Blankets

[thing]

This might seem like stating the bleedin' obvious but I've been stargazing since last November with a C8N in my back yard in a typically light polluted housing estate. There's a particularly bright street light that shines straight into my back garden. Anyway, so naffed off was I this evening with aforesaid light that I got out an old blanket and tried to hang it off a bush to block out some of the light. It didn't work. And then one of those little flashes (like the ape figuring out the bone tool in 2001......) came over me and I put the blanket over my head.

Results were that I saw the Crab, the Eskimo and Little Dumbell for the first time. Star clusters like M37 and the Double were spectacular.

You may look rather weird standing in the backyard with a blanket over your body but by hell, it's the best bit of kit I've found so far for star gazing. My viewing has literally jumped to another level.

Oh, it also keeps you warm.

[Viking]

An interesting post.

Will you be selling these "special" astro blankets!!!!

John

[saturn5]

If you scroll down near the bottom of the page below you will see an observing hood for £20

Your diy blanket has saved you money.

http://www.astro-engineering.com/Aids/astronomyobservi.html

[Sam]

Good job on figuring that one out. It must have been quite satisfying to finally get some good views.

[centroid]

That's how the Victorians used to take their photos, and it worked for them.

Dave

[Talitha]

Results were that I saw the Crab, the Eskimo and Little Dumbell for the first time. Star clusters like M37 and the Double were spectacular.

:hello1: Well good for you!! :hello1:

Being warmer is a bonus, too. :thumbup:

[thing]

Results were that I saw the Crab, the Eskimo and Little Dumbell for the first time. Star clusters like M37 and the Double were spectacular.

:hello1: Well good for you!! :hello1:

Being warmer is a bonus, too. :thumbup:

I have a GoTo mount and I used to do the 'Tour' thing when I first got it but I couldn't see most of the stuff that the tour took me to. Bit different now....... I saw just about everything, even if some of the stuff was a bit of white fog using averted vision. But seeing the Eskimo as a proper 'lump' in the sky was a bit good, I've looked in vain for that object for four months, and the Crab was a definite foggy shape, just like the photos but without the colours. I'm going to ring my mate who is a tailor tomorrow and see if he can get me some black out material and make a proper bit of full length curtain.

[Talitha]

Black out material sounds perfect, what a great idea! Be careful about getting enough air, though.. the stuff I've seen has a pretty tight weave to it.

[cygnusx1]

Thanks for the tip, i;ll definitely give it a bash, as so far i haven't had much luck with viewing anything but the really brighter DSOs.

Hopefully this trick will change all this

[philsail1]

The simplest solutions to a problem are often the best. (Are you brave enough to post a photo of you demonstrating Kevin!).

Regards,

philsail1

(I'll be doing the same as you, as I've got a nasty yellowy-orange street light peeking over my garden wall, and I'm fed up of moving my scope into the only available corner of my back yard). (I was thinking of going out at night an applying black "duck" tape to the side of the light's glass facing me!!).

[themos]

My garden is raised from street level and I have THREE street lights at eye-level to deal with. And they are the olde-worlde type, "victorian" design of lantern...

[philsail1]

I'll get my hat and coat "Themos."

How the heck do you manage with that lot!

regards,

philsail1

[Ferox]

That's a really good idea, think I'll have to try it.

[cygnusx1]

The simplest solutions to a problem are often the best. (Are you brave enough to post a photo of you demonstrating Kevin!).

Regards,

philsail1

Trust me Phil, i've caught a quick glimpse of myself in a mirror dressed for observing and its not a pretty site