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Incredible work! Thank you!

Many years ago, my brother and I kept 25 hives of bees. Been stung many times and grew used to it, though didnt really like it. It was mostly during working or moving them. Wasps seem to be much more protective of their "space". Encountered under ground nesting wasps when. A child and it was brutal for all those nearby. Had a friend who disturbed a similar nest while clearing land with heavy equipment and it nearly cost him his life. They estimate he was stung over 1000 times. I'll leave wasps alone, till they become a problem. Then I go to the nuclear first strike approach and have no mercy.

Even with my poor eyesight, the differences I see in the equatorial bands are amazing. Jupiter is an incredible world. As always, spectacular images.

My first 2" eyepiece. But it seems that the delivery came with a curse! USPS delivered my new toy, and the weather Gods delivered two days of clouds and rain! I have to admit I was surprised at how much larger it is compared with its little brothers.

I hope soon to upgrade. I would love a C14 SC, but right now, of have you hit the lotto. So my plan is probably going to a 12" dob, with me grinding the mirror for the experience. Then later jumping up again to an 18 or 20. But, all that changes if the 2 tickets I'll buy to tonight hit.

I really enjoy reading these post where everyone is able to banter back and forth, even when they have different views and opinions!!

Our weather forecasters keep claiming, this is really the last cold front. After all, its April! But we had another one. Jupiter was shining brilliantly, living up to its reputation on being the brightest thing in the sky till the moon rose. Barely 10 degrees to the west, Scorpio stood out very distinctly. The milkyway was just beginning to show better as my eyes began to adapt. I grabbed my camera and took a few widefield shots before jumping in the car for work. Next two days are supposed to be good too, but of course I work both days.

Got these in three different 8 sec exposures. Canon SL1, 18mm 8 sec exp, 5 second delay. Fireflies are my only guess, though I would like to claim UFO's.?

When I got back into this hobby, I did a lot of reading before taking the leap. I decided on an 8" dob because of ease in handling. But now that I've built an observatory, I wish I had gone 10" or 12". So yes, I'm still suffering the fever and it's not letting up.

I was so tempted to make a mad dash to the cape. But I didn't. I'm only a little less than 3 hours of hard driving from there. Maybe next time. I want to take my 2 youngest grandkids to experience it close up.

Amazing I noticed this thread yesterday, and just now I see on the local news a man sentenced to 1 year 9 months for shining a laser at a police helicopter. Remember what 'Forrest Gump' said. "Mama said, stupid is as stupid does!"

Remember, the first astronomers, and they probably didn't even call themselves that, had only their eyes and mind when they gazed into the night sky. Look up at the growing moon with the wonder a child feels. See the shape of a constellation in the stars for the first time, as you tell yourself 'Now I see it!' Wait for a shooting star and think at that very moment, you could be the only human alive to see the end of something billions of years in existence. I get frustrated too, but even as I walk in to go to work, the last thing I do is look up into the night sky to see what's there. The sky above us is endless, as is our possibilties learning it.

A few days ago I gave up on Mercury and let it get darker. Turned to Orion nebula with my 8" dob, Canon SL1 prime focus. Had to go high ISO and even 1 second exposure I see some stretching in the stars. No processing.

I've really been wanting some binos to help my poor old eyes to find faint objects easier. Found a used set on Amazon.

Is that kitty, kitty? Or is that a fox? Nose looks a little long for a cat.

My simple 8" dob with my DIY dewzappers. Nor really much to look at, but boy do I have fun. And yes, the finder scope had not yet cleared up. This was this morning while I looked at Venus and Jupiter.

Fantastic! I'm happy to hear the procedures were a success for you. My mother had one eye done but it wasn't good, so she refused to do the other one. I have to say, one of my biggest phobia's is having something done in my eyes. I look at it as a last resort.

I would really enjoy seeing a photo of a completed set if anyone has one. I think of the docking pilot turning the model in the movie 'Pitch black'. One of our solar system would be awesome.

Fantastic thread. Thanks! This gives me hope being I consider myself a baby, not even rolling over yet compared to those with experience. Hopefully I'll start crawling soon.

With fall and winter coming up, hopefully my neighbor will shield those LED.

My view from aprox 345 to 195 degrees is normally quite good. The distance across the state where I live is at the best 200 miles. Orlando 80 miles to the north, so I do get lots of glow on the horizon. Biggest problem in the trouble area is a fire department next door with newly installed LED floods on two sides facing me.

Wasn't me, this time at least.