Re: [APML] Critter stories (Was NGC7000 in Tech Pan)

["Robert Reeves" <reeves10@swbell.net>]

> That could've been nasty. They tend to be pretty stoic, but if they are
> startled, well, you know...

I think all veteran astrophotographers have their skunk stories.  Mine was
in 1975 when I got my C-8 (still use it!) and tried my first red-filtered
piggyback shots from the front yard of the house I used to have in what is
now basically downtown San Antonio.  It was pier and beam foundation so
there was a crawl space under the house.  I never knew I had a resident
skunk until I was guiding an exposure.  The scope tripod straddled the front
sidewalk.  Out of the corner of my eye I noticed something moving in the
dark.  I looked and it was a huge tail puffed up in the air.  I realized it
was an oncoming BIG skunk and froze in place.  The skunk waddled down the
walkway, under my scope, brushed past me and kept on going like he owned the
place.  I never smelled a thing, so nothing bothered him lately.  I watched
and he wiggled under the house.  Later that night I lifted up the trapdoor
in the bottom of the bedroom closet and there was the skunk, all curled up
and asleep.  I didn't bother him and he didn't bother me.

That night I also learned what a lousy astrofilm the old Kodak 2475
Recording Film was.  Back then I didn't even know what reciprocity law
failure was, but it was real eveident in that film.

Robert Reeves                +29.484   98.440
reeves10@swbell.net      San Antonio, Texas  USA


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