Comfortable, low-hassle (and rewarding) visual observing tips

[Druid]

It's becoming increasingly clear to me that for the visual observer, especially one with other claims on their time, maximising comfort and minimising hassle is the key to rewarding astronomy experiences. 

So I thought it might be smart to start a thread where we can share what we've learned

What's your most comfortable, hassle-free and rewarding visual observing set-up? 

What are the little tricks that you use along with the equipment to make it so? 

[osbourne one-nil]

For me, it's knowing what I want to view first and foremost. If I don't plan something - anything - then I just end up looking at the Double Cluster and Jupiter (for example). 

Then, in terms of set up, it's an alt-az mount fitted with an Argo Navis. Being able to find stuff quickly is a real plus point and the Argo Navis takes less than a minute to align which means if you want to move your scope about, it's not a problem realigning. Then it's a tripod tall enough to allow me to stand while viewing. I've tried sitting, but find it too restrictive and not actually any more comfortable. Finally, somewhere to put stuff - a table or a tripod tray. 

I know this is my preferred setup as I had it all once with a TV85 on a Porta Mount with Argo Navis, sold it, instantly regretted it and within the year, got a similar set up back (including the very Argo Navis I sold to someone who didn't use it and sold it back to me!). 

[Druid]

Mine is a fast 4" apo. refractor on a manual alt az mount. I do get frustrated with the limited light grasp of the refractor and its not terribly comfortable anywhere near zenith, so I could see that e.g. an 8" f6 dob might have a lot going for it too.

For those lucky enough to have a permanent set-up it might be a cosy dome with a good-sized SCT on an EQ mount (I'm thinking that might be in my future) or perhaps a largish dob in a run-off shed. 

I had a major breakthrough in the freedom from hassle and rewarding experience stakes when I followed Qualia's advice and started learning to combine: binoculars, a red-dot finder, a RACI finder and some decent star maps. For me this is becoming much more accessible and rewarding than getting my EQ/SCT rig set-up and relying on that to find stuff for me. 

[osbourne one-nil]

I think an absence of an EQ mount might become a theme here! 

I've upgraded the tripod of my Porta Mount to a Berlebach one - it's lovely - which means I now have a spare tripod which I'm going to adapt to provide a platform onto which I can secure my 8" Dob to bring it up to eye level. Then I'll be really happy - well, for me. 

[Druid]

Heh. I've been fancying a Berlebach too. They look like they're faster to set up than the eq5 legs I use with my alt-az mount and much more stable I bet. 

I agree with you about having a plan in mind being really important. I'd also say that one of the key learning things if you're going in that direction is figuring out what a realistic plan is going to be. Otherwise you're going to get frustrated trying to e.g. pull M101 out of a skyful of orange muck with a 4" scope. 

[John]

My approach is very "low tech". No electricity, alt-az mounts, dump it down and observe, and wide field eyepieces to help keep things in the field of view longer at higher powers. Add a red torch and a good star atlas and thats it.

I've owned GOTO and equatorial mounts and they are great at what they do but I've found that my "style" is the simple one and it works for me.

[Druid]

You use a longish 10" dob if I recall right John?

[chiltonstar]

I must be the only person in the observable Universe who generally prefers an equatorial mount to an Alt-Az one..........!

For me, other vitally important accessories for "comfortable" (in the title) viewing are warm clothing, shoes and a well-insulated cushion on your observing chair. Difficult to be comfortable when your blood temperature is below 35C.

Chris

[John]

You use a longish 10" dob if I recall right John?

I've a 12" F/5.3 dob and a couple of ED doublet refractors which I use on a Giro mount.

I agree with Chris about keeping warm having just come back from the SGL star party. At home I observe from an area close to the house so I can use the "pop in for a brew" method as well as some layers of clothing

If I'm after faint stuff and need to keep dark adapted then I pop in less and wear more !

[Roy Challen]

Agree with everyone on this. Stuff in my sig says it all. I would like a pier with some kind of retractable centre column to adjust height when looking toward the zenith, but failing that a nice Berlebach will do. Perhaps a small battery powered heater as well. I observe from my back garden so I can pop in for a tea every now again and if I'm really lucky my wife will even bring one outside for me

[Helen]

Alt Az mount, stool, access to table, and a music stand to hold the charts.  I've got a little celestron combined redlight torch/handwarmer which is really great too.

Helen

[ronl]

Comfortable no hassle observing, now that's how I observe, from the comfort of my

observing chair, which I modified to suit myself, dual axis motors, list of objects and

the most important things for this time of year, warm and comfortable clothing, not

forgetting good boots with thermal insoles and sheepskin insoles too, gloves when

it gets frosty, FLO Beanie hat, "very toasty", table at the side with charts flask of tea,

now I can stay out all night.  Bliss! 

