A Stargazer's Philosophy

[Littleguy80]

Few of us know what we we're getting into when we get our first telescope. Maybe it was a gift, or just something we fancied "having a go at". On your first night out with the telescope, you point it at the moon and are amazed at the views. Next you start to experiment with planets and are also impressive. They just look a bit smaller than you expected, especially Mars! Then it begins, you start to Google how to see the planets and discover the world of eyepieces. The first inclination is more magnification....make it bigger! What brand, focal length, field of view and how much to spend! Nearly every budding astronomer goes through the eyepiece stage. Then you find your favourite astronomy forum (SGL, of course) and start asking questions. One of this first responses you get is..."IT DEPENDS...". That's the moment. The moment when you start to think about what kind of astronomer you want to be and you start forming your Stargazer's philosophy. Are you interested in visual or imaging? Planetary, DSO's or a bit of both? Do you want a computer to do the finding or learn to star hop? It's an exciting and confusing time. So many different options and differing opinions.

This is the journey I've been on for the past 3 months and now I feel like I've reached the point that I know what I want to be! I've always enjoyed photography but when it comes to astronomy, I prefer visual. With Hubble, there are so many amazing images out there that I can look at anytime. With my telescope, it's less impressive but there's a greater sense of connection with what you're seeing. I really felt it when seeing Jupiter and M42 for the first. Planetary viewing, as with most beginners, was my primary interest to start with. It's what your friends want to see when they come around to look through your scope. It's a chance to see something that you recognise. I'm just testing the waters with DSO's but I definitely have the bug. Forums, like SGL, really open your eyes to what can be seen. My scope doesn't have a GOTO system and I'm actually glad of that. Having to find things manually really adds to the sense of achievement. It's really hard to find a lot of these objects. Sometimes, even when you do find them, you're not sure you have! Using a GOTO system, for me, would take away some of the challenge and excitement. I also enjoy the fact that I'm starting to recognise constellations and individual stars.

These are all personal choices and we all choose are own path. The decisions I've made are right for me but certainly won't be right for everyone. There are no right and wrong answers here. As I progress, I may even change my mind and take up imaging and use a GOTO system, and that's ok too.

So what's your Stargazer's philosophy and why?

[kilix]

I am a pretty green observer - started oct 2016.
In the really early stages I kept thinking of what I want to see, what kind of observer I want to be, how can I maximise my experience with various eyepieces and filters, mirrors, prisms, etc, I've read everything about everything and kept daydreaming about purchasing heaps of astro stuff (okay, this daydreaming part is not completely over yet and I believe, never will be).

Now my philosophy is much more simplistic - don't meditate on the matter too much, get outside and observe! And most importantly - enjoy yourself!

[John]

If I could sum up my approach to the hobby in a single sentence I think it would be along the lines of "Keep it simple and remember that you are doing this to have fun"

 

[mikeDnight]

Keeping things simple is my philosophy. The more complex equipment becomes, the more distracting it becomes, so no computerized mounts or imaging for me. Equipment, mount and scope should be intuitive and a joy to use. If I have to think about it then it's in the way and I don't want it! After 37 years of finding my way around the night sky, I can pretty much keep up with most goto mounts and love the hunt anyway. If I can't find it then it's not worth looking at in my scope! It all equates to a very contented and relaxing form of stargazing.

Mike

[Paul73]

Great idea for a thread!

I don't know why I bought a telescope. A childhood interest lying dormant for about three decades, coupled with a late night eBay accident, resulted in a 10" Dob. My third child had just arrived and the job was mega stressful, so I guess that I liked the idea of peace and quiet with the stars. GoTo and imaging were never an option. Fiddling with IT that doesn't work sends me into a black pit of despair. Some love the problem solving. Not me. I like my astronomy simple. Even a manual EQ mount is viewed with the deepest suspicion. So, it is manual Dobs and Alt/Az all the way. I enjoy the hunt as much as the observing.

What do I like observing? Everything! But, DSO are what really float my boat. Although, a good night on the showpiece clusters will leave me with a grin the size of Norway??. Caroline's Rose, the Starfish & Co, Wild Duck, M13,53,22; all favourites. And, Solar! White light and Ha. What joy!

Ancillaries? Eyepieces should be principally Green & Black where funds allow. Colour filters are a waste of time, but UHC, OIII are worth their weight in gold. The constant drain on the wallet to upgrade/evolve my setup must end one day? Until then, I have taken up gambling to finance all astronomy purchases.

To summarise. Nothing beats a big Dob under a Dark Sky!

Pau

[Tonynexevo925]

I still don't know ?

Goto allows maximum viewing of targets in limited time... 

Smaller scope allows travel to other skies (darker and holiday) more easily...

Big scope allows for more light gathering and feeling you can see more... 

Manual mount alllows more brain power and fun of reading star maps and hopping...

buying new things makes me smile ?

