Back to basics

[Moonshed]

Last winter I started learning how to take photographs of my favourite night sky objects, it was a really steep learning curve. I bought a Canon 1100D, a Polemaster, and downloaded various programmes. The end result after much blood, sweat and tears, was some not bad images that I am very proud of. However, it meant that during the best observing nights I was busy setting up all my gear and cables then going in doors and waiting an hour for the session to finish. I enjoyed the challenge at first but missed observing.

Last night I set up my gear, put away all the photography stuff, put in my Hyperion 24mm super wide angle lens and started observing. Oh what a joy. M31 looked stunning. The Perseus Double Cluster was a joy to behold. It was such a great pleasure looking at the multitude of stars in the Milky Way, I just love doing that, drifting along the star studded band. Okay, I will take the occasional photo now and again, but for me nothing matches the sheer joy of putting your eye to the eyepiece and seeing the real thing, not a digitised version of it.

Nothing beats actually observing  the night sky.

 

[Stu]

Nice post. Personally I couldn't agree more  

[xtreemchaos]

I do both at the same time with a duel rig, ive learnt not to touch , nock the eyepiece while taking pics but it only works on bright targets as not everthing we shoot can be caught by the ep. great post, thanks,  charl.

[L8-Nite]

30 minutes ago, Moonshed said:

......................  ....  I will take the occasional photo now and again, but for me nothing matches the sheer joy of putting your eye to the eyepiece and seeing the real thing, not a digitised version of it.

Nothing beats actually observing  the night sky.

 

My feelings exactly.

( Of course, others mileage may vary. )

[Macavity]

Always makes me think of the VIZ Character "Baxter Basics"! (But NO Politics please...) 

Gathering together some of my "space junk" into a new (re-vamped) Push-To system... 

The ST120 (for "Solar Franken scope"!) as the prime mover. So, if it ever stops raining? 

Aside: Not bothered by aberrations... The Eyepiece is a "Moonfish" (Remember those?)



I do plan to slip in an "Electro Finder" (right)! Finding takes a tad longer manually... 

[Astro Imp]

Nice post.

I've been observing for six years or so and have never had the urge to go to the dark side but I do enjoy seeing the results of the very talented and dedicated astro photographers on the forum.

[Galen Gilmore]

Good post. When I go out to do some imaging, I almost always bring out my mini dob. When I have time that is, most of the time though I set up and then leave the kit running while I do homework . 

My only problem is that my mini dob is getting a bit small. It was huge when I first bought it, been shrinking ever since. Now I fancy a dob with a bit more aperture. 

The more I think about it, the more this hobby looks more like an addiction. 

[Moonshed]

Alan, I agree, I also like to see some of the amazing photographers taken by our members. I also enjoy showing others my photographs of the Orion Nebula, Andromeda Galaxy and so on. Thing is I previously hadn't realised the amount of time, dedication and skill necessary to get those photos. The problem I find is that good seeing conditions, or even just clear moonless nights, are rare, and I am loathe to give up those rare nights to the camera. I just enjoy observing too much, all said and done it's what got me into astronomy in the first place.

Many years ago, I was in my teens and now 71, the Sky at Night did a special offer with Charles Frank of Glasgow for a cheap telescope. It was a very simple 4" reflector,  the mirror held in place with what could have been a bycycle clip and a small flat that you reached down the open tube to align and clean. It came with a useless table top stand. My first telescope look at the Milky Way was such a moment  of sheer wonder the feeling has never left me. I kept and used that 'scope for over 20 years before buying another to observe Hayley's Comet.

There is clearly a place for both, it's just finding the balance that suits the individual.

[des anderson]

Personal note on this subject, nothing beats observing with a telescope . Des 

[Moonshed]

3 hours ago, des anderson said:

Personal note on this subject, nothing beats observing with a telescope . Des 

It most definately is the most rewarding. Very often I will stop seeking out particular objects and switch off the motor and steer my 'scope manually though the Milky Way and just marvel at the multitude of stars. It gives me a real feel for the wonders of our amazing universe. Photographs just don't do that. I show people my astrophotographs and they go wow, that's amazing. I show them the night sky through my telescope and they always come back for another look, one friend even rushing out to buy his first 'scope. For me it's the difference between seeing the Grand Canyon on the tele and flying through it in helicopter.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I have an 8" Go-To scope. I rarely (if ever) use the Go-TO functions on it. At most i will use the keypad to point the scope where i want to observe and then hunt down my target.

Absolutely nothing wrong with using technology. For the most part, its not my cup of tea. This stems from me using 10x50 bins and a planisphere from the age of 6 yrs until i bought my 1st scope at the age of 33. I only bought my Go-TO scope about 5 yrs ago. Up until then, my first 3 scopes were all manual.

[Alan White]

Sounds like just where I am myself and a similar observing session last night and journey as well.

I have visually observed for some years on and off, some years with scopes, some years with binocular, some years just eyeballs, but observed.
This year I decided a need to try imaging, bought an equatorial go-to and new scope and dabbled and hate it, just not for me, because I am not observing!
Each to their own of course, many love it.

I have decided to rip back to whence I came and observe, because that's what I enjoy, also to forgo go-to and struggle finding things.
Because I love the euphoria of finding your target and then observing it, it's a reward not a race.