what would you rate as the most special astronomical experience

[timetraveller]

hi guys just read jonnos post re solar eclipse viewed from Easter Island and it got me wondering what would you rate as your most special Astronomical/cosmological experience can be one you have already experienced or one that you would most want to experience. I think my most special experience to date has to be watching a winter solstice sun rise at Avebury it border on almost a spiritual experience for me And the one i think i would most like to experience is looking down on our tiny blue plannet from orbit I think that one would definitely overwhelm the senses

[GazOC]

Staying up all morning after a 12 hour night shift to be rewarded by fleeting gaps in the cloud for the transit of Venus a few years back. By the time the show had finished around noon I was so tired I was practically hallucinating.

[PhillyDee]

I have never been out much this year due to shift work (Only got a scope last christmas) but when I did go out, I found somewhere nice and reasonably dark, an completely failed to align the GOTO properly. (Slewed the wrong way etc - think it thought I was in the southern hemisphere). It started to cloud over a bit so I thought '[removed word] it' and packed all my gear away. As I was doing this I obviously kept looking up (you never know!) and a lone shooting star went flying across the heavens. Made me rethink and not to lose heart in a new hobby. I still went home though - it was getting light :mrgreen: .

[Ant]

What this one...?

For me I think it was around 5 or 6 years ago, in November. It was my dad's 60th Birthday party - I left early so I could go and watch the total Lunar eclipse.

I remember sitting in the reclining chair, listening to all the fireworks going off around me and the moon turned blood red, and faded to such a degree that faint stars were visible right up to the moon.

It was an amazing night (back when we actually had clear nights).

Ant

[Jamie]

It has to be a coronal aurora that i had the privilege to see a few years ago.

Twas like something out of the Ghostbusters movie....

Rates up there with my first view of Saturn's rings.....

[Cloudwatcher]

The one that sticks in my mind was the Luna eclipse of 2007. Clearest I've ever seen.

Cheers

CW

[ngc2403]

yesterday when the clouds cleared!!!!!!!!!

or the 8 hours spent at the eypeice of a 12'' dob in a dark sky up the north east of scotland in feburary 07. watched m31 set and rise though it was behind the trees. cygnus and lyra where both out at 3-4 ish and we had great views of the virgo cluster, leo galaxies, m42, m51, intergalaxic wanderer, m101, m81 & m82, followed by m92, m13, m57 saturn, califorina nebula! hinds crimson star, double cluster, some open clusters, m3 m44, all in not a bad nite out :lol: :lol:

shame it has been cloudy ever since :scratch:

[GazOC]

yep, thats the one Ant. You obviously had better weather than me to get that animation!!

[MartinB]

first ever view of Saturn in an old 60mm Prinz refractor

[MikeP]

A close run thing between seeing Saturn for the first time and finally finding a DSO with my goto - M57 so pretty unmistakeable.

Saturn for the sheer "wow" factor and M57 for the sense of achievement (I had a lot of problems with the mount initially).

Saturn by a nose (ring) I think.

Mike

[SteveL]

Saturn through my ETX90

Lunar Eclipse 2007

M13 through my C11 (First light!)

Dark sky over Death Valley

[Astroscot2]

Naked eye view of Comet Hyukatake from Sourlies bothy in Knoydart. The comets tail could be seen bending across 2/3 of the sky. will never forget it.

What I would most like to experience is a trip to the southern sky with the summer milkyway overhead, a pair of binos, star atlas and imaging some widefield shots from a truly dark location.

[barkis]

Mine has to be the emergence of the Impact areas on Jupiter through my 12" Newtonian, soon after the Shoemaker Levy 9 fragmented comet hit. A real buzz that was.

Ron.

[Astro_Baby]

Hmmm hard to say but all things considered,

Being in the middle of the Indian Ocean and looking up and realising the sky was completely clear and the stars were like diamond dust on a dark blue velvet background. The Milky Was was soooooo clear that night.

No telescope needed for that. The view was astounding.

[FLO]

There are several!

As a child with my Mother seeing the Milky Way for the first time. She woke me and took me outside as it was unusually clear that night.

Seeing Saturn for the first time through a carp 4" Newtonian. I worked at a camera store back then and had taken one of the scopes out onto the pavement (late night Christmas shopping) and pointed it at the brightest 'star'. A number of passing shoppers also saw Saturn for the first time that evening and my interest in astronomy was re-ignited!