Ne d an observatory to improve the time available for actual viewing...

oh and nearly forgot - astrophotography ?

And the sun ☀️....

no wonder I've no money or storage space left. 

[Paul73]

Multiple scopes is a good thing!

[scarp15]

Prompted into an opportunity to attend a star-camp at Kielder a few years ago, ignited my interest to pursue visual astronomy. I was able to take along my first scope and the weekend was remarkably clear, which was exciting and overwhelming in equal measure. The philosophy is an evolving journey that from the start embraces simplicity, continual learning and discovery and my passion for visual astronomy is a strong as it has ever been.  

[LukeSkywatcher]

When i was 6 yrs old, i was curious as to what the 3 bright white stars in a row were. I asked my dad because dads know everything. He had no idea so he bought me a second hand pair of 10x50 bins and a 10" planisphere and said "You figure it out". It didnt take me long to discover that i was looking at Orion's belt. Astronomy has been a part of who i am, ever since. I enjoy looking at a bit of everything. The only thing i dont look at is individual stars (apart from some Solar observing) or double stars. They just dont interest me.

[barkis]

I don't think I had any pre notions about  my future in this absorbing activity.              I read lots of Science Fiction, and had an open mind about the possible existence of other  inhabited Planets.           My first logical approach came when I joined the local Astro.  Society, and learned a great deal from the members, some of great intellect too.       Among the group, was an elderly gentleman who I found out had made his own Newtonian  Mirror, and that sparked an Interest  in that area.     The interest grew quickly, and soon I was active making my first one, having purchased a mirror kit from a Charles Frank shop in Ingram Street Glasgow.    The kit had two Pyrex blanks of  8.75"        diameter, and enough grits, smoothing agents, and polishing powder to complete my first mirror, and onward to a complete  f6. Newt.                Was it a good one?   not really,  badly under corrected,  but  months later, I refigured   it and made it good.     I went in from there to make several. More Newts. of various sizes and   f/ratios, and fairly addicted to that activity.        It became apparent that I was more interested in making them, than using then, so I  stopped making, and started using.                      I helped the Border Astro. Society  by improving their, 16" f, 6  Newtonian, making a workable friction drive for their observatory housed  Scope. It was a huge, but cumbersome instrument, and Astro photography was out if the question with it. Deep Sky at least.  Lunar and Planetary was the limit for it.                   Spent some good times with BAS.  particularly  at the Dolby Forest Starfests, when the weather was good at least, which was rare.                There is much pleasure to be gained from Astronomy, both from the Observational, as well as the Imaging side of it. Both disciplines have their merits, and one must  never  deride either one over the other.  The  pursuit of either can  be an expensive, or fairly inexpensive  activity, depending upon one's ambition.  Remember though, simply spending large  sums of money on equipment, will not guarantee you will succeed. What ingredient must  precede the expense? It is knowledge. Get to know as much as you can before putting large amounts of money into it. That won't guarantee anything either, but it will increase the possibility of succeeding.                           The only Mantra for Astronomy, is  Enjoy. Even when the weather is not helping, your learning does not have to rest. 

 

[cloudsweeper]

For me, it's the pure delight of just seeing these truly amazing distant objects.  But learning the science of celestial bodies and the telescopes used to view them also plays a big part in the pleasure.

In brief - seeing, learning, enjoyment.

Doug.

[LukeSkywatcher]

8 minutes ago, cloudsweeper said:

For me, it's the pure delight of just seeing these truly amazing distant objects.  But learning the science of celestial bodies and the telescopes used to view them also plays a big part in the pleasure.

In brief - seeing, learning, enjoyment.

Doug.

Ive never been interested in the science or mechanics of astronomy. For me its all about the beauty of objects. This is most likely why i am so keen on nebulae (planetary or otherwise). Ive also never planned my observing sessions. I like to just wander the universe and see what grabs my attention. Not the most productive approach, but it works for me.

Obviously, i do know a lot of the science behind astronomy (kind of hard not to after 37 yrs), but i dont give it much thought.   

[mikeDnight]

1 hour ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

When i was 6 yrs old, i was curious as to what the 3 bright white stars in a row were. I asked my dad because dads know everything. He had no idea so he bought me a second hand pair of 10x50 bins and a 10" planisphere and said "You figure it out". It didnt take me long to discover that i was looking at Orion's belt. Astronomy has been a part of who i am, ever since. I enjoy looking at a bit of everything. The only thing i dont look at is individual stars (apart from some Solar observing) or double stars. They just dont interest me.

I too was six years old when i went on my first astro adventure. I'd noticed the Moon from my bedroom window which looked south west. The Moon was a crescent, and in my six year old mind I thought, if I walk down the street I'd be able to stand underneath it and it would look like a dairylea triangle. It made perfect sense at the time and in a way still does worryingly. I walked for what seemed like ages but the Moon didn't get any closer. Lesson 1. It was a further twelve years before I noticed the moon again!

