'Oh, it makes me wonder...'
Anyone into astronomy "Star Gazing"
- Thread starter Billbickman
- Start date
I made a mistake the comet isn't name Rosetta. The Rosetta probe is going to rendezvous with the comet today, Aug 6th: http://spaceweather.com/
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Yes Sir, Have a 8" Sky Watcher Dobsonian in the light polluted city of Mumbai, India. Been at it since several life times, if I think of my passion for it 
I have a beginner scope, but really not much idea of how to begin. Do you folks recommend any websites to help beginners to get set up and begin to recognize objects?
Venus has been out in the mornings before dawn lately, and has been spectacular to see with the naked eye. I also managed to catch sight of Mercury for the first time a few weeks ago.
Sunday is the big day! Super Moon AND Perseids!!
+1 I have the same ones, and you are right. I recommend people start by getting a pari of binoculars and a beginner's guide to the sky and learn to find their way around the sky before buying an expensive scope. They may find that they don't need a scope, after all. Also, many areas have astronomy clubs that will provide free stargazing parties for the public to let you see (for free) what the sky looks like through various scopes.
I have a 66mm refractor, two 80mm refractors, two 102mm refractors, a 4.5" reflector, a 5" Maksutov, a 6" Maksutov, an 8" Schmidt Cassegrain and 14.5" Dobsonian for down here in Australia, and I keep a 5" reflector in Italy for my trips up there. I also have 30 or so pairs of binoculars.
I am definitely into Astronomy. Though recreational astronomy is different things to different people nowadays. Some people start off with binoculars and learn the night sky like I did, then move onto telescopes which they push around the sky, using maps. Others just buy the newer computer controlled telescopes that aim themselves, and they don't really have or need much detailed knowledge of the night sky. And others get telescopes and attach cameras to them and spend most of the night letting their computer controlled telescope and autoguider take pictures for them, which they then spend many hours processing.
One thing about using telescopes visually, is that while you may see the occasional red or orange star, and the very occasional aqua-green nebula, everything else is basically white or a shade of grey. It looks nothing like all the flashy colour pictures one sees in books, magazines and in the movies which show lots of reds, blues and yellows. Well, if one had a space ship that could fly up really close to those nebulas, like the Enterprise and Voyager do in Star Trek - the scenery would be just as white and grey as it appears in my telescopes. Even from very close up, those nebulas would require long exposure photography to get those colours out. This disappoints beginners somewhat.
Regards,
Renato
I am definitely into Astronomy. Though recreational astronomy is different things to different people nowadays. Some people start off with binoculars and learn the night sky like I did, then move onto telescopes which they push around the sky, using maps. Others just buy the newer computer controlled telescopes that aim themselves, and they don't really have or need much detailed knowledge of the night sky. And others get telescopes and attach cameras to them and spend most of the night letting their computer controlled telescope and autoguider take pictures for them, which they then spend many hours processing.
One thing about using telescopes visually, is that while you may see the occasional red or orange star, and the very occasional aqua-green nebula, everything else is basically white or a shade of grey. It looks nothing like all the flashy colour pictures one sees in books, magazines and in the movies which show lots of reds, blues and yellows. Well, if one had a space ship that could fly up really close to those nebulas, like the Enterprise and Voyager do in Star Trek - the scenery would be just as white and grey as it appears in my telescopes. Even from very close up, those nebulas would require long exposure photography to get those colours out. This disappoints beginners somewhat.
Regards,
Renato
- Thread starter
- #90
Ursids will peak tonight.
I love astronomy and my uncle has made several Newtonian reflector telescopes, down to polishing the lenses himself and writing some of the software to track trajectory and take photos. I typically just go to the observatory on one of the college campuses nearby but I would love to learn how to DIY a telescope one day
yeah, i dabble
I am not really "into" astronomy, but I do like to look at what I can see on any given night. Recently got to see a stunning view of Jupiter as well as the Lovejoy Comet. I can also remember being near Sudbury, ON and seeing the rings of Saturn through a friend's scope. Could only see 4 distinct rings, but it was still quite stunning.
Reading and researching the options, I have decided I need a pair of astronomy binoculars. I may use it also for hunting or birding.
Narrowing it down to ...
The Orion Scenix 10X50
Or Celestron Skymaster 12X 60
Any opinions or alternative recommendations?
Narrowing it down to ...
The Orion Scenix 10X50
Or Celestron Skymaster 12X 60
Any opinions or alternative recommendations?
I thought this was pretty cool...
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- Thread starter
- #98
Thats pretty dope, where did you find it?
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I'm guessing YouTube?
- Thread starter
- #100
Same.
