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Hello from Portsmouth

friedeggs

By friedeggs
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friedeggs

friedeggs

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Hi everyone. So my wife has been pestering me for ages about wanting to go stargazing but despite a long held interest in astrophysics i have been reluctant. I would always be asking if she really wanted to be hanging around the South Downs in the middle of the night getting cold. Or pointing out how disappointing everything will look after we've been treated to amazing composite pictures from Hubble for so long.

So i eventually relent and buy her a set of 20x80 binos to get started with. We just had our first dark clear night in the downs, a couple of complete novices who can recognise about four constellations between us. It's been so long since i spent a night away from light pollution that i had forgotten how good the night sky really looks. First we wondered at the very bright steady light that sped over us, before having a brainwave and checking the NASA website to confirm we'd seen the ISS go over. Then we counted 17 perseids in about thirty minutes getting more and more excited. We scanned the sky with our binos and in the north east a very obvious obvious hazy blob with faint arms popped into view. I knew instantly it must be the Andromeda Galaxy. It was at that moment that i realised what all of you already know. What a complete fool i have been for not doing this years ago.

Tony

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HIP3802

HIP3802

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Hi, Tony, and welcome to SGL! There is a very popular (and free!) planetarium programme called "Stellarium" which will help you not only find your way around the constellations, but also help plan a viewing session by tellling you what is up and where to look for it. It is also customisable for local conditions. You can download this here: http://stellarium.org/

I hope this helps,

Martin.

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SnakeyJ

SnakeyJ

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Hi Tony,

and welcome from me, about 6 miles south of you on the IOW. Only just catch a glimpse of your orange glow on my Northern Horizon!

Hope you and the good lady have many such great nights under the stars - it's never to late to make up for missed time.

All the best - Jake

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