And Hanukkah and Seculus and whatever else you may celebrate toward the end of the year, and a prosperous year to come.
This is the scene I made rather laboriously for our greeting card this year.
Looking out from the Greenwich hill viewpoint is a small crowd including my bicycle. My original concept was of a larger wall of people, such as the school groups that are often brought here, and to make them transparent so that you could see the scene through them; perhaps also the statue of General Wolfe of Quebec that also looks out from here. Later, maybe. (The picture is already made of twenty-nine “layers.”)
The view is down over the Greenwich park to the Queen’s House and other buildings of the college area, and across glimpses of the Thames to the region called the Isle of Dogs, and the towers of Canary Wharf. I’ve just remembered that I forgot to include a glimpse of the Cutty Sark, which may show near the river to the left; well, that too I could add.
On the left are two of the observatory domes, though in reality they are, from this viewpoint, a little farther off and more hidden by railings and trees. I still owe you a description of the historic observatory.
I wanted to add my own wishes for a Merry Christmas from Virginia to Guy and all of his loyal readers. Can we infer from the position of the ball on the mast (almost touching down to the bottom) that your scene must be a few minutes before local noon?
The scene may not be consistent. The light is from the east. The red ball drops at 1 PM.
Love the painting! Is that Tilly standing to the left? ;) Wishing you and Tilly a very Merry Yule and a happy new year!
Peace,
Dave and Kathleen
And as one of the characters from the sit-com Seinfeld praises, ” a Festivus to the rest of us!” I’m happy just settling for a preaceful solstice and a Happy Birthday to me, the 23rd. Need I mention how cruel it is to be born so close to Christmas. “Here’s a gift for you for your birthday and Christmas”. “Bah, humbug”‘s what I say to that. I want a gift for my birthday and another one for Christmas. Oh well, So it goes. Season’s greetings to you and Tilly and all of us blogmates.
Thanks Guy. Many blessings of the season and best wishes for the new year to you and yours.
Over this past year I’ve enjoyed getting to know you more roundedly through your blog. For one thing, you’ve inspired me to visit Greenwich — not this year, as I’ll be going to Wyoming for the eclipse, and that will be enough discretionary carbon for this year. And I still need to get to the southern hemisphere during this lifetime … . But Greenwich is now on my short list.
I will, of course, miss the printed Astronomical Calendar (I keep wanting to turn the page to see what’s coming next), but I’m very grateful for everything you’ve put online, some of which I’ve printed out. And I also appreciate that you now have more time and less frustration, so you can share more diverse interests with us, your readers.
By the way, a bicycle with front and rear panniers is a serious traveling machine!
The panniers have lived longer than the bicycle. They traveled many thousands of miles on its two or three predecessors, whose frames or crankshafts wore out and broke on hills.
The panniers have fewer moving parts to wear out.
Greenwich??? Greenwich, CT? Hah! That’s right next to my place in upstate NY, but now that I think about it I’m sure that’s not the Greenwich you meant… My cuz’s got plans to see the eclipse in WY too, so I sent her this most helpful NASA link
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html
I hope this is allowed as I’ve been carefully scrutinized with some past posts,, but I hope this gets as many as can get into the most coveted path of totality. Been in it a few times myself, and urge anyone who can to go there to do so. I traveled from NYC to Goldendale WA to see my first one in Feb 1979 .. MORE than well worth the trip…and the ones that followed ended up becoming lifechanging experiences. Good New Year to youse all…
and I too will sadly be missing your printed 2017 Astro Cal as will my friends who have received them as gifts, but so it goes. The best I can do for them is to forward this link to them, May they take it as they will. Keep up the good work Guy, and who knows? Maybe i’ll see you in Aug.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, Guy. Thanks for the Christmas card.