Get Vaccinated NOW.

Both my wife and I are now fully vaccinated: 2 jabs each and well past the time needed for them to take effect. It's very liberating after over a year of being in near-isolation! I can go to the hardware and grocery stores and shop -- no more curbside pickups. And it means when I'm ready I can hang out at the Club's dark-sky site and do some imaging.  My friends are all vaccinated so we don't have to worry about sharing the virus. In other words it's back to our pre-pandemic lives.

So if you're a vaccination holdout keep these little factoids in mind:

1. You're keeping health workers overworked because a certain percent of you will require hospitalization or you'll become long-haulers. Oh, funeral homes will also be busier because a small percentage of you will die.
   
2. You're already keeping the economy from returning to normal as fast as it might otherwise. This hurts everyone, including you. Have you been complaining about how "overreaction" to the virus has hurt the economy? That's what you're doing now.
   
3. You're placing at risk those who vaccination might not protect sufficiently. Remember, it's only 95% effective, and possibly less against variants. Know anyone with COPD or is on chemotherapy? Pass the virus to them and you will be responsible for the suffering they will endure.
   
4. Speaking of variants, you're doing the virus a favor by helping it hang around and create even more variants.
5. If you're holding out because you think there are "microchips" in the vaccine or it's some other kind of ludicrous plot against freedom or whatever...get some professional help because you've lost touch with reality.
6. What you're doing is following the very slow road to herd immunity for no reason. The people who will pay dearly for this are you holdouts and the few unlucky immunized people who you pass the virus to. The one thing you have going for you is that the crush of hospital admissions is now in the rear view mirror thanks to those of us who have gotten our jabs. You're welcome.
   

In other words, avoiding the jab is foolish and callous if not actually hypocritical and delusional. Good luck to you.

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Some upgrades coming to my imaging system: I'm going solar! No more lugging two big heavy batteries around. Just one smaller one and a solar panel.  Even on a cloudy day it should be capable of replenishing the battery with enough power for another full night of imaging.

Also a new power junction box with a built-in dew controller.

On backorder and coming later this year is the big upgrade: an FSQ-106. Also a camera (ASI2600MM Pro) to replace my old SBIG ST-8300M. New filter wheel and OAG for it, too.

More about all this as it gets delivered and put to use!

Get Vaccinated!

I've now had my first jab of the Moderna vaccine. In fact, it was 20 days ago. The side effects were limited to a barely sore arm for about two days.  In eight days I get jab #2, and by April 20 I will be almost fully immune to COVID-19. I'm going to celebrate with a much-needed haircut.

After that I'll resume astrophotography from the club's Cherry Grove site and a friend's dark, relatively treeless back yard. And I'll be able to attend the Nebraska Star Party, too!

According to the WHO here are the people who shouldn't get a mRNA-based jab:

Individuals with a history of severe allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine should not take this or any other mRNA vaccine.

While vaccination is recommended for older persons due to the high risk of severe COVID-19 and death, very frail older persons with an anticipated life expectancy of less than 3 months should be individually assessed.

The vaccine should not be administered to persons younger than 18 years of age pending the results of further studies.

If you're not in one of those categories, then you have no reason to avoid the vaccine. 

Oh, you're not getting vaccinated because of something you've read on the internet? You've bought into the lies and bad science some people with political agendas are spreading? Fine, be a stooge. Chances are you'll only have mild symptoms if you get COVID.  Or maybe you'll have to spend a few days in a hospital bed, and then spend the next few years wondering if you're going to have chronic fatigue the rest of your life. No problem! At least you avoided the vaccine. Good luck to you and your loved ones.

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Next time: I'm about to start a major upgrade of my imaging system: A new scope, camera, and processing software!

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Follow-up: Our stimulus money didn't sit for more than a few hours in our bank account. Half went to Second Harvest, and half to St. Stephen's to help them assist the homeless. I hope you found a way to put your dollars to work for others, too.