marmysgirl Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 I am disabled and my son has bought me a telescope hoping I will find it interesting. I can't go outside I live in a first floor flat so my only hope is to view through the window. I also have double glazing. I have a relatively cheap tabletop telescope with eyepieces etc... I wanted to start by having a closer look at the moon. So far even though I can see the moon by eyesight every time I try to view through the telescope it just seems to drift off to one side or the other. What do you think I am doing wrong? Marmysgirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Hi Marmysgirl Viewing through the glass in the window will distort the details on the moon - if possible, could you open the window? The heat from the room will still distort the image somewhat - called boiling - but would be better than viewing through double-glazing. As for the moon drifting, this is perfectly normal. This happens because the moon orbits the Earth and because you are viewing it 'zoomed in', you see it happen much more quickly than with your naked eye. You'll have to keep 'nudging' the scope to keep the moon in view - a bit of practice and you'll get used to how far and how hard to nudge it. Welcome to SGL, by the way - feel free to ask questions, and we'll do all we can to help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starlight 1 Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Some times I do have a little look and double glazing is not that bad , the down side is when you start looking side ways you see 2 of everything. If you like the night sky and its the only way so be it , have ago its not that bad. Welcome to SGL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeSkywatcher Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Hi Marmysgirl I am also disabled (wheelchair user). I can manage to get outside to observe, but often i cant and dont. Its not an ideal situation using a telescope while observing through double glazing but if thats all you can do, it is better than nothing. Can you open the window and point your tabletop scope out?. Do you have a balcony you can get out to?. I have often observed through double glazing with many different size scopes and i am being completely honest here when i say that the only objects in the night sky that look completely rubbish through double glazing are the planets. Ive observed the Moon on MANY nights through a closed window and the views to me are just as good as being outside. Stars look like stars. Nebula look like nebula. I'm guessing that your tabletop scope is on an equatorial mount. If it is not properly aligned to north, the Moon will absolutely race across your view through the scope. The more accurately you can align the tabletop scope to the north.........the longer objects in your view will take to go out of view. Hope this helps. Most people here are not disabled so dont fully understand the challenges we face. They will say:" Get outside" and stuff. I fully understand and appreciate that not everybody can and do go outside to observe. My point is that there is a hell of lot to be seen through a telescope from inside. Planets just aint possible (unless the window is open ans the scope is pointed out of the open window). Also........if observing from a room through an open window............make sure the heating is turned off in that room so the inside temp equals the outside temp. Moral of the story is...........do astronomy as you can do it and enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy-kat Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 But an unheated room with the window open would be the best option to try planets like Jupiter. Nothing lost having a go. Do you know which direction your windows face? Jupiter is south at the moment quite high so above any local light pollution. To help with finding stuff to look at there is a free program called stellarium you can download and install and a good book is turn left at orion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRT Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 16 minutes ago, LukeSkywatcher said: Most people here are not disabled so dont fully understand the challenges we face. They will say:" Get outside" and stuff. That's a bit unfair, Paul. I find that almost everyone here would be entirely respectful of anyone with disability and would do their best to be helpful. Marmysgirl, Welcome to SGL Can you please tell us what telescope you have as it might help us give you better advice on how to deal with the situation? As others have said above, viewing through a double glazing is not ideal but is by no means impossible and if it is your only option the trick is to find ways of making the most of it. Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeSkywatcher Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 "That's a bit unfair, Paul. I find that almost everyone here would be entirely respectful of anyone with disability and would do their best to be helpful." I totally agree and i meant to post such a comment. Disabled or not..........the rules of observing pretty much apply to everyone in the same way. My apologies. I certainly didnt mean to alienate you able-bodied people from giving bloody good advice. Thanks for pulling me up on that one Derek. I personally do understand the challenges which astronomy presents to disabled people more so then able-bodied people. Thats not to say that able-bodied peeps cant advise on the best way to do astronomy. I suppose i just meant that a disability limits the way you can observe and you have to be more creative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mak the