Re: superhero space navigation

Here, Bryan Derksen <bryan.derksen@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> Andrew Plotkin wrote:
> > You mentioned a cluttered sky, but remember that it's cluttered
> > because everything is brighter. Planets are brighter too. If you're
> > inside Earth's orbit, the brightest things visible (after the Sun)
> > will be Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and maybe Mercury. The Sun's
> > position against the stars (plus your printout) will tell you
> > immediately which of those planets might be behind the Sun (or lost in
> > its glare).
> 
> You'll probably be able to distinguish which planet is which by their 
> appearance, especially if you've got a modest telescope. Mars is the 
> reddish one, Venus is the brightest one, Jupiter is the one with four 
> moons, Earth is the bluish one with one moon, and Mercury is whatever's 
> left over near to the sun.

I've never been able to see planetary colors naked-eye (even for
Mars), so I distrust this. :) I realize it'll be a lot easier above
the atmosphere, and more so with binoculars.

As for brightnesses, that does depend somewhat on distance -- Earth
close up might be as bright as Venus farther out. And the Moon might
not be visibly different from a star; it's smaller and lower-albedo
than the Earth.

Not saying those aren't helpful. I just want to make sure I can get
around without those clues.

--Z

-- 
"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the
borogoves..."
*
It used to be that "conservatives" were in favor of smaller government,
fiscal responsibility, and tighter constraints on the Man's ability to
monitor you, arrest you, and control your life.