Words of wisdom - a growing collection of experiences

[Russe]

In a forum as big as this, it's easy to lose sight of many interesting facts. Even now after 2 years on here, I still catch myself saying "I wish I had known this earlier".

This thread may serve as a collection of your experiences summarised in ONE sentence AND supplied with a LINK to either a website with further info or a link to a discussion thread.

Please don't discuss here, but where it's linked into.

[Russe]

I'll make a start then:

It is VERY difficult to achieve focus with a CCD in a Newtonian telescope.http://ccdastrophotography.com/article.php?id=4

[Russe]

Collimation is not as difficult as one might think!

http://www.astro-baby.com/collimation/astro%20babys%20collimation%20guide.htm

[Russe]

To adjust your main image without messing up your stars you might use a "star layer" in your photo programme.

http://www.astropixels.co.uk/Guide_star_layer.htm

[Russe]

RegiStax is a very powerful program used for aligning and stacking images- either stills or frames of an AVI.

http://www.backyardvoyager.com/registax1.html

[Russe]

Creating Hubble palette images made "easy" in 208 easy steps (joking).

http://bf-astro.com/hubblep.htm

[Russe]

Astrophotography will lead you down a slippery slope (an introduction).

http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTROP/TOC_AP.HTM

[Russe]

If your PC is overflowing with data - why not put them on AstroBin?

http://www.astrobin.com/

[Russe]

New to astronomy - watch videos on telescope basics:

http://www.eyesonthesky.com/Videos/TelescopeBasics.aspx

[PorkyB]

Whatever scope(s) you own, you will always find a good pair of binoculars useful

http://binocularsky.com/

[Russe]

If you are interested in astrophotography, read Steve Richards' "Making every photon count"

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html

[Russe]

Another way to polar align your mount is via drift alignment:

http://www.iankingimaging.com/show_article.php?id=11

[Russe]

TELESCOPE FOCAL LENGTH / OCULAR FOCAL LENGTH = MAGNIFICATION.

[Russe]

This is the focal ratio of the telescope: the focal length divided by the aperture.

[farunj]

A really good software called Stellarium, has a wide range of uses, from planning sessions, to guiding a mount.

http://www.stellarium.org/

[rowan46]

Never rub another mans rhubarb

[RT65CB-SWL]

Some very interesting links there Russe.

I sometimes fall into the brigade!

[wxsatuser]

Never rub another mans rhubarb

Classic! :grin:

[wxsatuser]

Useful telescope info

http://www.rocketmime.com/astronomy/Telescope/telescope_eqn.html

[Russe]

Deep Sky Stacker tutorial videos for stacking DSO'S: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=deep+sky+stacker&view=detail&mid=7D8195C2756DD70C68AD7D8195C2756DD70C68AD&first=0&FORM=NVPFVR

[Russe]

"Darkadapted" will control your laptop's colours and give it an acceptable nightvision effect.

http://www.aquiladig...us/darkadapted/

[wxsatuser]

Covington's New DLSR notes

http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/dslr/NewDSLR/index.html#Personal

[Russe]

6 videos from budgetastro.net's Doug German on basic DSO processing in Photoshop:

[Russe]

Freestarchart's aim is to promote Astronomy for all by providing information, articles, charts for anyone who wants to learn more about the stars, galaxies, the Sun, the planets, moon, asteroids, comets and whatever may be out there.

http://freestarcharts.com/

[Russe]

Astrometry.net is a brilliant tool to take snapshots of what you are looking at and find out what you actually see.

http://nova.astrometry.net/upload