Mike ?

[LukeSkywatcher]

42 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

I too was six years old when i went on my first astro adventure. I'd noticed the Moon from my bedroom window which looked south west. The Moon was a crescent, and in my six year old mind I thought, if I walk down the street I'd be able to stand underneath it and it would look like a dairylea triangle. It made perfect sense at the time and in a way still does worryingly. I walked for what seemed like ages but the Moon didn't get any closer. Lesson 1. It was a further twelve years before I noticed the moon again!

Mike ?

Off topic, but related...............

Whenever my dog sees/hears another dog on the tv, she runs behind the tv to find the other dog. Im like "Chara will you relax, it just the tv".

How do you explain a tv to a dog?.

 

[Macavity]

My philosophy: Whatever works? Manual... GoTo... ''Fracs, 'Flecs,
I'm happy to have a go  at any branch of Astronomy? Video Astro
Imaging, Visual? DSO, Solar, Planets. I do like to TRY to interpret
what I see in terms of "Physics", if I can. I like new experiences...
I tend not to redo (i.e. image) things I have already [done].

Hey, I'm never going to be the best(!) but if I can get some way
towards it, I can feel I am sharing something of the experience!
Perhaps the way of the "dabbler"? lol. At my age (with limits on
funding AND the UK weather!) I see it more as pragmatism? 

[LukeSkywatcher]

Another thing i learned during the early days of my journey in astronomy..............

I used to (as a kid) live on the north side of Dublin city and all the stars were multi-coloured. Vivid shades of green,red,blue,white,yellow, orange,purple etc. It was only when i moved to south Dublin (at the age of 10) that i noticed most of the stars in the night sky were white (with a few exceptions). The reason why the stars looked multi-coloured when i lived on the north side of Dublin city was down to air pollution from nearby factories such as Cadbury and Tayto (a crisp maker).

 

 

 

[LukeSkywatcher]

16 minutes ago, Macavity said:

My philosophy: Whatever works? Manual... GoTo... ''Fracs, 'Flecs,
I'm happy to have a go  at any branch of Astronomy? Video Astro
Imaging, Visual? DSO, Solar, Planets. I do like to TRY to interpret
what I see in terms of "Physics", if I can. I like new experiences...
I tend not to redo (i.e. image) things I have already [done].

Hey, I'm never going to be the best(!) but if I can get some way
towards it, I can feel I am sharing something of the experience!
Perhaps the way of the "dabbler"? lol. At my age (with limits on
funding AND the UK weather!) I see it more as pragmatism? 

Totally on board with this. Its all about how and what you do. If it makes you happy.

Its a "hobby".........not a competition. 

I have an 8" Go-To SCT, but i never use the Go-To on it. I use the keypad to direct the scope only.

I'm so old school. I just really enjoy the "hunt". 

[Floater]

As most have written already, my philosophy is to have fun. Enjoy the hobby and learning about all the bits that hang on and off it: focal lengths and ratios; what that object I'm looking at really is; why this works and that doesn't. Fascinating, engrossing and, at times, almost obsessive - according to Mrs Floater. (Especially when it came to researching eyepieces!)

 

[Pondus]

I dont know if it is a philosophy, but  The nocturnal silence while looking into Cosmos is what I appreciate most.

Smiling whenever theres a manmade satellite flyby.

Partly listening to the low humming coming from somewhere in my small hometown.

Nights With aimless panning of the night sky. No planning ahead, no notes. Just enjoying the view.

Stargazing is for me therapy and meditation.

 

Rune

[iPeace]

I'm a truly dedicated casual astronomer.

[Alien 13]

I gave up on visual for all but the Moon not because I wanted bigger scopes and higher magnifications but wide aperture low magnification, unfortunately no one makes a 70 mm frac with a fl of 250 mm to achieve my ideal with a 32 mm eyepiece. Thankfully a camera and 17 mm lens does the job.

Alan

[Peter Drew]

I suppose I'm fortunate that my enthusiasm for astronomy has actively lasted so far for over 60 years, 35 of them as a professional telescope maker. During that time I've pretty much done everything within my physical and financial ability and graduated from a plastic toy telescope (as used by Dan Dare of Eagle fame!) to a self built 30" Dobsonian, Currently what give me the most "buzz" is solar observation and outreach astronomy. My philosophy ?, Keep at it.   

[barkis]

I often felt absorbed by the awareness of the Cosmic vastness.
The Gazing into a wide field  view of the Scutum Star Clouds became a Dreamscape, invoking an inner peace that could be so serene.
A  trance  like  experience that was unique indeed.        
 I often wondered if some particular piece of music would enhance  the peaceful solitude, or disturb it.  
Debussy's Clare De Lune perhaps?