OK Here it is - Lets just LUV the night sky????

[Northern Soul man]

Hi To All, lets get back to the night sky - forget collimation, aperture, optical paths, magnification, mounts, imaging. I've loved the night sky for a long time now and ok, I've worked my way up to a nice set up, but I've recently been to a nice darkish sky (for me from a light polluted location) and , to be honest, I've never taken my scope to this location, and WOW, just to see the sky from a location that gives me near horizon views of constellations I've never seen from my garden - I'm lost - astronomy - I think - is not about the Physics and mathematics of whats up there - ok - these observatory class scopes come into their own - we're never going to match that - but - for me - just whats up there - why are the stars there ? - why are some brighter than others ? - why are there different colours ? - why the seasons change whats up there ? - the questions keep popping up - and you can keep answering these questions with what we know today - but I keep coming back to the love of the night sky - just think what the early pioneers of astronomy thought of the "wondering" stars - the planets we know today - Gallileo - the first views of Saturn - now - a robotic rover on Mars - what would he have thought.

I spent more time at the darkish location - not looking through a scope (I've not taken my scope there -not imaging the heavens - not re collimating - but just using my eyes - we are not all blessed with wonderful dark - Milky Way - views - and - to be honest - naked eye views of M31 and the double cluster in Perseus - are fantastic - but back home - orange sky glow, houses in the way, poor seeing.

I just love to go out on a dark night - has Jupiter cleared the top of the garages yet - what object is just overhead now - are we going to stay clear while I set up??

Just looking around with my binos - when the Milky Way is overhead - star after star and the field of view filled with stars.

I think astronomy is more than the FOV in the ep - its just a love of whats up there - I know - these big scopes and dark skies bring amazing views - but we all don't have these options - and for me - just detecting galaxies and nebulae - amaze me, the night sky will always be in my life and when the opportunity arises - I'll be out there. Paul

[stuartjones]

Very well said, it's so true getting lost in the setups you have and everything else that goes with it. just forget how amazing it all is just with your eyes.

I have a great dark sky location and wow i love it. i can lay on my back and gaze for hours on end.

[rowan46]

Fair enough, but for those of who can't get out to a dark site to see galaxies and nebulae with naked eyes any suggestions? Oh just thought of one a telescope

[crazyjedi]

Too TRUE. I have spent many a night just stood looking up with my mouth open. No scope just my eyes, on the way home on foot from a night out, hands in coat pockets half way through the park on a clear night.

[Qualia]

Ay, wish I could detect galaxies and nebulae with just the naked eye. You're very blessed to have such wonderful dark skies, Paul.

[nightfisher]

I am lucky being able to drive 10 minutes and be on the meltham moors, from this site i can view the milky way naked eye, and i bet i could make out M31 naked eye, i just dont seem to get the time when its clear

[stuartjones]

I am very lucky i live out in the country south somerset, And I work on large estate grounds where there is no light around for miles apart from the odd car that may pass through the estate but later at night never happens. And with the scope set up there as well unreal.

I do feel for those of you that can't get out to placed like this.

[Northern Soul man]

Nice 1 Guys and Gals - its nice to know that, yes we have scopes and bino's to use - but just to do a little naked eye astronomy is great - I never thought that I would get to see the Milky Way and a few naked eye objects from so close to Wolverhampton, you can see the amount of light that's thrown up into the sky if you look South from the site, don't get me wrong, its not a truly dark site being so close to Wolverhampton - but far enough away as to make the Milky Way just visible when well placed - I think that if I lived where some of you on here live, with very dark skies, I wouldn't know where to start.

But Thanks again for all your replies - its nice to know that Astronomy is about more than getting a massive scope, all the top kit and the know how - just by taking the time to get to a darkish site and enjoying the sights above, I know that not all of us can do this but it just shows that we can all do Astronomy whatever level suits us and whatever problems we have, be it light pollution or lack of observing time if you love the hobby as much as I do, its nice just to go out and look up.

