Mars

[IainH]

In my youth I had a decent 60mm telescope. It got me an "A" in high school physics, not least because it was better than the one the school owned. In Alaska there we different things to see, but when we moved back down to Oklahoma, more of the planets were visible. I can recall spending hours gazing at Jupiter, for example. Even with Mars, I could see enough to note the orange color and some of the dark spots. I gave it to my father-in-law shortly before he had to quit work, so he got more use out of it than I did.

I've been up to Palomar, too, Iain. Drove up late in the day. Looked back down and saw the city in darkness while we stood in the late sun. It was closed that day, but we enjoyed the scenery well enough.

   I remember the twisty road to the top, cousin Roger had a sweet Nissan 280zx and it was the only time he ever used the great handling and zip of that, now classic sports car. Roger was then and still is a tight gluteus maximus but, he's blood so I would offer succor. I'm the only one in my family with any inkling of true Biblical living, which makes me clan chieftain by default.