Night Time Fun at the Harry Bayley Observatory

by The Wandering Scotsman

Last night I finally had the chance to spend an evening at the Harry Bayley Observatory here in Barbados, doing a wee bit of stargazing as well as getting the opportunity to see the moon close up.

The Harry Bayley Observatory is located in the Parish of St Michal; it is fairly easy to find, fortunately the directions we were giving over the phone were very accurate, if you head down Observatory Road you cant really miss it.

The observatory is named after Harry Bayley who founded the Barbados Astronomical Society and was built in 1963. We arrived early at about 8.45pm but things didn't really get going until 9.30pm. The observatory is only open to the public on a Friday and obviously it is only open, weather permitting.

The entrance fee was $12BDs for adults and $6BDS for children, which in my opinion was money well spent. The Harry Bayley Observatory is the only one in the Eastern Caribbean and the telescope used is a Celestron 14 inch telescope. I know they Society has long-term plans to upgrade their equipment and hopefully they will eventually raise the funds to do so.

This was my first trip to an observatory and I had been looking forward to it all week and I had been constantly checking the BBC weather forecast online to make sure the weather was going to be dry and clear. The excitement really started to kick in for me as I climbed the stairs as to the top of the observatory. As soon as I reached the top of the observatory I witnessed my first ever shooting star, what an amazing site.

Once at the top of the Harry Bayley Observatory the first thing you notice is the great nighttime view of Bridgetown. It was sure was fascinating learning about the various stars and constellations, which I have being seeing in the sky above Barbados since my arrival on the island.

I was looking out for little green men on the surface of the moon, but all was quiet and they must have been in their beds. The guys of the astronomical society are all very knowledgeable and passionate about astronomy and make it a really enjoyable and informative experience.

What I had originally thought was a satellite, was in fact Sirius, also known as the Dog Star, which is in fact the brightest star in the night time sky. Sirius appears so bright because of its closeness to earth and its luminosity. Did you know that Sirius could be seen from almost every inhabited region of the Earths surface, with only those living north of 73 degrees unable to see it.

The Harry Bayley Observatory is a fun and enjoyable evening out for all members of the family, it is something different and I will be back again in March when things will be a wee bit different up in the sky above Barbados.

Recently I have been amazed by the amount of stars that I have seen in the sky above Barbados, Star Struck In Barbados.

About the Author

I'm a budding Scottish entrepreneur now living on the Caribbean Island of Barbados trying to make a few dollars. I'm always on the lookout for business partners who are aiming to get involved in making money in Barbados through innovative business ventures.

I Garry A Wynters, "The Wandering Scotsman" and can be found at my two Barbados blogs, http://thebarbadosblog.com and the http://barbadosphotoblog.com.

Step-by-Step Guide to Increase IQ

Sky Sweeping with Your Eyes, Binoculars, and a Small Telescope

When you've grown to be all too familiar with the sky that you already know where to look in order to find an object, it sometimes get's to be tiresome when you see the same sights over and over. But the fact is that you can literally have a lot of things to see while stargazing. In spite of how the sky appears to be unchanging beyond the shifts of the seasons, it is really full of surprises.

Naked-eye stargazing is one activity where you can experience how the universe, or particularly the night sky, reveals some random events. Meteor showers, for instance, while predictable, actually provide a number of oohs and aahs when you happen to witness some unique displays like bolides or large meteors.

With the use of binoculars, you can even see more detail when it comes to certain areas of the sky, like that occupied by Orion the Hunter. With a pair of handy binoculars, you'll be able to sweep the sky with your eyes, focusing on a few things that cross your field of view. However, with the use of a small telescope on a tripod, the experience is considerable different compared to when using just your naked eyes or binoculars.

With a sturdy tripod, your small telescope can be an exciting tool into a space adventure. Lots of things are happening out there in space. It's not farfetched that while slowly sweeping the sky with your telescope on a tripod, an artificial satellite might suddenly cross your view. You have to be quick to follow it because it will be quick to pass. It may dim and brighten at regular intervals as it rotates, reflecting the sun at different angles.

There are many other things that can surprise you when sky sweeping. Sometimes, if you can't tell what it is, then it may qualify as unidentified, but it would likely not be an alien.

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