" <m24@xxxxxxx>
Subject: specks flying in formation
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 14:14:16 -0700
Last night when we were watching the Pleiades get occulted, I noticed
specks flying across the Moon. At first just one or two here and there I
discounted them as floaters or dust or something, but they were soon
followed by an entire gaggle ~maybe 30 or so in the standard V formation
but still nothing more than just specks. I noticed a few more stragglers
after that. So, I'm thinking probably some migrating geese or cranes? Did
anyone else notice? We were using about 100x. If they were geese flying in
front of the Moon, how far away do you think they were?
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