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Overwhelmed by dark skies


JazzyF

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Hello everyone. I live in Scotland, the busy bit in the middle, i.e. where just about everyone else in Scotland lives.

I bought a 130P Heritage a while back, played around with the moon, Registax and a SPC900NC webcam I happened to have lying around, lucky me who knew (I didn't when I bought it). As you do.

I didn't realise how much streetlights are destroying my experience, until I went to my brother in laws. He lives in Kintyre, basically a 100 mile cul-de-sac stuck out into the Irish Sea / Atlantic. Well HELLO UNIVERSE, I thought I was getting pretty good at naked eye, Castor, Pollox lining up the end of the blade on the plough to find Polaris (I guess you haven't forgotten how good this makes you feel you old hands laughing at this lol). Anyway back to Kintyre, totally overwhelmed. I couldn't tell anything from anything else it was an absolute excuse me, erm, you-know-what-ing eyeful.

Ever go to a really foreign place on holiday and feel like its all just too much to take in? Does everyone feel like that? How do you orientate yourself? I'm going back before Christmas, any advice dark sky site people please?

Slange (good health, best wishes) to you all, and thank you for all the great posts which have been really helpful

Jim

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Don't worry its a good problem to have :)

It can seem a bit overwhelming the first time somewhere really dark but you'll soon get used to it. 

Take your time looking around with just your eyes alone before getting the scope out is my advice. Take some time to enjoy how the sky should look. its magnificent. 

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Binoculars can 'bring the country to you' if you live in a light polluted area(like I do),as obviously they'll 'restore' your ability to see the stuff that you SHOULD be able to see if it wasn't for the interminable orange glow that engulfs us urbanites! Binos,and a half decent,practical guide- 'Sky and Telescopes Pocket sky Atlas' is invaluable,I find- could be an answer.

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I know I am very lucky to have experienced the experience, so to speak. I wish everyone could.

My brother in law thinks its all normal of course, how weird is that? Yes, binoculars do work where I live, they bring a three dimensional view that otherwise, to me here at least, is quite different to the holes punched in a black bowl 2D thing that I think is normal. He gets layers, you can appreciate distance, stars that are closer and those that are farther away, just with the naked eye. I think that that is what is so unsettling (I really do mean that, it makes you feel vulnerable which seems a bit daft but there you go, just trying to say it as it is).

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Welcome to SGL Jim :)

There's quite a few of us in the busy middle bit, usually we head out into "them thar hills" * to get a bit of darkness, not quite Kintyre dark, but better than M8/M9 corridor dark!

* Pentland/ Lammermuir Hills

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I know exactly how you feel. I used to live in (a light polluted) Bristol and went to visit a friend who lived about 10 miles from Aberystwyth. I took my scope with me (then, it was a Meade 127mm refractor) and set it up during the daytime. I went out to do a polar align once it was dark and ....WOW! The Stars were a lot bigger and it was difficult at first to pick out the constellations. I just looked at the sky for about 20 minute, taking it all in. I did the Polar align, but a few times had too look up to orientate myself. I first looked at M13, it was bright, and, quite obviously a Star cluster. In Bristol skies M13 just looked like a grey fuzzy cloud! I also noted the number of Stars within the Constellations, again, in Bristol, you could only see the Constellations, not the Stars in between. Also, I noticed how black the sky was cam pared to the 'dark blue' skies of Bristol. I still drool over the event now and it is very vividly in my mind after some years!

I should have retired to Spain, lol

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Hi Jim and welcome to SGL, once you have seen really dark skies, there are so many stars, that quite frankly you just have to sit back and let it all sink in, before you can even start to find your way round. The older generation, putting aside the horrors of the war years, will remember black skies, nothing more now than a distant memory, enjoy :)

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Hi Jim, and welcome to SGL. You're in an enviable position seeing that many stars and I agree it is hard to get used to it. Best advice take a pair of bins with you and just enjoy finding your way around before you get the scope out.

Good luck and clear skies :)

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Hi Jim and welcome to the forum. Experiencing a really dark sky is such a treat that I wouldn't worry about identifying anything, just lie back and breathe it all in!  :grin: I totally understand your point about light pollution and living in a big city as I do, it can be very frustrating at times, especially when those things called clouds also decide to enter into the mix - it's all about patience.

Wishing you clear skies for you next visit to your brother in law's place and hope you also enjoy the forum too.

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