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(meteorobs) Re: dilation + REPOST Hot drinks
Back on 1999 Nov 14 I had this to say about hot drinks :
>Another problem awaits those taking freely of hot drinks on cold nights when
>less fluid is needed for hydration. On the first weekend after the
>Quadrantids of 1976 I went observing in the Everglades with rather cold low
>40'sF. I was fortified with a thermos of hot chocolate courtesy of my
>mother. (Living in Miami with parents at the time.) After warming up with
>a healthy swig, twenty minutes later right on schedule an equal volume of
>fluid was making ready to say hi. Out of the sleeping bag -- loss of heat
>-- sudden loss of fluid -- more loss of heat. Perfect time to drink more
>while up and atom, and the cycle began afresh.
>
>I never did that again ; having repeated boom-bust warming cycles just
>wasn't worth it. A bit of cold water is refreshing even on cold nights to
>stay comfortably hydrated.
I don't think eating raw carrots to get vitamin A does any good. Carrots
have a heavy cellular structure, and they need to be cooked to release the
vitamin. Jeff Corder, telescope user, was making like a rabbit at night for
a short time in the late 80's trying to help his night vision. He quickly
tired of that.
A wide-open pupil at night changes your focus. Stronger glasses are needed
to offset the wide pupil.
About 5 years ago I measured my dark-adapted pupil as 7 mm. Was surprised
it was still that large for my age (almost 50 at the time.) I used a
millimeter ruler just below my eye in front of a mirror with the minimum
amount of red light needed to see everything. Last fall the optometrist
didn't bother using a dilating drug for an eye exam as he saw my pupil was
already large enough to see inside adequately. It all makes sense from an
observing standpoint, as I still achieve the same star limiting magnitudes
as always along with no noticeable reduction in long-term meteor rates.
Norman
Norman W. McLeod III
Staff Advisor
American Meteor Society
Fort Myers, Florida
nmcleod@peganet.com
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