The Amateur Astronomy Thread

[wheresthetorch]

Tomorrow night's supposed to be clear, I'll have a go then.

This diagram shows the idea:

 

[stephec]

It's getting a bit out of hand now, a copy of Turn Left at Orion has just arrived at my house. 😊

 

[HMS_Dave]

It's getting a bit out of hand now, a copy of Turn Left at Orion has just arrived at my house. 😊

It is a highly recommended book. I never brought that one as it wasn't available in the mid 90's. I did buy David Levy's offering which is simply called Skywatching. A good one also...

 

[Drago]

Norton's Star Atlas is the one, a pre-1989 edition in particular if you can find one.

 

[wheresthetorch]

It's getting a bit out of hand now, a copy of Turn Left at Orion has just arrived at my house. 😊

Eventually this will happen!

 

[stephec]

For the past few days it's been clear skies here, so as it's a super moon tonight what else would it be other that virtually full cloud cover?

Anyhow, here's a picture I took last night with my phone.

 

[HMS_Dave]

Nice one @stephec

Tycho and Copernicus as dominant as ever and many of the prominent seas captured.

 

[stephec]

I'm now thinking of doing some kind of distance learning course, I know @Drago mentioned a while back that he'd got himself educated on the subject but I don't think I'll be going to that kind of level.

Has anyone done any basic courses similar to this that they can recommend please?

Introduction to Astronomy - Distance Learning Courses in Astronomy and Cosmology (studyastronomy.com)

 

[Sittingduck]

I did an online learning Astronomy course a year or two ago with Cambridge Uni. Fascinating and I was able to keep up with the first couple of sessions at least. It all got rather technical as the course went on though and was a bit over my head but it's star gazing after all

1920NOE071 An introduction to astronomy: exploring the wonders of our Universe
www.ice.cam.ac.uk/courses/search

 

[Grant Fondo]

Any app that you are comfortable with is fine. I tend just to glance at a radar map to decide. But i have gone out, set up my quite heavy mount and scope and balanced it and aligned it and the clouds roll in, even caught out by rain that had a 5% chance of happening the once... The weather in this country is just quite unpredictable at times.

If the astronomy bug catches you, watch out for Aperture Fever... That is the unquenchable desire for a larger and larger telescope... I caught this terrible disease. I ended up getting a 12 inch reflector on a dobsonian mount. It was almost as tall as i am. My neighbours thought i was reenacting a scene from the battle of waterloo im sure... Thankfully, after realising that it was becoming more and more impractical i realised the beauty in using a telescope that i could set up in a shorter period of time, to get those nights when there may only be an hour or 2 of clears skies. Don't get me wrong, star clusters looked amazing in the 12 inch as did the details on Jupiter. But a common phrase used in the astronomy circle is the best telescope is the one you use the most... Now i have a 6 inch refractor which is still a beast and a 5 inch short tube refractor. Oh and a huge pair of binoculars...

Another tip is to learn how to use your peripheral vision. The light cones in your eyes are more sensitive in these areas. So if your hunting galaxies, peripheral vision is king. The art is finding the galaxies, learning to star hop is a good skill here. Once you are sure it's there, avert your gaze just to the side of the galaxy. With practice you will start to tease out detail, it is a noticeable difference. Try it on easy targets first, such as Andromeda, then head off to the Virgo cluster. Sketching is a helpful thing here too. I can't draw for poo but it helps focus the mind and it helps get more and more detail. BTW, this time of year is prime galaxy hunting season...

I'm thinking of dusting off a Celestron reflector buried somewhere in the loft. Reason being where we stay in Anglesey has virtually zero light polution. Any tips on setting it up? I'm a bit worried it may have got 'dinked'
Heres a pic I took in June .... at 12.30am! Think that was a planet at top?

 

[HMS_Dave]

I'm thinking of dusting off a Celestron reflector buried somewhere in the loft. Reason being where we stay in Anglesey has virtually zero light polution. Any tips on setting it up? I'm a bit worried it may have got 'dinked'
Heres a pic I took in June .... at 12.30am! Think that was a planet at top?
View attachment 602936

Nice noctilucent clouds caught in that picture. 👌

The bright object is indeed a planet that is Venus which reached perihelion in June.

There probably won't be a lot wrong with the scope beyond a wipe down, even if it has a dent in it. Reflectors are simple but the only thing is the secondary and primary mirrors will need aligning fairly regularly especially if it's had a knock. If it is a short tube reflector alignment or collimation of the mirrors is even more important as the light path takes a more aggressive curve off the primary. So collimation of the mirrors is where I would start. The only other thing is perhaps a little bit of grease on the focuser rack and pinion, assuming it uses a rack and pinion and you'll be good to go. The mount if it had exposed worm gears would benefit from grease but if it is enclosed, as long as it moves freely in both axis I would leave it rather than disassembling it.

 

[stephec]

I did an online learning Astronomy course a year or two ago with Cambridge Uni. Fascinating and I was able to keep up with the first couple of sessions at least. It all got rather technical as the course went on though and was a bit over my head but it's star gazing after all

1920NOE071 An introduction to astronomy: exploring the wonders of our Universe
www.ice.cam.ac.uk/courses/search

And you can say you studied at Cambridge. 😊

 

[Grant Fondo]

Nice noctilucent clouds caught in that picture. 👌

The bright object is indeed a planet that is Venus which reached perihelion in June.

There probably won't be a lot wrong with the scope beyond a wipe down, even if it has a dent in it. Reflectors are simple but the only thing is the secondary and primary mirrors will need aligning fairly regularly especially if it's had a knock. If it is a short tube reflector alignment or collimation of the mirrors is even more important as the light path takes a more aggressive curve off the primary. So collimation of the mirrors is where I would start. The only other thing is perhaps a little bit of grease on the focuser rack and pinion, assuming it uses a rack and pinion and you'll be good to go. The mount if it had exposed worm gears would benefit from grease but if it is enclosed, as long as it moves freely in both axis I would leave it rather than disassembling it.

Ok thanks for that

 

[404 Not Found Anywhere]

I’m a bit late in noticing this but for courses the Open University ones are fantastic. There is a basic level introductory course (I think this can start several times during the year) and then there are modules that can lead to degree level if you wish. I did the Astronomy, Planetary Science, Astrobiology and Cosmology courses after doing the introduction and can only praise the teaching, the tutors and the course books. All are level 2 courses; there is a Level one starter course but with a science background I thought I’d wing it. They do require a lot of work though and combining a 30 credit course with working full time was a bit of a challenge. I did take some days leave from work to keep up with assignments but I got so engrossed in it I really didn’t mind. When I retire I will go back and finish off the degree….

 

[Grant Fondo]

I’m a bit late in noticing this but for courses the Open University ones are fantastic. There is a basic level introductory course (I think this can start several times during the year) and then there are modules that can lead to degree level if you wish. I did the Astronomy, Planetary Science, Astrobiology and Cosmology courses after doing the introduction and can only praise the teaching, the tutors and the course books. All are level 2 courses; there is a Level one starter course but with a science background I thought I’d wing it. They do require a lot of work though and combining a 30 credit course with working full time was a bit of a challenge. I did take some days leave from work to keep up with assignments but I got so engrossed in it I really didn’t mind. When I retire I will go back and finish off the degree….

Agree with that, its a 'marginal' science, but absolutely fascinating, I think the physics elelement, (Newtons Laws etc) puts a lot of people off.. but it aint, ahem, rocket science