It really is worth it.

[long_arms]

Hello,

Wasnt sure where to write this, or even to write it at all. But as I am in a good mood Im going to anyway.

I have just come in after half an hour of attempting to image Saturn.

I obviously haven't slept tonight and struggled to keep busy/awake but constantly looking at sat24.com and seeing clear skies helped

Anyway, I was stood there and the newbie astrophotographer in me was thinking "terrible seeing", "cant focus", "scope not cooled", "camera dirty" in my frustration as I reeeally want to get a good image of Saturn soon.

But then I stopped, looked at the screen and what my camera was looking into and at and I thought, this is still completely worth it !!

I mean sure its not going to be as good as I had hoped technically, but I'll be getting a picture of another planet! Not that long ago the idea of photographing another planet from your backgarden was sci-fi.

Sometimes I think we can get used to seeing amazing pictures, and seeing these things for ourselves through our scopes. Wishing we had this persons telescope, or camera.

But then you think of all the people in the world and throughout history that have never and will never have the opportunity to see them!

Of course we will still complain when it isn't perfect, but it is always worth it in my opinion.

Random, spontaneous speech on a forum over.

Dan

[RMcCallum]

Fantastic speech. Don't forget to post pics :grin: :grin: :grin:!

[Richie092]

Great post. I found the Andromeda Galaxy last night for the first time. It was a tiny smudge in the middle of my EP but it didn't alf make me smile.

[bomberbaz]

Last night I managed for the first time Andromeda and Great Nebula in Orion for the first time as well as a couple of open clusters (NGC) cant remember number off top of my head. Was totally awesome evenings vewing despite the fact the goto was playing silly beggars. Oh and also got a good view of the GRS too.

First time scope had been out in a month and man did it feel good. Might be a lot of monies worth of kit for such infrequent usage but nights like yesterday make it worthwhile.

Baz

[GrahamJ]

I have asked this question before elsewhere, but last night great seeing, I tried to see M35 in Gemini. No look, I used turn left at Orion as a guide but no joy saw lots of amazing sights but nothing I could identify as M 35. Its supposed to be easy in binoculars & mine are very good 8x56 does anyone else have difficulty with this object or am I missing something.

[starnut]

I looked out last night and saw clouds so I played with Google Skymap on my tablet ....same old same old....

[long_arms]

Heres what I ended up with Saturn wise in the end

<a href=" title="Saturn 7/02/2013 by Daniel Robb, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8510/8454419902_b92f3c67ee.jpg" width="376" height="387" alt="Saturn 7/02/2013"></a>

I tried to see M35 in Gemini. No look, I used turn left at Orion as a guide but no joy saw lots of amazing sights but nothing I could identify as M 35.

Hi have you got stellarium on your pc? I find having a look at that can help. Keep trying.

Dan

[long_arms]

Grrr Moderator can you delete that last one and maybe remove the link in the first one (although it does seem it works).

Here:

Dan

[Marki]

Excellent sentiment, Dan! And good effort with the photo (I like the jupiter ones on your flickr too). We so easily forget the sheer distances/scales of what we are attempting to see/image. Its so easy to get hung-up on all the technicalities of kit and weather, and forget the splendours these tools enable us to reach out to. Good post!

@GrahamJ - M35 eludes me as well up til now - M36, 37 and 38 fine, but m35 no - maybe its too low from my siteor the seeign was too poor on the times I've tried.

[ollypenrice]

Oscar Wilde wisely said, 'If a thing's worth doing it's worth doing badly.' That might include playing a musical instrument, climbing a mountain, making a Yorkshire pudding... Only if things are inherently pointless are they only worth doing well. (Synchronized swimming comes to mind but I don't want to upset anybody... ) Photographing Saturn, for goodness' sake, is eminently worth doing and you are not doing it badly.

Olly