A bit of an Astronomer

[ttooley]

I am a casual, at times a bit more serious, amateur astronomer. I pack up a small scope and mount to enable looking planets, stars, galaxies and maybe capture a pic or two.
Anyone else dabble in this hobby? Just finding the planets or brighter starts counts??
Thanks,
Tim

 

[Aridon]

Yes. We are into it. I haven't been out since my daughter was born but now that she is getting older I'm going to get back into it again so I can introduce her to the field.

Astronomy for me started when I saw the size difference of the objects in our solar system.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rTWHAo5goaTChUZ6A

Then trying to wrap my brain around the distances involved, which is difficult for anyone to really comprehend.

There is something so cool about watching transitioning moons around the gas giants or gazing at the Orion nebula knowing that even as you look at it new stars are forming.

All these observations fueled my desire to study up all all the planets and learn all that I could about the awesomeness that resides in our own solar system. Everything I learned made me want to learn more about the cosmos and the physics involved with how it all works.

Amazing stuff to see and learn.

 

[jh.xsnrg]

I dabble in it a bit, well, enough of a bit to put a concrete pier in my back yard I hope to hit some dark sites with mobile setup and get some images. We are in pretty light polluted skies locally.

Here are some images I've managed to capture so far: https://www.flickr.com/photos/howarj/collections/72157662178621367/

Jim

 

[Steve7]

I dabble in it a bit, well, enough of a bit to put a concrete pier in my back yard I hope to hit some dark sites with mobile setup and get some images. We are in pretty light polluted skies locally.

Here are some images I've managed to capture so far: https://www.flickr.com/photos/howarj/collections/72157662178621367/

Jim

Really beautiful images! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Jims94vmx]

I dabble in it a bit, well, enough of a bit to put a concrete pier in my back yard I hope to hit some dark sites with mobile setup and get some images. We are in pretty light polluted skies locally.

Here are some images I've managed to capture so far: https://www.flickr.com/photos/howarj/collections/72157662178621367/

Jim

Awesome pics. Is the color natural?

Space, the final frontier.......these are the voyages of the star ship Enterprise ��

 

[ttooley]

Really beautiful images! Thanks for sharing.

That's some serious dabbling and great pics. We took the previous camper to Charleston and enjoyed the solar eclipse but my plans for computerized prime focus shots went up in flames with technical difficulties[emoji852].Here are a few of mine of the recent eclipse (not great and we had some clouds, transit of Venus, back to Comet Hale-Bopp).

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Chiefblueman]

I dabble in it a bit, well, enough of a bit to put a concrete pier in my back yard I hope to hit some dark sites with mobile setup and get some images. We are in pretty light polluted skies locally.

Here are some images I've managed to capture so far: https://www.flickr.com/photos/howarj/collections/72157662178621367/

Jim

Wow Jim! The last thing I need right now is a new hobby but your photos have got me interested. If I lived next door to you, I'd become your apprentice.

 

[jh.xsnrg]

Awesome pics. Is the color natural?

Many of them are natural. Lately though I have gone to using a mono camera and filter wheel, so those are not accurate colors, but show more contrast.

 

[Mainuh]

Observing in AZ

I dabble in it a bit, well, enough of a bit to put a concrete pier in my back yard I hope to hit some dark sites with mobile setup and get some images. We are in pretty light polluted skies locally.

Here are some images I've managed to capture so far: https://www.flickr.com/photos/howarj/collections/72157662178621367/

Jim

Hi Jim,

You need to come out to AZ! We winter just north of Tucson and the seeing is excellent! They've had a lighting ordinance in effect for close to 30 years or so because of all the observatories out there. I'm originally from Maine and summer there now, but the summer seeing is not ususally very good... and I stood outside in -5°F many a night observing and trying to do astrophotography back in the 90's and always wished I was in AZ! What do you use for a travel scope? I have a Williams Optics Z73 which is much easier to carry around than my 6" Newt. Looked at your photo galleries... very nice. I used to be very heavy into astronomy in the 90's and kind of got out of it for a while. But got the 6" newt for Christmas last year and it was shortly followed by the WO Z73 as the 6" just wasn't going to be a good mobile scope. I have a few pics but haven't gotten into much stacking or post processing yet... What I've gotten so far is here.

I also checked your blog link and trailer mods. Love the dimmer idea and already downloaded the printer link for the switch mount and sent it to my nephew to see if he could print a couple for me (main cabin lights and awning switches). I've done several of the same mods (Have brought my TST system to 3 campers now).

 

[jh.xsnrg]

Hi Jim,

You need to come out to AZ! We winter just north of Tucson and the seeing is excellent! They've had a lighting ordinance in effect for close to 30 years or so because of all the observatories out there. I'm originally from Maine and summer there now, but the summer seeing is not ususally very good... and I stood outside in -5°F many a night observing and trying to do astrophotography back in the 90's and always wished I was in AZ! What do you use for a travel scope? I have a Williams Optics Z73 which is much easier to carry around than my 6" Newt. Looked at your photo galleries... very nice. I used to be very heavy into astronomy in the 90's and kind of got out of it for a while. But got the 6" newt for Christmas last year and it was shortly followed by the WO Z73 as the 6" just wasn't going to be a good mobile scope. I have a few pics but haven't gotten into much stacking or post processing yet... What I've gotten so far is here.

I also checked your blog link and trailer mods. Love the dimmer idea and already downloaded the printer link for the switch mount and sent it to my nephew to see if he could print a couple for me (main cabin lights and awning switches). I've done several of the same mods (Have brought my TST system to 3 campers now).

