2 am with coffee and dogs

Zenji's internal chronometer went off at 2 am this morning...again.  She's getting back to normal but I need to find a way to reset her clock.  I am a morning person but 2 am is a bit early.

Today kicks off another week of online classes. The kids I work with are not meeting the reading requirement for their grade level which is why they've been assigned to me.  I believe several of the students are dyslexic though they've not been officially identified as a developmentally challenged student.  Limited school resources and insufficient teacher training can play a role in the student's condition not being recognized.  Many educators just don't know what to look for and often attribute reading difficulty to low intelligence or lack of a solid reading foundation.  I do need to point out that I am not a certified dyslexia specialist, I only know the areas that are most challenging to my students and I try to help them work through these challenges.

Saturn

No luck viewing Saturn last night.  Arizona's monsoon was active and it rained most of the evening.  Perhaps the conditions will be better tonight.

Take care, 

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

2 am with coffee, dogs and Saturn

Zenji is feeling better this morning and woke me around 2 am.  She was hungry and that was a good sign, hopefully she'll be able to keep her food down.  She doesn't seem to have any discomfort and slept through the night (at least until 2 am) .  That's how this thing goes, a day or so of being miserable, not sleeping and throwing up and then back to normal.  I wish I knew what was going on with her. 

Since I was already up with the dogs, I thought about getting the telescope out since Saturn reached opposition around 1:45 am this morning.  However the sky was hazy, just enough to prevent any decent views of the ringed planet.  I'll try again tonight and hopefully the skies will be clear.

Currently Saturn can be found between the constellations of Pisces and Aquarius. Sky and Telescope has a interactive sky chart that can help pinpoint the location https://skyandtelescope.org/interactive-sky-chart/.  The inclination of the rings are edge on which makes viewing them difficult but with high powered binoculars or a small telescope you might catch a glimpse.

Take care,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee 

2 am with a sick dog

Up early with Zenji.  She get restless sometimes, paces, backing up and sitting down suddenly. I though it might be weakness or pain in her hips but she has stomach issues as well when this occurs.  She seems to feel a little better after she goes to the bathroom.  I thought maybe she was blocked and  I've taken her to two different vets over the past 6 months and both tell me they can't find anything wrong.  Bloodwork, urinalyses, stool samples and x-rays are normal.  She did have a cancerous tumor removed in March 2023 so I can't help but think that is somehow related.  But if it was, I would think something would have shown up during our vet visits.

I know she's getting older and things like this happen with senior dogs but I still worry.  And if any dog parents out there could offer advice, we'd appreciate it. 

Take care,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

  Stargazing at 60

Astronomy is something I've always loved and that I've been able to reconnect with over the past few years. In the past, my work schedule was so hectic there was very little time or energy for stargazing. But since starting my work with kids and the fact that I work from home, I've been able to enjoy the night skies once again.

I've made an attempt at astro-photography and have managed to take a few decent photos. I've found that just setting up a camera on the tripod with the widest aperture works pretty good. I've never had a lot of luck with mounting the camera on the telescope with the exception of last April's solar eclipse (April 2024).

It was a partial eclipse but I was please with the photos.

I wanted to do a sequence of photos from the beginning of the eclipse to the end but I had a to teach a class. Nevertheless, I was happy with the photos I did get.

When comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS passed through our solar system last October (2024) I was able to snap a few decent photos with this one at an f 5/6, 8-second exposure. And since I live in a rural area, light pollution was not an issue. I am hoping to get some good photos of the new comet that is passing through. Comet SWAN25B should be visible on the horizon as of now though viewing will be better next month.

With the weather cooling, I am looking forward to getting the telescope out again. I hesitate to do any stargazing during the summer months simply because of rattlesnakes. We do have them on the property and they are active during warmer weather, and yes, they intimidate me greatly.

Take care,

Teresa, still a misfit at 60