Marvin Jenkins

Come on Skipper Billy, round of applause, standing ovation. You know you are worth it. Marv

I want to say a big thank you to the OP, the esteemed ‘Skipper Billy’. What a truly remarkable thread from an observation of how the press report this stuff. I am very sensitive to this kind of thing as I try in my limited way to show the people around me about the universe surrounding this planet to a deafening silence. Over the last week or so I have been bombarded by the same non Astro folk saying “you are an astronomer, what about this amazing Bethlehem star” frankly I am left in silence. I cannot reconcile how the very same people who have no interest in observations from their back garden suddenly seek me out for validation after reading a news paper! Marvin

All this talk of wise men following a wandering star to the baby Jesus made me think I would share a recent Christmas card. Recieved from an unlikely source, a C of E Vicar and his wife. I think it is the final statement that me laugh out loud.

Splendid work Zermelo. I knew they were in the 30’s but all my gear including books and charts are packed away due to building works. I didn’t want to be one of those experts (I am not) that advises someone new to the magic and then gets the numbers wrong. wibblefish, if you do get to observe them please post your views and impressions of these open clusters in the observing section. I will look out for your avatar. Marvin

Ahh just Libran not Librarian! I thought it was spell check playing again🤣

Why does being a Librarian make you more balanced? Is it the access to knowledge?

Don’t despair, I am sure you will be successful in your hunt. I will say that your description of bortle 4 with street lights may mean you are more like B6 which explains why M31 is so hard to track down. M31 is large but very diffuse so light pollution really robs it from the EP. Crab nebula took me over a year in B4 skies. It is so small I was massively underwhelmed. Perhaps leave that one for a time with a slightly larger scope. The double cluster in Perseus is a great target, go for it. I am not much of a star/double star observer so someone else will be along shortly about the stars in your list. If I may offer a suggestion? There are three star clusters in the lower half of Auriga. This constellation is to the left and slightly higher than the V of Taurus. Auriga is a bright five star circle and large, so easy to find. I can’t remember off hand what the three open clusters are called but they are three of the Messier list so we’ll worth a visit. A further plus point Auriga is visible in the east after dark so no having to stay up after midnight. Good luck and clear skies. Marvin

I think you are all incredibly wealthy or your cheese has slid off your crackers. All that to reduce star halos! What a whacky world we live in. All this is going a long way to making me think that pursuing AP is complete waist of time. I might just spend ten grand on a huge Tak and another ten on Televue EP’s including the Apollo 11. Obviously observational astronomy is much better value for money 🤣 Marvin

Ok, got it.

Why is Spain any better. I am just 100kms short of the Pyrenees and my skies are zero, for now nearly two months. There are a few Spanish members and I am sure sure that one has something like the following as a signature. “From the all the all too often cloudy central Spain”. I am 1000 KLM’s south of the UK and the weather has been awfull. To put it into perspective, I have not been able to do any winter observing and we are only a little over three months from the clock change! Marvin

Sorry don’t get the joke/comment. tomato got it though, so perhaps I have missed something.

Supply and demand! That old school economic model of the world that seems to be forgotten. If you have it and a lot want it up the price.... it’s called capitalism. We all have a choice, if you feel offended by blatant profiteering DO NOT BUY IT. If it doesn’t matter to you then buy it. I will not buy an inflated product unless it is something that leaves me hungry. I will say on behalf of the consumer, those establishments that profiteer from a time of loss and financial pain, I HAVE A LONG MEMORY and the short term gains will not be beneficial for long term growth. Marvin

Tiny Clanger Forex traders. Futures market cornered. Reveal yourself miniature Clanger person, are you on the board of Skywatcher? Now is the time to come clean!

Absolutely no cloud whatsoever. Just super thick fog instead. Stood outside, turned off the head torch and could see stars, just. The fog is so thick everything is dripping like it is raining. Marv

I saw some the other night, does that help at all?

Wow you are doing well.

What a shame, seems when Tiny Clanger says Quick the stock markets change. We all need to look out for Tiny Clanger stock tips, could be the make or break of future fortunes. Marv

I am sometimes surprised by how little some people need to fulfill their dreams. On the other side I am very respectful to anyone who wants that small upgrade or small thing to make the difference and nothing more I, on the other hand have a grand plan. After spending seven years pulling a stone ruin out of the ground and turning it into a house far too big for my wife and I, I have received the official blessing. I have no idea how this came about, but my amazing wife of twenty years said. ‘Let’s downsize’ smaller, cheaper to buy, cheaper to run and you can build that obsy and get a dedicated imaging rig and have enough for a big Dob!!! Was I dreaming? Have I been hanging out with #bukko to often? Cannot be a dream as my last one had a giant hedgehog appear in the garden and eat my Astro kit. If all goes to plan (🤮) then ROR obs CEM 70, possibly a ten inch RC, mono camera, LRGB and as I am definitely going to run out of funds I am planning on building my own 14 inch tt Dob and some nice eye pieces. Just a thought..... do you think she wants me out of the house at any cost? Marvin

Thanks for that, at least it is a reminder of what it looks like. Oh I forgot hail, we had some of that too.

Just received my first OIII filter, from FLO and a sheet of Badder solar film. Looks like I have a while to make the solar filter and same to test out the OIII due the rain, cloud, more rain, high winds, localized flooding, low cloud to ground level and thick fog.... let me see, did I miss anything? No that will do it. Marv

Wonderful pictures. Two questions, any idea on the make and model of the car? And secondly what is the odd little flying saucer on the newt. The eye piece sits in its center so presuming some sort of focuser or filter wheel? Marv

Thank so much for the replies. This seems to be one of the less followed astro pastimes but I am very interested. I have been thinking for a little while now about my observations in the night sky and if they could be more relevant. In other words how could I contribute to the knowledge ‘data base’. Especially as a lot of astro seems to need more equipment than I possess. This looks perfect. I hope to contribute in the future. Marvin

I can only echo CraigT82 Still do not have a clue what you are talking about. You started with a second hand sat dish on a balcony in a block of flats and finished with an equation. Worst still equations in the middle and spinning particles in different energy states. It is late in the evening and I have work in the morning despite it being Sunday, what are you trying to do to my brain. If I have a sleepless night it is your fault.😂 Marvin

After laying myself bare to the membership and admitting I had not purposefully split a double, I have started looking into this important but not massively followed area of Astro. My question is, how do I observe variability when there are weather systems that rub more than a month and sometimes more out of my viewing? I wanted to ask if astronomers from the past had far great opportunities of consecutive nights to observe variable stars in particular. They must have been very at good record keeping, how does their observation opportunities compare to now. I ask as it seems obvious to me that variable star observing, must have lots of nights to gain the data needed. I cannot see how I can contribute with one night a month. And I would love to contribute. Marvin

Just read your post after looking into studying variable stars. I have to ask..... are you saying you are going to privately hire a 1 m newt in Chile for a number of days (actually nights) to observe a stars variability? I bought a Euro millions lottery ticket today and the jackpot is 17 million. How many nights would I get for that? Marv