Mythocentric

I've just had a look at them*** Andy and it puts my weedy 5 inch spotting scope to shame! Given the things they are capable of he'll probably have to use the bunker to house all the computers and image-processing gear and I can't see KL2 becoming a shelf layout somehow! Regards Bill *** I'm really, really jealous now! I think I'll go out and bite something!

New telescope Jeff - 11" aplanatic Schmidt-Cassegrain - (grits teeth and strongly resists Big Bang and Oooh! Has'n't He Got A Big One jokes!). Are you planning some form of observatory to house it, I'm thinking about that small shed of Patrick Moore's which he moved by simply picking it up*** and turning here, or is it light (and robust) enough to be assembled and dissasembled easily without damage? Regards Bill *** Ignore that bit! Given your construction methods it would probably be easier to move Jodrell Bank Main over "a couple of feet to the left"!

Luce Bay (South-West tip of Scotland) is another place where you can watch cloud formation in action. It surprises a lot of people to actually see them so low (high atmospheric pressure I think!). If you're out on one of the boats it sometimes feels like you could almost reach up and touch them! Of course, the best part is watching them head off towards Cumbria, rising as they go and this is what happens when they arrive... Undoubtedly one of the days Jeff was driving over to visit his Dad! I only hope he doesn't retaliate by slinging any of his nuclear rabbit deterrents at us now that he knows where all the rains coming from! It was cloudy but still very warm and sunny on the south side of the Bay! I must admit I caught this by pure accident. My mate had just retired and he wanted a photograph of his boat, which he'd just sold, as a keepsake. That lighting is superb though! Regards Bill

That's because the prevailing winds are south-south westerly Jeff. That means they Lakelander's get all our rain as well while we (usually) stay nice and dry! HeeHee! I have a picture to that effect which I'll post later if you don't mind! Regards Bill

Good to see you in action Iain. That's lovely modelling. The scale might be different but I doubt if anyone would argue about the skill on display! Regards Bill

Oh I don't know Stu! I can't see a sophisticated chap like Iain Robinson letting people of that ilk phase him out. He's no stranger to luxury himself you know! Last I heard he'd grown a privet hedge around the tin bath in the garden so all the family can bathe in privacy! Hello Iain! Congrats on 200,000+ posts and thank you for the ratings! Regards Bill

Not noctilucent clouds but I can get the ball rolling and start at the bottom (bart and fubble?). Cloud formation in action is a common sight over the Bay in summer (the hotter the better) as evaporation rises to form some quite sizable clouds. This example is just beginning it's journey inland on a light south-westerly breeze but beware still days when they can reach critical mass and produce a sudden, sometimes very heavy downpour for a whole 10 minutes before starting the process over. Regards Bill

Looks like Mother Nature has found her paintbox Peter. I've seen and photographed some beautiful sunsets around Morecambe Bay over the years but that is just sensational! Well done you for spotting it! Regards Bill

Saddened to hear the news about the deaths of mathematician John Nash and wife Alicia, both killed in a car crash on the New Jersey Turnpike. Reports say that he and his wife were thrown from a taxi when the driver lost control and hit a railing yesterday afternoon. A Nobel Prize winner, John Nash was the subject of the film ‘A Beautiful Mind’ starring Russell Crowe and depicted Mr. Nash’s fight against schizophrenia. Another hero lost! Regards Bill

There's a bloke on here by the name of Andrew P - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/98858-whittaker-st-western-region/- who we often tease about the speed with which he can build a layout. I think he's got some competition! What is amazing (scary?) is the way you both produce such consistently first class results in the process! Regards Bill

Hopeful news Jeff, but I wouldn't relax just yet! They can be crafty little bu@@ers... Regards Bill

Physicsman, on 23 May 2015 - 16:34, said: OK... so that's a test yes... we've got to work out where he's hiding in one of the last two pictures... Right behind Jeff I should imagine...look at the size of that bloomin' worm crawling across the grass! Regards Bill

You can apply a lot of superlatives to this but the most exciting thing for me is watching a familiar scene from my childhood slowly coming back to life, and all through the skills and dedication of one man! You're a hero Mister Heggs! Regards Bill

Never a truer word was spoken James. I love the sea and have spent a lot of time upon, below and besides her both in the Service and in my current home. I've also seen the results of getting it wrong or just plain ignoring the warnings, including one instance about 18 months ago when I helped recover the body of someone who had ignored the crew at the Lifeboat Station and went out across the mudflats for a spot of fishing. He turned up right across from the house some twelve hours later a couple of miles up the coast. It's something I've drummed into the kids time and time again. Yes it's nice to be beside or on the sea, but be very careful because she'll only ever give you one chance to get it wrong! To me the only difference between a teacher and yourself is that you're teaching people who are or should be already adult enough to understand the risks! Regards Bill

Sadly, I don't think enough people appreciate how much of themselves a teacher puts into their chosen vocation. Daughter Amanda (Sara's mum) is a Primary school teacher and she says that watching the clouds clear away and seeing that look on their faces and the light in their eyes as understanding sinks in is one of the greatest rewards you can have in life! She's right and so is every teacher who puts in the dedication and time for their pupils! Regards Bill P.S (again): Don't forget Yosemite Jeff, the pistol-packing terror of the Old West North East!

