RocketKraft

Work, work, work – - – isn’t it supposed to be a holiday?

Great turnout at the gym last night for open house, went well.

Today I need to get out in the shop and typeset and print wedding invitations for Katie and Marco.  No other plans for the week-end so far, maybe finish the brick patio by the shop – wish we still had the boat so I could spend a day floating on the lake.

Have a fun and safe holiday week-end everyone!

First, pick out an easy to find object. Observing land objects during the daytime is a good way to become accustomed to the operation of the telescope. At night try observing the Moon at first or a bright star.

 Never point your telescope near or at the sun. Observing the sun through a telescope will cause instant and irreversible eye damage.

 To center an object in the main telescope, first use the viewfinder to find the object you wish to observe. When the object is centered in the viewfinder, it should then be somewhere in the main telescope’s field of view.

If you are observing an astronomical object you will notice that the object will begin to move slowly through the field of view. This motion is caused by the rotation of the earth and makes an object appear to be moving. To keep the objects in the telescopes field of view, simply move the telescope up or down, or side to side. At higher powers, astronomical objects will seem to move through the field more rapidly.

If an object starts to become fuzzy as magnification is increased, back down to a lower power. The atmosphere is not steady enough to support higer powers.

Avoid observing sites  where vibrations may cause image movement. Viewing from atop of a tall building may also cause image movement.

Allow several minutes for your eyes to become accustomed to the dark before attempting any serious observations. You can use a red-filtered flashlightto protect your night vision when reading star maps or adjusting the telescope. One can be easily made by taping red cellophane over the flashlights lens.

Avoid setting up your telescope inside and viewing through a open window. Images will appear blurred or distorted due to the temperature differences between the inside and outside air. Allow your telescope to reach the surrounding outside temperature before starting an observation session.

Get your own Stargazing guide here http://rocketkraft.com/?page_id=752

Join Rocketkraft for free and get your very own customized screensaver made for you at no charge.  Join free at Rocketkraft

From my Planetscapes 2 Screensaver, one of my favorite images – this was made 8 years ago already!

Finally a break to the humidity! Few site updates today:

Will be adding a bunch of dvd’s and books to the webstore – watch for them. Also looking at adding a few new items as well. Lots to do, including a full busy day at work. Last week of Summer classes plus getting ready for open houses next week.

Started shaping another flute Sunday. In aromatic cedar – should be in a key of F.

I have a couple of handmade lighthouses if anyone is interested. They are about 14 inches tall, handpainted. Just drop me an e-mail with an offer.

Paper crafts are a popular pastime right now.  Scrapbooking is a fun way to display pictures and chronicle family history.  Other paper crafts include making greeting cards and even making hand made papers.

When getting started at paper crafts, it is easy to spend a lot of money!  Go easy at first until you know what sort of paper craft products you are likely to use.  For instance, you may find that you love using stickers in scrapbooks, but rarely use your rubber stamps.  If this is the case, you would be better off spending more on stickers and less on rubber stamps for your paper crafts.

Almost everyone has at least some of their photographs stored somewhere in a shoe box.  Scrapbooks are a great way to get those photos out where people can enjoy them.  You will need a loose leaf binder, some plastic page protectors, and some colored cardstock for starters.  Many paper crafts experts insist on only archival quality materials.  Check the labels as you buy.  Most paper products, even the cheaper ones, are labeled “acid-free,” which means that it shouldn’t fade or otherwise deteriorate if stored for a long time.  Sunlight will bleach almost anything, but your paper crafts should not be out in the sunlight very often.

To start a scrapbook you have several options.  You can select photos that all relate to one event, such as a trip or a child’s participation in sports.  This type of scrapbook will be short, but can be designed around a theme.  This is a good choice if your photos are not in a jumble.  If they are, then you may wish to choose 3 or 4 photos around a general theme, and change the theme for each page.  You may want to include some 2 page spreads in your scrapbook.

