Amateur Astronomy.

[Deamiter]

There is an Amateur Astronomy thread in the outdoors forum under hobbies, but this seems like it could be a better place once it gets more visitors. Are any of YOU interested (at all) in amateur astronomy? Any scopes or stories? Please share!

 

[amazed_by_grace]

I LOVE astronomy... have no equipment per say but I think I'm getting binoculars when my exam results come out (pray that they're binocular worthy!)... coming into winter over here so its the perfect time... I'm always looking at the constellations and satellites... whatever's floating around up there! My bed is placed diagonally across my room just so I can look at the stars at night without getting a crick in my neck!!!! I think where I live is pretty good... its a small-ish town so you can see a good bit... plus Ireland is pretty northerly anyway so I get a good view of things... haven't seen the Northern Lights though... its on my to do list!

 

[pgp_protector]

I Enjoy it, but need to buy a new tripod, my old one collapsed after a year of non use

But it's only the tripod that's bad, the Equatorial mount is still Good

The Scope Im using is a 4.5" Reflecting Dish, Got on sale at Circuit City years ago when they were cleaning house, Can Pull in the Spot on Jupiter & the Rings on Saturn nicly (And This was in the City with the City Light Polution)

 

[Deamiter]

Amazed by Grace: make sure you find binoculars that have a large aperture! Little play-binoculars won't do you any good. Generally binoculars for astronomy are 7x50, 8x42 or 12x50. Fifty millimeters of aperture is MUCH more important than more magnification when you want to find those faint objects!

Also look at coatings. Coated optics are okay, multicoated optics are better, and fully multicoated optics are best. You'll have to work out something in your price range but don't go under about fifty dollars unless you get a good sale and even that is the EXTREME lower limit. I have two pairs of binoculars, but they're both worthless for astronomy. One is too small, and the stars show up too faintly while the other is too cheap and there's chromatic AND sphirical aberration over most of the field of view when you look at points like stars (even though they work well during the day).

 

[amazed_by_grace]

Wow! Thanks for so much advice... will keep it all in mind... I think the ones I was looking at were 8x42... will have to go find the catalogue again!

 

[Null-Geodesic]

I used to have a 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector but now all I have is a pair of (very expensive) 8X42 binoculars. With binoculars as with most optics you get what you pay for.

However, I have used the 10m Keck scope on Hawaii. Don't own that one though, lol.

 

[OneLastBreath]

Ah, gotta love astronomy. I've used a 4.5" reflector, equatorial mount, and soon I'm buying a 6" or 8" Dobsonian reflector.

Fifty millimeters of aperture is MUCH more important than more magnification when you want to find those faint objects!

Unless you plan on using a tripod, make sure you don't buy more aperture than you can comfortably hold up for extended periods of time. Big binoculars are heavy! I do agree that magnification is a less important specification. Many deep sky objects have a fairly large apparent size, it's just their dimness that's the problem.

amazed_by_grace, be sure you do see the Northern Lights some time, a good show is unforgettable! While here in Canada I often feel plagued by, instead of blessed by, the lights when they're nothing more than a glow on the horizon, there's nothing like a whole sky, full colour display to make me forget about the Messier object I was trying to track down.

My favourite sight by far is Saturn. In moderate aperture and high magnification, Saturn never ceases to draw a small gasp from me. And if it's opposition and seeing is good...well, the next morning I'm picking my socks out of a tree.

Any scopes or stories? Please share!

I've got a story. One night, a few years back, I was out in my backyard. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, just stargazing. After a few minutes, I spotted a fairly bright satellite passing over head. Nothing too unusual there. Before I had glimpsed it, I had been feeling the incredible sense of awe in God's power that I always get while looking out at the stars. As I saw the little speck drifting across the zenith, my thoughts turned to humanity's accomplishments, and how we were such a powerful race, able to send the satellite I was looking at into space. My feeling of awe in God's power was soon replaced by a feeling of awe in humans' power. All of a sudden, a brilliant meteor seared across the path of the satellite, causing me to completely lose sight of it. Needless to say, a night under the stars brings considerably humility for me now.

 

[Stellar Vision]

Ah, gotta love astronomy. I've used a 4.5" reflector, equatorial mount, and soon I'm buying a 6" or 8" Dobsonian reflector.

That's a good way to go. Dobsonians are useful for larger scopes. My 4.5" reflector is also on an equatorial mount, but it can be rather difficult at times.

 

[pgp_protector]

Now this would be nice

20 Inch

 

[drebro]

I am somewhat interested in astronomy, but probably not as much as most of you. I do not own a telescope, but sometimes I enjoy looking through my friend's little 3.5"(?) Maksutov-Cassegrain(sp?). I live in the south, so there is a good bit of humidity and haze blocking the stars. Mostly, I like to keep track of the planets, and I am still lacking knowledge of many constellations. Maybe I will talk to some of you later.

 

[greenjacketguy]

i'm interested in astronomy which is why i got into the class at my highschool. recently, the high school redid the astronomy classroom so now we have top quality equiptment including a 250,000 dollar planetarium projector and a new dome as well as imax seats that are soon to arrive. it's truely awesome!

 

[jesusfreak407]

I love astronomy. I don't have a telescope or anything but I love reading about it. Black holes, nebulas, neutron stars dwarf stars (all different colors) dark matter, dark energy and everything else. I love it. I did my senior project on dark matter and that was awesome. I sometimes just sit halfway hanging out of my window (which can be kind of scary because I am on the second story in my house) and stare up at the stars for hours. It is my dream to be able to travel out there, not like to the moon or anything, but into deep space. I just want to know what is out there, like if God made other planets with people on them and what not. Our universe is so huge, and we haven't even gone out of our solar system yet. I know it probably wont be possible but traveling to other galaxies is my all time dream. Just looking up at night blows my mind and give me a greater appriciation of just what God can do!

 

[Deamiter]

Yeah, try to find yourself a good pair of 7x50 or 8x40 binoculars. You'll be AMAZED at how much more you can see, and you won't have to use a huge telescope that'll cost you hundreds!

 

[Suffolk Sean]

Nearly 20 year old Meade 8" SCT. Sadly I live in an area of poor seeing almost year around.

 

[OneLastBreath]

I spent last weekend camping, about as close to no where as one can get. Wow...it was one of those rare times when it was impossible to NOT see the Milky Way when you looked up. I'm paying for it with a nasty cold now, but it was worth it.

 

[AV1611VET]

Are any of YOU interested (at all) in amateur astronomy? Any scopes or stories? Please share!

Pluto was demoted to a dwarf planet by a rigged vote and some think earth had two moons at one time.

 

[Nostromo]

I heard that Job plutoed outer space.

 

[AV1611VET]

I heard that Job plutoed outer space.

To what? the version that scientists think the Bible describes it? I don't think so.

 

[Nostromo]

I say plutoed, but it was always the firmament, waters above etc.

 

[USincognito]

I've enjoyed nake eye astronomy for many years, especially viewing satellite overpasses. The Heavensabove.com website is an excellent resource for planning your viewing opportunities.