Thanks again to all of you and as we all know - clear skies to you all. Paul.

[breezy]

Paul I liked your post ,

I've got some kit , haven't got a clue and can loose myself for hours just gawping and contemplating

[Northern Soul man]

Nice 1 Breezy that's exactly what I mean - in the last few years I've seen many changes to the kit that we can now buy - if you would have told me twenty years ago that I could buy a scope that automatically slewes to each object - I would have said "are you from the Planet Mars!!!!!" - I think you know what I mean, but seriously I think its nice just to go out and forget the fast world we now live in with worries at home and worries at work - and just look at those twinkly things in the sky and ponder the massive distances light has travelled to reach our mark 1's and also to wonder if that star we are looking at IS STILL THERE ????? - thanks again Breezy an clear skies to you.

[SteveNickolls]

Yep I agree Northern Soul man-on our holiday to North Norfolk earlier this year we had four clear, very dark nights when the skies were truely marvellous. No set up, no leads, no polar alligning or costly ap stuff-just stand and stare.

Cheerts,

Steve

[Matt Scunthorpe]

Even when i am out with the scope, ill be trying to line up the scope on something, and ill catch another part of the sky out the corner of my eye, and end up just stood staring upwards! Then forgetting where im trying to point the telescope

[Northern Soul man]

Thanks guys its really nice to see that so many people are looking at the whole 'astronomy ' picture and that you all feel the same about the whole gazing thing as me and its so nice that the night sky CAN be enjoyed and wondered at in a way that moves us all away from the technical side of the hobby and just to wonder and observe in such a way that we all use the same equipment - our eyes, so no one needs to set up, polar align, set mounts, select ep's and search charts and planetarium programs - but just look up.

Thanks again to all for your input its only been recently that i've taken the time to go out to a darkish site but like you all say - really worth it even if i cant get the scope to the site and to look up and wonder what the early pioneers of the hobby thought. Thanks for all your input and regards. Paul.

[smoothound54]

Many years ago we were on holiday near the golf de morbihan in France - and for over week - the milkyway was the clearest i have ever seen it - and that includes being 12+ miles offshore on a trawler

So much detail !! - just lying on our backs and gazing up - sometimes with our binoculars to zoom into soemthing interesting

my wife and i still talk about that week - It left a deep impression on us both - and is the reason I bought a telescope as soon as i retired

cheers

[KevUU]

I hear what you're saying. It's that raw just staring that got me into this lark, and I still try to remember to do it now. It does mean when we're out in the country (Lakes, Keffalonia, just the back lanes from home...) I have a constant up-crane on my neck

my partner recently passed here driving test, so for the first time in a decade I'm regularly a car passenger now. I spent two hours while coming down the motorway last weekend, looking out at Orion through the side window! On the motorway! Couldn't believe it

[JamesM]

Every time I go out with the scope, I always give myself a little time away from the kit just to gawp at the whole night sky project. I agree that discussions on kit can become a bit studious at times and I think that most of this is a consequence of there being too much cloud! :grin: One interesting experiment to perform on a clear dark sky is stare up at the heavens whilst led on the ground and remind yourself that that the only thing that is stopping you floating away is gravity. This might not have much of a reaction at first, but the longer you lie there whilst considering this point the more 'precarious' this thought feels, to the point where after a while it can feel quite unbearable. It's as if you feel the universe is pulling you towards it - it may sound silly but have tried it? :grin:

Clear skies

James

[stem1989]

Fair enough, but for those of who can't get out to a dark site to see galaxies and nebulae with naked eyes any suggestions? Oh just thought of one a telescope

indeed!

[LukeSkywatcher]

I dont think i have ever read a more passionate review of the "hobby" and i could not have said it better.

"I think astronomy is more than the FOV in the ep - its just a love of whats up there"

I came into this world looking up, i've spent my whole life looking up and when i am buried....................i'll still be looking up.

Astronomy is NOT a hobby. Its a passion...................a life long passion.

I think the OP is the best post i personally have ever read regarding astronomy.