Slingshot

cheers Paz

thanks Waldmar - and to everybody. slingshot

Gost - that image is heart warming when i saw it- great stuff!!

Leylandi - the curse. Non native species, drains soils and reduces biodiversity. The winds here have been over 120 recently and blown over a whole row that was blocking a neighbours westerly viewpoint. Several people have been around there to fill trailers of wood. Said neighbour is delighted with it. In view of this event, some of us planted lots of native trees in thanks.

Nice account of your observations and a pleasant read - thank you. Some of the sheep, nearbye to where i live, graze near to a pub. They get a bit nervous at closing time!🤭

Politicians are acutley aware of growing Mental Health issues. Light pollution - specifically bright light shining into houses, bedrooms, gardens et al, can prevent sleep. Moreover, it is a psychological stressor which can lead to strees, even subconsiously. Perhaps given that MH is a hot topic with ever increasing numbers, it is time that politicians and council groups be made aware. Not just from a dark sky perspective, but from a general health one. Question is how to influence these people quickly? Slingshot

Of course when the wifes outside with me, giving out about the price of this and the cost of that. The skies are this, that and the others a waste of time, creates a warm ambient atmosphere around, thus negating any dew! 🙂

windy.com is very good. Try some of the aviation selfbriefing sites, Met Office UK and our one here. They contain significant weather charts which are very useful. S

Thank you

Hi G family - read Mr Tonkins review. Looks good so thank for this information. Will investigate and check to see how many shillings i have! Slingshot

Hi Paz - thank you, so much advice its great!

Thank you - will investigate

Hi Stu- thank you, I obviously need a load of stuff with all the great advice from everyone. Will get them ordered. Garry

Grand job - thanks a mill- will look into it, along with all the other things i need. G

Thank you for your suggestions, appreciate it. Garry

What a beautiful instrument. Sad to learn that it was stolen. Thieves reap for themselves, by their own actions, a low standing in society - and worse for all is they know it.

Nice one SSC- an old ballroom mirror would be good.

Hey ScouseSpaceCadet, Thanks for the advice, will look into getting some binoculars. Though i bet there is a massive choice for them and I wouldn't be sure whats best..... Any thing in particular? Made me laugh with M1 eyeballs. Its not that, it was reasonably clear and i live in a good place for looking up. 😁 S

Okay so maybe the councils and local authorites could be asked to switch off every other light for example - given these LED light are brighter?

No we'll have to move it again according to this new council lighting street and amenity map!!

Politicians and local councils need to be reminded of their responsibilties regarding climate emmission targets. There must be bye laws that prevent excess lighting and this growing needless waste of resources.

Appalling - I dont want to be banned either, should i convert my rant to words. Earth, Universe and ourselves - at what cost to the health of the very place we habit??? S

Hi - I'm a new member of this great forum and a complete beginner. I would be grateful for ideas or suggestions if you have time please. Last night at around 2230hrs i was laying on my back garden in the moist grass gazing up at the night sky. Clear skies North and South but cloudy in the East, Patchy West. No telescope, just my mug of tea and a blanket. I have always known where North is since a young lad. Find the Plough, top and last star of the saucepan and follow in a straight line for 6 thumbs and there is the North star. Great. Then, as i looked at it with my new eyes as a new budding novice, it suddenly dawned on me. Like most of us on this planet we all look at our night sky, think how beautiful it is, be humbled, thankful, in awe, spiritual, emotional and so on, then go about our business. But not now! Now I am looking up with deranged eyes and mind, thinking i have not a clue about any of this wonderous sight before me. I have no names, no vocabulary, no maps, no idea of where to start and no plan at all. So far i have been looking at equipment needed to get started, which in itself was overwhelming, but made a choice and picked out my telescope. And indeed some members here, have kindly said i made a decent choice to start with....... As it got gradually darker (and colder) the stars got brighter. So i picked out a line from the middle of the Plough and followed if by about 13 thumbs (sorry for the boyhood terms) and found a big bright star and below that, by half a thumb, a collection of faint stars which i could see better by averting my gaze. It dawned on me again. I cant be doing this all night without any clue of technical knowledge. Bewildered, I stood up and looked toward the South West and saw what i know to be Jupiter and i think Saturn (fainter). This again brought it home just how little i know and just how much learning is needed just to get going. I went inside and on my PC ( i dont have an i -phone or android tablet ) and found Stellarium. Looked at the online sample, stuck in my location and upcame a northerly view of what i had been looking at. I found the names to my delight and ran outside to try and match up what i had seen. But it took at least 10 minutes before my eyes got used to the dark again. Then identified said bright star as Arcturas and below that faint collection as Gaia. ( i think ) Cocker hoop, i ran back inside and looked again at the PC for more names. This went on for about an hour or so. I felt elated at finding the star called Dubhe which was my boyhood top of saucepan star and on to Polaris. Back to Ursa major across again to Arcturas and below that Gaia, carefully usig my thumb to get the right measure. I couldn't see capalla coz of cloud to the east. Back inside I thought just how do other people do this. Hence this message. I need to work out a plan, what are the right maps, is Stellarium good start or something similar. What hard copy maps and best beginners books? Is it a good idea to pick up a small bit of sky, and work outwards from that, then when comfortable, move on to other directions. Or do I pick out known objects, like the Moon and other near planets and go from there. Or do I do a bit of everything bit by bit.? What is the best way of logging my progress? And many more questions..... Sorry for length of this topic matter, if I have made mistakes with names and if the questions asked are basic. I would be grateful for your thoughts and advice - thanks a million. Garry

Hi, How about something that engages new joiners and complete beginners (like me) that we should try to complete in a given time frame? For example i was out last night, lying on my back in the cold grass, looking at the stars above me. No telescope. I know where Polaris is since i was a kid ( 6 thumbs past the last star on the top of the plough saucepan in a straight line). But it dawned on me there and then, where do i start and how?. I have been looking up like this for a while and have no idea of what objects are what. Thanks S