Night Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 I'm disabled too, but I can usually get into my garden to observe. I have looked through double glazing with a telescope though. It's not ideal, but at the right angle, the more 'square on' facing the window the better, and with as much light extinguished indoors as you can, the Moon can often look decent. Even at moderate magnifications of around 20x - 30x the Moon will appear to drift or move due to the phenomenon of Right Ascension. This is basically the movement of the Earth as it revolves on its axis making everything in the sky appear to rise in the east and finally set in the west. There are some good free apps that will tell you where the Moon and other objects will be in the sky so you will know where and when they will be for your best vantage point. Celestron SkyPortal is good and it's free on Android. So you may be able to download this onto your phone. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimtheslim Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Do you have access to a mobility vehicle? If so maybe you could take it out with you if it's not too big and cumbersome. You don't always have to be out particularly late, my favourite views of the moon and planets often come at twilight. That might be a totally impractical idea, but if it's not it's a possibility, you don't always have to wait for the dead of night to see some great things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floater Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Hi, marmysgirl. I read your post and wasn't going to add my tuppence-worth because, as usual, you have been given great advice above. But I looked out my window about half an hour ago and saw this gorgeous crescent Moon hanging in the sky. I'm fairly tired after a long day following Mercury across the face of the sun and will not be going outside to observe tonight. But I have a telescope that lives pointing out that window so I took off its cover, stuck in an eyepiece and Mrs Floater and I had a good 20 mins just marvelling at the Moon. (Well, I had 20 mins, she had two mins ...) So, as others have written, go for it. It ain't the best viewing but you'll still get that sense of awe and find lots of interesting things to look at through your window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charic Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Its not the perfect situation, but if that's the only way available to you, just make the most of it. I've used my 200mm scope from within the living room, literally to hide and shield myself from the bright street lights, binoculars work well too, but it has to be through an open window! Just had a peek outside to see the same as Floater, the Moon setting to my West, and Jupiter high facing South, what seems like perfect conditions, but I don't see any Stars, as the sky is just too bright ? Another quick check and I can just make out Regulus, Pollux and Castor, so three Stars are barely visible !!!! Looks like the start of the annual hibernation for my scope/location Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmysgirl Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 Crikey, thanks everyone for such a lot of great advice and encouragement and such a warm welcome. The telescope is a tabletop Nippon, well that's what it says on it, DP300x76. Its like a little fat cylinder. My windows face south maybe a touch south east. There's a ruddy great tree on the east side but the south and a little to the west is clear for looking at the sky. I saw a very bright star which I thought might be polaris. I don't really know what I'm talking about. I have this book called the stargazers handbook by giles sparrow and when I looked in there I thought I might be seeing Ursa Minor. There was a kind of square of stars then a line. Is there an app you know of that can show me what is in the sky on the day I am looking? In answer to questions I can get out, I do walk but not very well I have difficulty in carrying things out to the car so I have to rely on friends to help. I can't see any of them wanting to do this and my son lives in Australia. I'm not trying to put blocks in the way but since so far I haven't had a lot of success I don't want to struggle out only to find I still don't know what I'm doing. I intend to try and get a little experience first. My windows do open but the view would be restricted to straight ahead. I'd just like to see something. All the things you've said have been really helpful so I understand a little better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy-kat Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 For a pc there is stellarium. It's free and well worth getting to grips with. For tablets/phones there are lots I like google sky and stellarium. The very bright star to the south I think is going to be Jupiter. Have a go at that you'll see the planet and it's 4 main moons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starlight 1 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 15 minutes ago, marmysgirl said: I saw a very bright star which I thought might be polaris. This is the North Star use for seting up goto mount for imaging , As you loooking more South you not see this one. It do take some time to find your way round sky so dont be put off by thinking it may this Star , you will work it out over time and by looking at maps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimtheslim Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Yes Jupiter was great last night and likely what you will have seen if you were facing south. It was to the left and slightly higher than the moon which was also beautiful (as ever). As for not knowing what you're doing, I think