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Ramblings and rants from a beginner two months in

uyotg

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uyotg

uyotg

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Well I've been stargazing for just about two months now. I've managed to see Saturn, Mars, Venus, the Sun, the moon, and several stars. I missed Jupiter and the Lyrid meteors unfortunately due to some bad weather :D

Here are some of my thoughts :) enjoy

  • Living in a highly light-polluted area, I am starting to regret getting a 130mm reflector. I can't see nebulae at all, and all my filters have been ineffective. Perhaps I should've gotten a smaller telescope with a GoTo. This would solve my space and storage problems (small urban NYC apartment) as well as help fight against all the light pollution just trying to find something.
  • Because I can't see nebulae that often, I might as well return those nebula filters. They were pretty expensive :D my rationalizing tells me that I won't get to see nebulae that often, but when I do I'll probably go extreme enough that I'll be up on a mountain somewhere and I won't have to worry about light pollution at all to need the filters.
  • High-powered magnification sounded cool at first, but with all due respect, there are only 7 other planets, and my little reflector can't pull in enough detail anyway. The stars all look almost the same to my eyes, so I've come to love sweeping the sky at a mere 20x magnification.
  • Stargazing is so relaxing. I have a ton of other hobbies that require so much of my limited mental powers :( music, for example--I feel so unaccomplished if I'm not productive, but you can have writer's block with that so you're helpless. In my inexperienced and perhaps incorrect view of stargazing, there isn't anything to create. Everything is just there, it all exists, and all I have to do is sit back and look around. No stress.
  • It's so great to finally understand the stars and constellations. For years, I have been told how to find North using the stars, but only now have I been able to truly do it, and really appreciate it too.
  • There used to be a really huge void in me wondering so much about what's out there beyond our little Earth. Stargazing has filled up that void so much.
  • I can't wait to outgrow my reflector. I want a refractor for the coolness factor, or a Cassegrain for the smaller size. Or if I ever move out of here to some place with my own huge private backyard or rooftop access, I'm going to get a HUGE Dobsonian, or maybe build my own.
  • I don't like EQ mounts... the idea is logical and great of course, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Besides being heavy, there is limited movement simply because the telescope barrel keeps knocking into the tripod legs :( I really want a GoTo on a Dobsonian-style alt-az!
  • You won't find anyone who is against stargazing. Everyone has wanted a telescope in some point in his or her life :) ask me how many of my friends said they want to come over to use my scope!
  • Eyepieces are so cool and I feel awesome just carrying them around with me!
  • Man, it is so hard to get a good clear night. Perhaps I just started a bad time of the year? It's been cloudy almost every single night! Perhaps it has to do with the odd weather in NYC--it's been really hot and really cold in the same week at times here--and my location so close to the Atlantic.

Thanks for reading :D

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sologuitarist61

sologuitarist61

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Yes do that, clubs are marvellous places where you can talk to like minded people who will have the time to go through things with you, and that, with the best will in the world, we cannot do on SGL. Also they will have a variety of scopes between them and will be more than willing to show them to you so that you can make an informed decision about what to get next. There is nothing worse than just getting something because it sounds good but without any other good reason, you will almost always be disappointed.

Liked the rant by the way :D

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ubermick

ubermick

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Building your massive dob is great in theory, but make sure you get a 30 year mortgage! My local astroclub is the home of John Dobson himself, and a lot of people have home made dobs, and grinding those mirrors takes years. I was at a meeting this past weekend, where one of the members had a 20" behemoth, which took him over a decade to grind!

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Cjg

Cjg

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One more addition... gonna finally check out my local amateur astronomy club :D

Great read.

+1 for finding your local astro society, that was where I learnt "in the field" loads.

Best investment, is perhaps the petrol (gas) to drive to a dark sky site away from the lights - makes a mahoosive difference to me, sure it will for you.

One thing for sure, the truly great, clear sky nights, where you see lots, more than outweigh the crappy cloudy nights where you get rained / snowed off.

Bear in mind, us poor Brits almost pay in the £ what you guys pay for in $'s. Scant consolation am sure, but I've looked at pricing at Scopecity and wept sometimes!

Good luck,

Chris

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uyotg

uyotg

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uyotg, you're in Manhattan? I'm on Long Island--Huntington. About half an hour from Queens. PM me if you want to meet up for some observing: I'm sure we can find some nebulae in your scope :)

I'll PM you soon! :D

Building your massive dob is great in theory, but make sure you get a 30 year mortgage! My local astroclub is the home of John Dobson himself, and a lot of people have home made dobs, and grinding those mirrors takes years. I was at a meeting this past weekend, where one of the members had a 20" behemoth, which took him over a decade to grind!

OK, maybe I'll just buy one :) I didn't realize grinding was such a project! I thought you could just pay some fabricator to program it into a CNC or something and have it done by next week!

You want more aperture not less... Maybe something like a Nexstar 8SE, should fit your wishes.

Perry

That's actually my main concern right now. Living in a small apartment with lots of light pollution outside, I'm questioning the need for such a large-aperture telescope since I can't see nebulae anyway. I figure I could justify a smaller scope better considering my situation, but on the other hand, I'm sure I'll really appreciate having my 130mm on the rare chances I can take it to a mountaintop somewhere, as Cjg says!

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Donkeiller

Donkeiller

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I feel your pain. I live in the middle of a city and have a large sodium light 10 yards from where I set up.

Can just see the brightest stars and planets with the naked eye.

"Goto" has been a Godsend. I can actually find things, see them and track them.

Double stars, which are not too badly affected by LP are now my favourites.

I also started with a 80mm and moved up to a 102mm and a 150mm.

Bigger is better!

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ismangil

ismangil

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Good summary!

A EQ head on a pillar type support (instead of the tripod) is probably better with a reflector...

Onwards and Upwards....

Mine was on pillar, better but still fiddly with tube rotation, and because I have 200mm the counterweight was heavy...

Perry

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uyotg

uyotg

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Ouch, as I said, lesson learned :)

I should've done more research before getting a telescope, and I should've splurged on it!

As soon as Perry mentioned Urban Stargazing, I ordered a copy right away. In fact, searching for it on Google lead me to some Amazon.com customer's list that had both that book and an 8" Dobsonian in it. I suspected that was him :)

I'll be more prepared for my next purchase, but I kind of feel like I "owe" this telescope at least one year.

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uyotg

uyotg

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Get a nice gun with a silencer and go about ending LP in your area lol

Maybe if enough people put out all the lights they will get the message?

Ah at least dreaming is free......for now.

I live in a coop and this was actually brought up recently though for financial reasons. Moral of the story is, they won't turn off the lights because they're for our safety :)

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uyotg

uyotg

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It's more so they can't be sued really I fear.

Yep, I realized that's what they meant. They don't want people to trip on the sidewalks or to attract any crime by keeping the place in the dark.

I don't know, it's tough to find a resolution to please everyone. I can appreciate the light at night having spent some nights out in mountain forests alone, but right now I appreciate the darkness. Man, we are a picky bunch aren't we :) just like our hobbies.

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