Whats your best astronomical moment?

Geeze Frank, you sure do pick 'em!

Just trying to entertain myself Seanie!

Hey!
I sad one moment!

Two Total Solar Eclipses (Ceduna, Australia 2002 and Manavgat, Turkey 2006), and one 97% eclipse from SW London in 1999.

On the 2002 eclipse trip we visited the Stockport Observatory of the Astronomical Association of South Australia where one of the locals showed me 47 Tucanae through a 15" Dob. It is quite the most amazing sight I have ever seen through a 'scope, a real "It's full of stars" moment.

The best moment this year of course was the March 3rd Lunar Eclipse, although Comet Holmes runs it a very, very close 2nd.

It's hard to decide between a solar eclipse and seeing comet Hyakutake spread across over 30 degrees of the sky.

Bart.

Total Solar Eclipse

The Total Solar Eclipse on March 29th 2006, Libya. The location was on the plateau roughly half way between Tobruk and Al Jaghbub and the sky was perfect. Unfortunately, despite the 4 minutes of darkness there wasn't a Guinness in sight

the 2005 Solar Eclipse

... I presume that's a typo Seanie :lol: :lol: :lol:

For me I guess it has to be a two-way tie between a total solar eclipse and a major aurora display (sorry Al, I was itching to mention the latter )

Each total solar eclipse has been different and particular phenomena stand out. Totality in 2006 is remembered for how the horizon colours -- and cloud banks out to sea -- were painted stunning stunning hues of orange, saffron, pink, and every other shade that end of the colour spectrum. The 1999 event had a spectacular detacted prominence with many others visible to the unaided eye. In Zimbabwe in 2002 it was the generous way people talked first-time umbraphiles through what to see during totality.

The aurora display of 8 November 1991 has yet to be bet. It was the most dynamic northern light show I have ever seen and multicoloured rays constantly rose from the horizon to burst in pulses overhead like strobe lights. At one stage the display was so intense that I could clearly see my shadow on the ground.

When I look back over 20 years of observing I often find the celestial highlights that really stand out are those observable with nothing more than the unaided eye. Meteor showers, comets, eclipses, the Milky Way from an incredibly dark site, aurora, and more -- all belie the opinion that you need a telescope to do astronomy.

atb,

John