Attach your photos to the cardstock with double-sided tape squares or a gluestick.  Then it’s time to decorate the page with stickers, paper shapes, or rubber stamped designs.  In addition, you can use a colored gel pen to write dates, names, and other highlights about the activities in the pictures.

Other items are available in paper crafts stores.  These includes die cuts, which are pieces of paper already cut into shapes and objects.  There are also special scissors that cut paper with an interesting edge.  A pair of the type called “deckle” scissors is very useful for making elegant looking scrapbook pages, greeting cards, and other paper crafts.  If you also have an old pair of pinking shears that are too dull to cut fabric, you can use those for cutting out shapes and photos.

Many paper crafts enthusiasts begin with scrapbooking, but then branch out to making their own greeting cards.  Greeting cards may or may not have an original poem written on the inside.  A simple “Happy Birthday,” “Get Well Soon,” or even just “Hi!” is enough to brighten someone’s day, so don’t worry about not being a good enough writer to make your own greeting cards.  Rubber stamps often make beautiful greeting cards.  You can even attach small ribbons, beads, and other items to hand made cards.  A handmade card is sure to please anyone, whether they are interested in paper crafts or not.

Rocketkraft has a variety of die cut shapes available – as well as custom die cuts. Check out the store.

Interesting fantasy material? We invaded Iraq to protect a stargate??

October Sky (DVD) Review

Author: Britt Gillette

Overlooked by the Academy Awards and most of the movie viewing public, October Sky turned out to be one of the best movies of 1999. Based on the true life story of Homer Hickman, a coalminer’s son inspired to learn about rocketry following the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik, October Sky is more than just a film about rockets, it’s a film about one man overcoming the trials and tribulations that attempt to run him down. The emphasis placed on the passion of the human spirit and its ability to overcome great conflict and achieve feats of wondrous heights makes October Sky a film that is certain to enjoy an enduring legacy and a heightening in stature among critics with the passing of time…

Set in a 1950s West Virginia town, October Sky follows the life of Homer Hickman (Jake Gyllenhaal), the teenage son of a coalminer who pushes his son to follow in his footsteps. Growing up in a town where coal is king, the citizens of Homer’s world can’t fathom pursuing a career in any other field. But when Homer’s classroom is informed of the Soviet launch of Sputnik, the satellite inspires Homer to learn everything he can about rockets, satellites, and inner-orbiting spacecraft. Goaded on by their teacher Frieda Riley (Laura Dern), Homer and his friends study the various aspects of a rocket launch and begin staging the launch of their own homemade rockets. But their trial and error experiments go awry, putting the local townspeople in the path of their errant rocket launches, and they incur the wrath 

and disdain of a community that views them as freaks and outcasts.

As Homer’s father becomes ill from the deadly effects of coal dust, he pushes his son to support the family by entering the mine. Unable to see the bright potential of his son’s interest in rockets, John Hickman (Chris Cooper) battles Homer every step of the way as he pursues his passion. But Homer remains committed, and when he and his friends begin launching rockets from a new site outside of town, more and more people begin showing up to see the brilliant spectacle… When Homer’s hero, German rocket scientist and NASA engineer Wernher von Braun, replies to a letter Homer wrote, the path is cleared for the students to exhibit their work at the National Science Awards.

Encouraged by Miss Riley, Homer and his friends are prepared to put their entire future on the line at this one exhibition, where the prize includes fully paid scholarships to some of the top universities in America…

The inspiring tale of a boy and his friends who never give up on believing in themselves, October Sky is a feel-good movie reminiscent of Jimmy Stewart and Frank Capra. Outside of the traditional mold of action super-thriller or blood-spilling reality drama, October Sky bucks the trend of cinematic commercialism by offering its audience a more intelligent foray into the world of film and storytelling. This trend toward quality cinematography is one we can only hope will continue.

Sporting a colorful cast of characters rife with conflict and passion, October Sky is a definite must-see film that you won’t want to miss.

About the author:

Britt Gillette is a movie reviewer for The DVD Report, a dvd review blog

where this October Sky Review can be found.