[osbourne one-nil]

One thing I forgot to mention is the ability to make compromises. I've got lovely dark skies around me, but my garden is plagued by stupid pointless sodium street lights. Still, I prefer to observe from home and put up with them than trawl out in the car to get away from them. I will do if it's a really sparkly night, but on most occasions it's better to make do.

[John]

One thing I forgot to mention is the ability to make compromises. I've got lovely dark skies around me, but my garden is plagued by stupid pointless sodium street lights. Still, I prefer to observe from home and put up with them than trawl out in the car to get away from them. I will do if it's a really sparkly night, but on most occasions it's better to make do.

Similar here. 99% of my observing is done from my back garden and I just work around the challenges and adapt my targets as needed. I admire those who go to a lot of effort to find really dark skies and they deserve the results they get but I prefer home comforts

[beatlejuice]

A comfortable adjustable height observing chair like the Starbound that I have in addition to some form of tracking in RA and I am in observing heaven.

Eric

[completenovice]

I think it's simple things like ease of setup and being comfortable. Everything at hand ready to use.

with things being easily accessible, you're not tied to a lengthy session and can pop out for a quick 30 minute session when the clouds clear.

Close to the whiskey cabinet also helps! Unfortunately as the night wears on I can't quite achieve focus...(I'm blaming the equipment!)

[Tomjo59]

I certainly agree that speed and ease of setup is key. My recently acquired 10" dob is a bit of a beast, but luckily I only have to carry it a few yards from the garage to the patio, nice and close to the house. A permanently mounted setup on a pier in its own 'house' would be ideal, of course.

Having specific observing/imaging objectives helps too, as you have the enjoyment of planning beforehand what to look at.

[xyz]

I have marked (post-stamp sized squares of masking tape) the locations of the three tripod feet on my rear garden terrace. I always park the (AZ GoTo) scope in the home position when finished. If I place the tripod feet on the marked locations and re-start the scope from the home position I can generally continue where I left off withourt realigning the scope. If I have to realign, then it's a doddle to GoT0-point the scope to the first aligment star from the "nearly correct" starting position.

I have also bound together the necessary wires so that the scope, lap-top and power extension cable are all very quickly connected.

The light screen - two wooden poles with a sheet of black plastic between them, then slips into two redundent garden umbrella stands and neatly blocks out the most irritating of the mutitude of neighbourhood security lamps.

As other posters notes, a regular standard set of multi-layer warm clothing plus snow-boots finishes it off. And as long as the fashion police don't make a surprise visit, I'm fine.

Richard

[recceranger]

Bino's

[Paul73]

For me:

- A loose pre planned target list

- Pre cooled easily liftable Dob from garage to garden.

- Hight Adjustable Chair + Cushion.

- Warm hat & boots.

- Cold beer.

And NO electronics at all!

It is worth noting that I am one of those twisted souls who enjoy the search and relish developing my knowledge of the night sky. I did think that I was quite good at it, until I wittnessed Danski and Barry in action at SGLX... More practice needed by yours truely.

Paul

[niallk]

I tried something for the first time last summer on Saturn: I sat down while observing. It noticeably helped - I know so many others always do it - but I hadn't! I guess one is constantly adjusting balance when standing (look at how someone sways who has been standing for a long time)

In terms of equipment, a Telrad and 1:10 focusser have been great investments. Also wide fov EPs for the manual dob. Last year I tried Oiii and UHC filters: got a cheap filter wheel which really lets me use them hassle free: finder ep and then swap over EPs and switch in filters with no screwing around. Without this wheel, I probably would tire of swapping and changing

[Guest]

Mine is an 8 inch F6 Newtonian mounted on an Altair Sabre mount and Skywatcher tripod.What makes this work is the five inch height extension between the mount and tripod.The Newtonian can swing around freely at eye level and not hit the tripod.

The height extension was made by Graham at Astro Tec.

[damnut]

Firstly a little planning. A comfortable chair and my back saver a RACI finder. And like most others an alt-az mount. Either a dual mount skytee1 or a triple mount skyteeII.

[Druid]

How do people rate the various types of dobs vs catadioptrics and/or refractors on an alt-az like a Giro, SkyTee or Sabre? 

Anyone got both to compare? I'm thinking the ability to observe comfortably near zenith is a big plus, especially in urban conditions?

[osbourne one-nil]

My Porta Mount does more or less allow access to the zenith - but I need to make sure the tripod legs aren't too spread out otherwise the diagonal can hit. For the zenith, I use my Portaball dob which can just access any part of the sky just as easily as any other.

One other thing I thought - don't beat yourself up over just spending half an hour outside...I used to feel guilty if I didn't spend a couple of hours out on a clear night, but why?!