I'd love to get to AZ for some clear, dark skies. It's on the list. The pier is a bit tough to move and I am spoiled with not having to do a polar alignment all the time now. That being said, I do have an 80mm and my original mount, an Orion Sirius that works quite well. That will probably be my mobile setup. I just checked your page out (from a campsite near Yellowstone!) you have a great start on yet another expensive and addictive habit

I am glad you are finding the mods useful, as well.

Jim

 

[Bradnailer]

This thread is amazing! While I don't even dabble, I remember as a lad laying out in the back yard looking at the night sky. One of the advantages of growing up in the country then in a very small town.

 

[ScopesNC]

I have the astronomy bug a tad.

Always up for some dark skies while camping. We have a Star Party once a year out side of Galax VA. We set up at Cool Breeze campground and have it for a whole week. We do live viewing using cameras and monitors A lot of the normal campers stop in to watch and enjoy the deep sky objects we show. We also broadcast live on https://www.nightskiesnetwork.com/ while were there. I can't wait for this years event because I'll have the Imagine 2670MK to stay in. Years past I had my smaller trailer set up. The event is called ECVAR, East Coast Video Astronomy Rendevous . It;s really just a filed of nerds. LOL We have fun and the deep sky objects we view are nice under the dark skies. The Star Party has a simple site for a better idea of what it's about.
https://nightskyobservatory.wixsite.com/ecvar All are welcome to attend and of course the regular campers are welcome to enjoy the show too.

Night Skies Network is free to watch and listen in and learn and if you want you can register and talk with others also. All while watching them produce nice deep sky images.

I have my little website also. http://nightskyobservatory.wixsite.com/nightskyobservatory Not the best site ,but kind of gives you the idea of what some of us are doing.

If someone wants to join in at ECVAR just let me know.

 

[ttooley]

Nice updates since I last checked in. It will be a few years till I get to experience the AZ skies but looking forward to it for sure.
Going to have to check out the details of the Star Party in VA since it is righr next door to my home base in NC. Sounds like their focus is a little different than mine but I could sure learn a lot from them!
We just recently spent a week out in the Smokies and the weather forecast was too unpredictable to motivate me to setup my scope, rain and clouds were a common theme, but ehen I was walking the dogs late one night things had cleared and the dark skies and number of stars almost shocked me! The Milky Way was as visible as I had seen it since the last time I was in my home in the Adirondack Mtns of NY.
Which reminds me, if you are in the Northeast and are contemplating passing through northern NY there is now a very nice public observatory in my hometown of Tupper Lake NY. It is affiliated with many of the Colleges in northern NY and offers public viewing every Friday night in the summer. Just google Adirondack Public Observatory for for info...think they just changed their name as part of expanding their mission. Another must see stop while in the area is The Wild Center!

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[ScopesNC]

right next door almost

Nice updates since I last checked in. It will be a few years till I get to experience the AZ skies but looking forward to it for sure.
Going to have to check out the details of the Star Party in VA since it is righr next door to my home base in NC. Sounds like their focus is a little different than mine but I could sure learn a lot from them!

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Your right next door almost. I live in Madison NC. If you want further information on ECVAR just send me a message.
We have a good time and everyone learns a ton.

 

[ScopesNC]

Your right next door almost. I live in Madison NC. If you want further information on ECVAR just send me a message.
We have a good time and everyone learns a ton.

By the way some of the Raleigh club members come to ECVAR also so you may know a few folks already.

 

[RLB348]

Great thread. Having spent spring and summer of 2016 traveling through Utah, Colorado and Northern Arizona we were fascinated by the viewing of the open skies. Additionally as we spend at least two weeks in or around Cherry Springs State Park, a dark sky area in northern PA it's been in the back of my mind for quite awhile to pursue this fascinating hobby.
However I know not where to start. What are some equipment suggestions for an entry level individual such as myself, budgetary expectations etc?
Thanks in advance!
Ralph

 

[ScopesNC]

Great thread. Having spent spring and summer of 2016 traveling through Utah, Colorado and Northern Arizona we were fascinated by the viewing of the open skies. Additionally as we spend at least two weeks in or around Cherry Springs State Park, a dark sky area in northern PA it's been in the back of my mind for quite awhile to pursue this fascinating hobby.
However I know not where to start. What are some equipment suggestions for an entry level individual such as myself, budgetary expectations etc?
Thanks in advance!
Ralph

Not a simple answer to the question. I can suggest websites where you can learn more about the hobby.
Cloudy Nights is a very informative web site.
https://www.cloudynights.com

another more intertaining website is Night Skies Network. It is a live interactive website where you can talk with others and watch with them as one of them broadcast live deep space views with their personal equipment.
You can learn a ton from all of these people just by asking while they are on line broadcasting. You have to keep checking the site for someone to go live. A lot depends on weather nation wide.You know when a channel is live and you just click on that channel. To speak with everyone you have to sign up , but it is all free.

https://www.nightskiesnetwork.com

Hope these sites can help you.

Jim

 

[RLB348]

Jim,
Thanks for the information and the site links. I looked at both, and man you are indeed right. There is a lot of information to sort through.
Fortunately/unfortunately I have the long winter ahead of me allowing me the time to research and decide how to proceed.
Ralph

 

[ScopesNC]

Ralph

Winter is a great time to watch NSN. A lot of clear nights and a lot of broadcasting. Most of it is on the weekends.

 

[AericktheViking]

My wife and I would call ourselves amateur astronomers.

When we were still living in San Jose we belonged to the San Jose astronomy an used to go to star parties through the club.

It has been 4 or 5 years since we did anything with our telescope.

Washington has a state park based around a observatory. They are also have volunteers that help run the park. Since our goal is to be full-timers, we might look into doing that some time in the future.

Have a good rest of the week and a great week end.