A Typical+ Evening

Last night was a typical evening. But with atypical results.

I’m in the hot tub 2 or 3 evening each week. It’s very nice to relax and just look at the stars. Especially during the colder winter months.

I usually check out Heavens-Above to see what satellites are going to pass over as well.

Heavens-Above . . . . . Kind of sounds like a cult doesn’t it?

If you like to look at stars, comets, satellites – that’s the site to use.

So, my plan was to finish a movie on DVD; watch NCAA basketball; take a break and spend some time in the hot tub and maybe see a satellite; at some point fix my lunch for work Friday; and probably head to bed around 10 PM or so.

Checking Heavens-Above I saw that 3 bright satellites would come over in about a 30 minute period, the TRMM, the ATV and the ISS.

First, I’m watching the NCAA basketball games which started just after 7 PM. Then around 8:30 I went outside and hopped in the tub (with a glass of Pellegrino mineral water).

It was so clear that when the TRMM came over, I also saw another much fainter satellite at the same time. That was cool.

So I’m watching planes and waiting for the ATV and ISS when a really bright meteor streams across from west to east. This sucker was bright with a varying and multi colored fireball. Since it was west to east – it may have been a small piece of space debris.

So I’m sitting there thinking, wow, that was so cool.

Then, the ATV comes into view (low to the south and west) and shortly behind it is the ISS.

After all this, I was just laying back in the hot tub thinking how cool life can be sometimes. A nice clear evening with a great show in the skies – and good NCAA basketball to watch when I go back inside.

I was even wondering if airline pilots get to see meteors on a regular basis while flying?

When just like that – bam! Another meteor. Just as big and as bright as the earlier one - this time going south to north.

Evenings like this just don’t happen every day. Serendipitous evenings like this happen maybe once a year - or two – or three.

I usually see a meteor about once a week. They’re there – you just have to be outside watching – a lot (like in a hot tub).

But bright ones like these 2 are rare.

All in one night in about a 30 minute time period with extra bright visible passes from satellites.

It may sound simplistic – but evenings like this just knock my socks off.

I live out in the middle of nowhere – with a long commute to work – and it’s a pain to go grocery shopping or to movies and such – but overall, life in the country isn’t too bad at all.

Boring Movie

Earlier I finished watching Atonement.

And I thought The English Patient was overrated and boring . . . . . .