Seeing Jupier's moon Io transit the planet surface. I could see the shadow but it took me a while to realise what it was, very exciting!

First view of the Andromeda galaxy through a 10" Dobsonian and 2" wide-field eyepiece. I'd been using a 4" Mak' til then so the view through the Dob was amazing!!

Seeing the Double Cluster through the same Dobsonian, so good it made me giddy!

There are others but that'll do for now

[part timer]

The 2007 lunar eclipse for me too! It's usually cloudy here but for that evening everything was perfect and I watched every moment from my back yard.

The colours were truly amazing and it was easy to see what the eclipse was (i.e.. the shadow of our entire world!!).

Somehow that eclipse really put every thing in perspective and gave a real sense of satisfaction.

The fact that it was best seen in binoculars and naked eye made it possible to relax without gear and frustration.

LUKK

[James]

To be honest I've got lots and new special moments come along every few observing sessions.

If there was one experience that I really treasure it would the nights viewing I had at Kelling in April 2007. I'd always observed alone to that point and it was the first time I'd actually observed with other people. It was clear all night long and the seeing was pretty good and everything just looked great - Saturn's rings with the Cassini Division and the C ring were clearly visible, the Veil looked stunning. Everything seemed to work, my collimation was spot on and I could push the magnification to 400x quite easily (I'd even figured out the stupid error I'd been making which caused all ny goto's to be out for the previous few weeks).

When the sky started to brighten perceptibly at 3.30ish I found it a strangely melancholy experience to pack up my kit. It wasn't a bad feeling, it was just that kind of feeling you get when something special has happened, you want it to last forever but it's coming to an end.

I've come fairly close to that experience since but not yet matched it...

James

[Ant]

I do agree James, there is something very special about the time aproaching dawn. The noise levels are generally very low and the atmosphere seems to be very still - almost like the calm before the storm.

I don't see that time of day very often... shame.

[Jeff RV]

To be honest i think it was the expectations i had when i bought the 12", the views i had first time was fantastic and to the full.

Didn't think about lifting it though

Jeff.

[Paxo]

Has to be the 2007 Lunar eclipse for me, it was my 40th Birthday too: had to be the best present ever.

Steve..

[dogfish]

Naked eye view of Comet Hyukatake from Sourlies bothy in Knoydart.

Oooh! I've been there. No comets around though, but i wasn't into astronomy then. It would be naked eye as you wouldn't want to lug much more than a pair of 10X50's that far from the car.

My best experiences are similar to many of the above, although seeing a green fireball that lasted a couple of seconds, was definitely one among many others.

Martin

[Vega]

Like others, I have too many great experiences to pick one out... here's my top three

-First view of Saturn in my 120mm Achro (most awe inspiring moment, probably never to be beaten)

-Re-appearance of Saturn from behind the moon in May 2007.. (most beautiful sight through an eyepiece to date)

-Wonderful view of the milky way during a camp in August '07 in a moonless sky. Never seen a sky like it and was brilliant sharing it with lots of people (previously not in to astro) who were blown sideways. A sweet, sweet moment

Matt

[paulst]

For me, it would have to be watching the first Moon landing live on tv, we only had a portable B&W set and I was only 13 but its something I will always remember

paul

[Astroscot2]

Naked eye view of Comet Hyukatake from Sourlies bothy in Knoydart.

Oooh! I've been there. No comets around though, but i wasn't into astronomy then. It would be naked eye as you wouldn't want to lug much more than a pair of 10X50's that far from the car.

Yes quite remote Martin, Ive taken Binos and camera kit on quite a few of my bothy trips, I mainly go in the winter where Coal and malt normally restrict the space available. On a trip to Camban bothy in Feb, we got into the bothy quite late so it was very dark en-route, I stopped and just stared and the winter milkyway for ages,No camera gear this time. nothing better than naked eye viewing under pitch black clear skies. wouldlove to take my astrotrac but the tripod and bits take up too much space.

[M110]

Mine would have to be looking at the moon for the first time (out of my window) through a tiny 50mm toy telescope I bought from a car boot sale when I was 8.

My other contender would have to be my first view through a proper telescope - Albireo with my 6" refractor.

regards,

Alex