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scarp15

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Everything posted by scarp15

  1. All the best for your new move, appreciate that it will be hectic. I would expect that some folk in the Glasgow area would travel south to the Galloway astronomy centre and that following the autumn equinox there will be a lot of newbies, perhaps students etc looking to join societies for at least a taster in amateur astronomy. Understand though that time may require for boxing your equipment for now, whilst pursuing the best means to move this on.
  2. Perhaps contact local astronomy societies and inquire if they would circulate a list of items (via email) you have for sale next time they have their club meets. That way people within your area will be able to arrange to collect.
  3. You have answered it yourself really; to image the horsehead nebula. Just plan to do this later in the year. If you are not inclined to do much else in the meantime then no loss, but plan to undertake this task, when the time comes, would be something to look forward to and in turn could reignite your enthusiasm. Then if your back garden is a problem for trees, consider where else you could maybe go to set up, it can be refreshing to get out beyond the comforts of your home environment in pursuit of your goal.
  4. Visual astronomy is, whilst there are of course thriving astronomical societies, a solitary pursuit. This may appeal more to older 'hobbyists', than demographically younger, whom are likely on the whole to be more gregarious and will seek activities that engage in more social interaction. Also as is often conveyed in topics in the Lounge, quite a few have emerged from other activities such as angling / fishing, which again can be a quite solitary as well as companionable pursuit and of course involves being stationary for hours outdoors. Perhaps it is more so the 'baby boomers' generation that embrace hobbies in the traditional sense, whereby many things are in our digital enhanced contemporary society, considered more so as a 'taster', rather than developing into a dedicated pursuit. Yet visual astronomy will continue, to in some context, attract, excite and feed the imagination, as it has since human curiosity first formed. The challenge is detrimental continual relaxation and deregulation of sensitive land to favour house builders and their like. As our relatively 'fledgling' status for increasing areas of dark sky parks emerges into public awareness and conservation measures aimed to protect dark sky as well as biodiversity against known hostile threats, the future could yet be desirable for enjoyment of what a true dark sky has to offer.
  5. Good point. What I am most looking forward to, for the return of the autumn winter skies, is to get back to a particular remote place on the England, Scotland border that is truly dark. It will involve some hiking and wild camping. As I have only done once before, the refractor; convenient and ideal in this scenario, for capitalising on wide-field and encountering some of the delights to had. After which, rather than facing a tired journey home, which I am much less in recent times inclined to do, I can simply crawl into the tent, for literally a night under the stars.
  6. The mechanics of visual astronomy is attractive and appealing, yet it is quite understandable that the younger emerging generation do not necessarily embrace this, since any inclination and interest in astronomy will be facilitated by a phone app with perhaps some naked eye observing (such as the ISS passing over, a lunar eclipse, planetary alignment etc). It is also rather tragic and slightly pathetic when for example watching the local weather forecast on TV, the weather presenter may enthusiastically announce that there is a strong possibility of an aurora event this evening or that the Perseids meteor shower are to reach their peak, when almost all of their viewers live in a consistent environment awash with light pollution and will dismiss these remarks as something exotic that happens elsewhere - such is our conditioning to urban acceptance. Yet perhaps many visual observers are fairly solitary in this pursuit; enjoy the calm simplicity that visual astronomy can provide and do not give a fig about whether it has a future or not.
  7. Could be interesting, channel 5 t'night (Tue 1 Aug) starting at 9.00pm.
  8. "Difficult but not impossible"; well maybe. Not exactly consistent but, 31mm Nagler 21mm Ethos 10mm Delos 6mm Ethos 4mm DeLite
  9. Oh yes good plan! Then perhaps the next best thing is to just work a little less. Since the pandemic, I'd had to re-organise my work pattern, which being self employed is varied and transient. However by circumstance rather than intent; I no longer work on a Friday, therefore only between a Monday and Thursday count as potential work days (and not every Monday either), which definitely helps a bit. This being markedly so if planning for a dark sky trip.
  10. A good pertinent topic, relatable to all in some capacity. Becoming inspired, perhaps motivated by a certain celestial event, planetary alignment, good weather forecast over a new moon phase, by which you are able to perhaps plan, organise and participate. Conversely a spontaneous leap outdoors for a good optimized crisp lunar phase. Yet as clearly mentioned; personal health, sleep patterns, work, social / family engagement, besides weather, lunar phases, general mood motivation and engaging in other aspiring pursuits, compound any notion for stargazing. Therefore keeping in touch on the forum does assist, as does nipping outside from time to time just to look up, maybe catch the ISS. The interest could lie dormant for some time and then rebound; ebbs and flows. Certainly I too am someone conditioned to require an 8 hour sleep; if at all possible and work several days each week and often will prioritize other interests and pursuits n' obligations over stargazing opportunities, which gets over shadowed (so to speak). Yet its always there and who else except folk on this forum, relish the return for darker long nights and (perhaps) colder conditions, relishing a list of extraordinary familiar and new seasonal objects to glimpse or image, setting up valued equipment to facilitate this, surpassing for a time all of life's relatively mundane circumstances.