Hopefully in the form of the lovely Julia! Oh my Goodness! I sincerely hope you're not keeping R****T's in there Andrew P. Remember Jason's paella dish! Banning's the least of it! Regards Bill P.S. Aren't we also heading for collision with another galaxy sometime in the next 5 million years (about the same time as the sun enters it's final phase) Jeff? I'd have to consult my books but Alpha Centauri (probably wrong!) springs to mind. I hope I remember to cancel the milk!

OK! I did it for KL1 and KL2 (and very painful it was too!). So! Now that it's received Jeff's approval, we present the new, all-singing, all-dancing LUNESTER ASYLUM BADGE! Ta Daaah.... Just don't blame me if you ask Her Indoors to embroider it for you and you receive a negative response. They can do terrible things with a sewing needle.... Regards Bill

Well done that man! Now pay attention to Jeff and he'll soon have you up to speed! Don't forget they're still looking for a replacement for Patrick Moore and I'm pretty certain the coffee mug could soon become as familiar as the famous monocle! Regards Bill

Probably not Andy, but you should definitely take your shoes off! If he ever manages to do that without a nosebleed Jeff, I'll be the first to phone Britain's Got Talent! Bill Footnote: Call me slow if you will but I've just realised why Pink Floyd called that gadget they had in the early days which sent sound flying around the speakers an Azimuth Co-ordinator! Well! It was the 60's! Doh!

You are a terrible person Andrew P! Here's me waxing lyrical and you go all Bart and Fubble! One of the wonders of The Asylum folks! Wax lyrical if you must, but if you wax pedantic don't be surprised if someone (who shall remain nameless) comes along and gives you a great big metaphorical wedgie! If I didn't know he was real I'd swear he was one of Terry Pratchett's finest! Regards Bill

Blimey Jeff! That's a turn-up Guv! I'd forgotten about that one. Prompts me to see what I can come up with for the Asylum. I have some ideas but in order to preserve your peace of mind the White Rabbit will remain noticeably absent (That's a clue!). I'll send it along for your approval! Stargazing stuff: One of the reasons I spend so much time on the Stone Jetty, and not always fishing. My favorite spot is halfway along the new section on the east side, past the old lighthouse. After the lights go out (around midnight) and remote from the prom, on a (surprisingly frequent) clear night the view can only described as glorious! There's even a large compass laid out on the Jetty to help with direction. From there I have Cassiopeia directly in front and above and the Milky Way soon becomes visible. Turn left and I have The Great Bear, but I think my favorite is to my right (shorewards) and that little blob of light just below the belt in the Orion constellation, which is actually a 'nursery' of 'baby' stars around a million years old (with thanks to Patrick Moore!). No wonder our distant ancestors spent so much time looking upwards and outwards. I find inspiration for my work in many places, but the best source of all comes from simply raising my eyes above the horizon! Regards Bill

Now that is an experience Mick. Preferably one never to be repeated! I once paid for a Usenet account because a mate of mine told me there were some excellent music and art boards on there. There are, but they are more than offset by the rest! Bottom of the barrel, straight through and into places where the rabbits fear to dig! I gave up after a week because even my eyeballs were blushing, though I must admit Mankiniman would have been very popular in some quarters. At least Andy Y can rest safe in the knowledge that we are little angels by comparison. :heat: Regards Bill

Hi Andy! The M1 Abrams MBT...err...I mean Rabbitgon, only comes in one scale, i.e. Bl**dy enormous! It can however deal effectively with all pest problems up to a range of 2 miles, so they must be good! At least I've never seen RabbitGon and a rabbit in the same picture! I think we're in the same boat as far as astronomy goes. My sole experience consists of star-gazing during night-fishing sessions on the Stone Jetty (That's the secret of successful fishing at Morecambe, folks!) including a grandstand view of the Leonid's (?) meteor shower one weekend, and having the the privilege of seeing an almost-full transit of the International Space Station one night, though in keeping with the toilet humour, I almost crapped myself until I realised what it was. Well, the Jetty can be a very lonely place at night! Regards Bill

Morning Jeff! I have been known to indulge on occasions. In fact I'm heading for bed right after this post. (I don't know why because Lucy usually gets up around eight and likes to play 'lets bounce on Grandpa until he squeaks!'). Last night was an exception because I've been working on a poster for some friends of mine in New York to commemorate the destruction of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and I wanted to get it finished so that Emma can deliver it on her way home with the Gremlin! Astronomical stuff: I understand that the detailed photography achieved by modern spacecraft is because the camera equipment they use is a development of the equipment used by the SR-71 'Blackbird', which itself was far in advance of anything available at that time. I'm not 100% sure but I think the original concept came from Hasselblad way back in 1959! The SR-71 was capable of photographing a moving vehicle at an altitude of 80,000 feet with such detail that the licence plate was clearly legible. An amazing aircraft then and still is. Regards Bill

Sorry folks, but it's really quiet around here when the tiddlers asleep and I just couldn't resist... Regards Bill