On the Ground in Tahiti

After an 8-hour uneventful flight from LAX we arrived Tuesday at Faaa International Airport in Pape'ete, Tahiti. The Sun had already set when we landed at 6:10 PM, so we did not see much of Tahiti on the approach.  After a slow entry through customs and immigration, we checked-in at the Sofitel Maeva Beach Resort. After a late supper the astronomers in our group (i.e. most of our group) headed down to the beach where the night sky was a little more visible away from the glare from the hotel lights.  From there we could see the dark nebula known as the Coal Sack, portrayed in Aboriginal sky-lore as the head of the emu.  And looking straight-up we gazed at the central budge of our home galaxy--it was bright.  And then Murray Paulson pointed out Omega Centauri to me--OMG--it was amazing to see naked eye (even in the still bright lights from the hotel.

I went back down to the beach around 10:45 PM with my binoculars for a better look. After a few quick sweeps i yawned and decided to lay down on a beach chair with the surf rolling-in barely 10 meters from my feet.  I closed my eyes, dreamed and fell asleep until just past midnight.