  11. Interesting, what I saw was definitely dim and of the correct trajectory, quite certain that it was not a satellite, yet a little before that mentioned photographed time 22.58. I did not take particular regard to log the actual time, only accounting for the approximate tip off on Go Stargazing, yet would had been 5-10min earlier (than 22.58) at my more northerly latitude. Quite accustomed to seeing the ISS, which I believe had traversed across a little earlier? Was clear skies here (certainly Arcturus was) and ISS usually easy to spot as being bright. However did I just stumble across a dim ISS (slight haze in sky?) I am now not entirely sure and was it (ISS) on the very same trajectory. So that would be both me and @Paul Min a bit of a conundrum.
  12. Yes watched live stream via Go Stargazing on Facebook, with a heads up as to when best seen (following ISS) over UK. Therefore lucky to see this from backyard Newcastle at around 10. 40pm S/W to S/E on its low Earth orbit trajectory towards and below Arcturus.
  13. California Nebula responds very well to a H-Beta filter, at low power, dark transparent skies etc. Personally I like to use 2" filters.
  14. Good news. Rum bidding for Dark Sky Island status to boost astro-tourism - BBC News
  15. Observing from home, this past year has been the Baader Neodymium. Only other filter I might consider using from home is my (older version) Lumicon UHC. Pays to have a set of good visual filters if able to get occasionally to darker skies, thus an older Lumicon O-III and H-beta will receive use and the O-III being a favourite. Each in 2" format for versatility.
  16. At between that focal length and something that is relaxed and immersive; 18.2mm DeLite is lovely and engaging. Formally for a shortish period, owned a 19mm Pan, cannot recall to compare but suspect that I would not swop my 18.2mm DeLite for it. Alternatively as Piero has indicated maybe also look at something in around 24mm and yet I do enjoy using the DeLite 18.2 in my F/7 TV-85.
  17. Should this become your 'all rounder' telescope then as much as you may enjoy the 8", ought you choose that, there would develop based upon your inquiry a niggle as to "what if I had instead got the 10". Therefore get the 10" and be done.
  18. Would consider an elusive; large object of low surface brightness and not too easy to locate to be the Medusa Nebula. Worth while a look for though, as I recall responds to an OIII filter.
  19. Conversely a subject that (in my opinion) I do not consider as necessarily elusive, at least a proportion of, is Barnard's Loop. There are much more challenging (with moderate size aperture) galaxy clusters to grasp than this very subtle nebula. Ascertained by a traditional observers approach, does require knowledge, skill and curbing ones expectation to what can (barely) be seen. Yet a slice of Barnard's Loop , is not determined by aperture and so long as there is excellent transparency (dark skies of course etc), is dependably accomplished.
  20. Another visually tricky subject, that I had a go at a few years ago is The Ghost of Cassiopeia; primarily IC63 and comprising IC59. Illuminated by the star Gamma Cassiopeia, there are splendid images capturing the ethereal presence of this nebula, captured at its most revealing by Hubble. Again the glare from its host star makes this a very difficult visual subject, yet on one occasion I did manage to glimpse the brighter cone shaped element (averted vision, fleetingly) using my 14" dob and a TV plossl (cannot recall whether the 20mm or 25mm).
  21. Yep certainly from home, yet your 10" will deliver M51 if you could ever get to a dark sky specifically with this mind.
  22. Elusive targets; plenty where do you start. Lets begin with Barnard's Merope Nebula. This tiny patch catalogued as IC349 is actually 15x brighter than the highly regarded Merope Nebula. Yet it is rather close to the very bright glare of Merope and thus is a very hard target to visually spot. E.E. Barnard himself discovered the nebula using a 36" refractor. There is an observers account at high magnification (428x) employing a 15" dob, nudging Merope out of the field and thirty minutes of eye straining averted vision; to ultimately gain a momentary 'slither'. I have had a go with my 14", needless to say unsuccessful.
  23. Stu, how does the weight compare with a TV85? Would they be compatible in terms of mount / tripod? Thanks.
  24. They thrashed Newcastle last wk-end in the Carabao cup, comeuppance, no tears shed on Tyneside. Dark transparent skies and dark adaptation are king, aperture likely will facilitate some gain in these circumstances, yet a portable set-up within a non light polluted environment can be everything. Getting to such places may require some determination and motivation, stepping out a bit of your comfort zone, yet when in such a circumstance any size aperture telescope will behave way above its anticipated expectation. Then yes regardless, convenience of smaller, manageable portable equipment does by definition gain more use certainly and managing / tailoring expectations, makes each opportunity a rewarding potential. From the perspective of my backyard, when I haul out my 14" dob, the difference is quite significant on familiar objects, compared to using my more frequently used 8" dob. Therefore on familiar brighter objects, aperture gain in a light polluted circumstance will enhance observations. However I do not haul the 14" dob outside very often (primary use has been for dark sky trips), the 8" or refractor, more nimble and easier for nipping outside, thus gaining a lot more user time. It is perhaps about making the most regarding where you are and what you have, time out under the stars trying to locate things is still engaging and certainly, an 8" or 10" dob is indeed a versatile option for consideration.
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