Anybody out there dabble in a bit of star gazing or astrology?

I'm in the process of moving in to the middle of nowhere with consequently zero light pollution. So I have been joyfully looking up at the stars and wondering if this is something I'd like to take a closer look at, (nice pun, thanks).

So is it just standing around looking into a telescope and getting cold, or an educational experience with slight tilt to geekness?

:beamup:

 

Do you mean Astronomy rather than Astrology?

 

Yes in fact I do, good bit of proof reading that, bugger.....

 

If staring up in wonder at the night sky is geekiness, then I'm a major geek! We have a Celestron 4" reflector. However, my advice for beginners; get

(a) a decent pair of binoculars (no more than 10x);
(b) an inflatable bed (lie on it, face upwards - less strain on the arms);
(c) this book
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1552093026/ref=lm_lb_1/202-4314930-9595001
and
(d) a torch with a red lens, or red cellophane to put over a torch, so that you can refer to your book without mucking up your night vision.

It's easier to find your way around and get to know the night sky with binoculars, and you'll find out whether you want to make the jump to a telescope.

Warning; do not expect to see the sorts of objects you see in astronomy books - nebulae appear as faint smudges (unless you throw really serious money at a telescope and eyepieces), and even Saturn and Jupiter appear light pastel, some of their bands barely discernible. But nothing matches the thrill of seeing these things with your very own eyes.

 

I was going to say - all you need to do is check your local newspaper, or even ring up a premium line if your that keen...

 

Any excuse for a premium rate number mr cat.

Thanks Tones, that is good advice, the book now in my basket. I'm not sure on my current strength bins.

Thanks for the model number, I'll google it later.

PK

 

The telescope market is dominated by the US manufacturers Celestron and Meade, both of whom make high-quality products. The trend these days is for "go to" computerised telescopes, in which you simply punch in the object you want and the telescope finds it for you. In fact, our humble non-computerised four-incher is no longer in the Celestron range. It has a motor drive, which keeps pace with the sky - when you get a telescope, you realise that the sky really does move, and the more powerful the eyepiece, the quicker your object disappears off the side. Most older telescopes have a so-called equatorial mount, which, when set parallel to the earth's axis, need only be turned in one plane. These new computerised jobs have altazimuth mounts (base pivots horizontally, telescope tube pivots vertically), because they can find and hold whatever it is, courtesy of their computerisation.

For telescope reviews, check out the website of the magazine "Sky & Telescope".

 

So do these new computer plug and play scopes use GPS to locate where they are in relation to what you wanna look at, or do you line it up with the moon or something other easy to find?

 

I bought a Russian made Tal telescope several years ago as they were cheap but very good.... but I don't use it. I just find it a PITA to set up and wish I'd got some big binoculars instead that I could just stick on a tripod in seconds and get viewing. In fact I've been thinking again recently of getting some.

 

No GPS, it's all programmed in already. All you have to do is plonk it down, line it up with a couple of prominent stars and punch them in, and the thing takes over, works out where everything is for the given time and date of night and you're off and running.

 

A good idea might be to contact you local library as they may well know of a local group of friendly amature astronomers that meet in your area. It will always help to have a person to talk with and point you in the right direction, they even give advice on kit or let you know of good secondhand deals. Get a shed load of warm clothing, many layers are better than one big one and a woolly hat can be worth its weight in gold on cold and clear winters nights.

Ps set you video to catch all of Sir Patrick's late night offerings.

 

You're right about the hat, although its been unseasonably warm this year with hardly any snow so far.

Local group is a good idea, Ill research that a bit.

 

A mate of mine in Portugal has one of those computerized jobbies from Meade (can't remember which model) and just looking at the moon through it was awesome (and that was from the middle of light polluted Lisbon). You definitely need to get your hands on a copy of Celestia. It's a real-time 3D space "simulation" which lets you basically wander around the galaxy and see things as they would look from any viewpoint (and at any time in the past or future). If you use your location you'll get a real-time detailed map of what the sky should look like from where you are. Extremely cool (and it's free).

Michael.

 

One amateur attempt

 

I am looking forward to moving into our house, my wifes mother has a f**king hugeee refractor telescope (about 6k when she bought it second hand!)

Basically she said I can put it in situe. nice one.

 

Nice piece of kit Isaac, is that a model 3 or 5 ?

 

I don't understand the question SG?

 

Just a poor pun about a HiFi piece of kit by the same name. Sorry

 

I get it now.

It's home time, I'm a bit slow around this point. There's a burst of activity between waking up and falling asleep. It's called lunchtime.

 

That's a great pic Isaac - did you use a telescope mount for the camera?

Michael.