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It seems incredibly clever - and I realise that I assumed they weren't aware of most planets since they're hard to see today, but I'm sure they were very notewo

• readthenotes1 4y ago
  Those planets are much easier to see without light pollution. All but Neptune* can be seen by the naked eye. (Shamelessly abusing the classification of Pluto as a dwarf planet here to exclude it from the conversation). Uranus: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/07/starwatch-opposition-is-a-chance-to-see-uranus-with-the-naked-eye https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/07/starwatch-op...
  • dmbche 4y ago
    You remind me that I wanted to book an airBnB in one of the parks near me, they have an observatory and as such the sky is legally required to be untainted - I haven't seen the milky way in almost 10 years, I can't imagine seeing the stars every night.
    • sammalloy 4y ago
      Before the light pollution got really bad where I live due to development, provided it wasn’t cloudy, I could see the Milky Way every night for about 15 years. Now, it’s gone due to lax rules and regulations due to commercial security light fixtures which throw light in all direction at night to deter thieves. It’s pretty upsetting, but even worse, most people I talk to don’t even notice it’s gone. That’s almost more disturbing that the light pollution. We’ve lost something that most people aren’t aware they lost in the first place.
      • deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
      • eru 4y ago
        Well, I've never seen the milky way in the sky with my own eyes.
        • dmbche 4y ago
          I highly recommend looking for a protected night sky zone near you and going to see it at least once - it really is nothing that pictures can translate! https://www.darksky.org/our-work/conservation/idsp/finder/ https://www.darksky.org/our-work/conservation/idsp/finder/
          • aledalgrande 4y ago
            Damn, nothing in Vancouver eh
            • dmbche 4y ago
              You can look around or call local park services, I'm seeing that Mont-Megantic, an observatory with federally peotected sky, isn't on their map. I'll look for a canadian ressource (for myself too!) Edit: I'm wrong, Mont-Megantic is the first International Dark Sky Reserve - they worked to get it protected federally because they research telescope design. Dang - I think they are quite rare. Maybe you can send an email to your local university's Astronomy department? I'm sure they'll be able to direct you to a good spot!
              • aledalgrande 4y ago
                https://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html https://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html I just found this, shows light pollution. Crazy how the East is much worse. Also Alberta?!?
                • dmbche 4y ago
                  That's nuts!!
                • boomboomsubban 4y ago
    • blacksqr 4y ago
      Imagine that before the industrial revolution, on clear moonless nights the Milky Way would cast a shadow.
  • thaumasiotes 4y ago
    Uranus is not visible to the eye in any meaningful sense.
    • eru 4y ago
      https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/07/starwatch-opposition-is-a-chance-to-see-uranus-with-the-naked-eye https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/07/starwatch-op... has some background. I would mostly agree with you.
      • thaumasiotes 4y ago
        That link was already in the comment I responded to. And it doesn't even say that you should expect to be able to see it.
  • pgreenwood 4y ago
    I wish you luck seeing Uranus with the naked eye. It might have appeared on some ancient charts misclassified as a star, perhaps. But we credit Herschel with the identifcation as a planet in 1781, over 150 years after the invention of the telescope. Source: Years of observations from bortle 1 skies when I knew exactly where to look.
    • readthenotes1 3y ago
      Not in today's skies, not with my eyes. But in the time before cell phones, internet, tv, radio, electric lights, or bound books, with nothing better to do at night but look at the sky and listen to your neighbor pleasuring their spouse ... I think the odds improve greatly.
• fatneckbeard 4y ago
  it's like if we had the same TV show every night for our whole life, i think we would start to notice some patterns
  • throwaway290 4y ago
    TV show that rained fireballs at your ancestors at random intervals...
    • devsda 4y ago
      It's funny and terrifying at the same time imagining our tv throwing fireballs randomly while watching it. Thanks for the chuckle.
      • throwaway290 4y ago
        The kind of show that really makes you pay attention!