that goes for just about all of us, at least at some point. I still struggle with anything relating to galaxies, nebulae etc. Depending on how low the horizon is to your south window then Mars and Saturn might become available targets as the month progresses. They are rising around midnight at the moment. Unfortunately Saturn never makes it above 20 degrees or so in height if you're in the northern hemisphere so it's vulnerable to atmospheric turbulence, that said I have had fantastic views of it. I might be wrong and would welcome any correction to my following statement, however with your scope being fairly small it might struggle with picking out fainter objects such a lot of the galaxies and nebulae but should still give you decent views of planets and the moon,which spend most of their time to the southern sky. If you have a way of keeping both sides of your window as clean as possible you should still be able to see some great things. I would still ask your friends if they wouldn't mind putting it in the car. If you have it with you and are able to get out somewhere for 20 minutes to have a look at the moon and Jupiter, you never know they too might really enjoy it! It's worth asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy-kat Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 The Moon and Jupiter can be observed in twilight so don't need to wait until it is dark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mak the Night Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 1 hour ago, marmysgirl said: Is there an app you know of that can show me what is in the sky on the day I am looking? Celestron SkyPortal Stellarium Cartes du Ciel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveS Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Observing through a window need not be a disaster, and at least you're facing south-ish. Thalestris24 images through the (Open) windows of her flat in Glasgow. Just thinking, what do you have outside in the way of open space? If you could put the 'scope in a back-pack would that help? As you have a car, is there anywhere within a reasonable (I don't know what distance is reasonable for you) drive where you could go to observe? If all else fails, then open the window as far as you can, turn off the heat in the room and put the 'scope as close to the window as you can to minimise thermal interference. +1 for Stellarium BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mak the Night Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Celestia isn't exactly a virtual planetarium like the others I linked, but it is very interesting, and it will show planetary positions on a certain date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimtheslim Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 12 hours ago, happy-kat said: The Moon and Jupiter can be observed in twilight so don't need to wait until it is dark. I very much endorse this. My favourite challenge is to see how early on I can find Jupiter and then observe it through twilight. The moon also looks great at this time, seems to be less glare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mak the Night Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Some of the best views I've had of Jupiter have been in twilight. I've often observed the Moon virtually into daylight. Sometimes I've used yellow or orange filters (Wratten No. 21 & No.12) for this as they tend to darken the background sky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charic Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 Polaris, the Northern or Pole Star doesn't show its self as the brightest Star in the sky as seen on your Christmas cards , in-fact its not that bright at all ! yet its fairly isolated, viewed with eyes alone, which can make it a bit more noticeable whilst facing North. If its still not clearly visible to you, or not recognizable, use the guiding Stars from Ursa major, the Plough or Big Dipper ( all the same asterism - the one that looks like a saucepan in the sky?) If you visualize a line extended up through the two stars that form the right hand side of the pot, you should find the Pole Star. If you point a static camera at the Pole star, and leave the shutter open, for a long time, in a dark place, the final image if exposed correctly will show concentric lines (Star trails ) of all the Stars as they circumnavigate the Pole Star, with the Pole star static in the middle ( just?) The Star you saw, that you think might be Polaris, have another look at it, if its quite bright, a white disk, and you can see a line of dots either side in a straight line ( these are the Moons?) then you have seen Jupiter. A bit more power and aperture may be required to see even more detail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timebandit Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Hi. Viewing through a window is not ideal but you can get reasonable results. Obviously as other members have said an open window would IMO be better and make sure if you can your room lights, TV is turned off as additional light is unhelpful with viewing. One other tip from my own experience when doing a bit of through window viewing with my refractor was it really helps if the windows are kept clean inside and out ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 If you can drive, think about a car-window camera mount. You just put the window almost all the way down and clamp it on. it may be a bit clumsy for a scope, but it might work for you. Once you get hooked it's amazing what you can see with your eyes alone, and any scope will let you see more. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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