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Hello from Birmingham


david_taurus83

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Evening all!

I'm David and live on the southern outskirts of Birmingham. I'm a complete beginner though have always been interested in the heavens. Already been looking at telescopes! Have an idea of what I'm after and will prob buy a decent used setup to get me started. My main concern is being disappointed and put off if light pollution where I live spoils the fun. So looking for some advice from you fine folk. Anyone from Birmingham/West Mids on here who can comment on how light pollution affects viewing? Or any advice from folk who live around towns and cities? My back garden should be ok to start me off by getting used to the telescope and observing the moon, maybe even some of the planets on a cool clear night. Anything further then I'll probably have to move somewhere higher and darker. Any tips appreciated!

 

Thanks

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Welcome David.  I live in Walsall and yes light pollution is annoying. I really noticed how bad it was after going to a dark sky site. If you go to a dark sky site, the first few days back make you feel a bit down about the situation.  I observe mainly in my back garden and the moon and larger planets are good targets.  I think you have to set yourself a realistic expectation and go for targets that you stand a chance of getting, otherwise it can be frustrating looking for things you have no hope of finding. There has been a lot on another thread about double stars and how they can be great targets in light polluted areas.  Many of us have to put up with light pollution and unless you move house it'll be something you'll learn to handle.  I'm sure there are some local places you could potentially find that are less light polluted, especially to the west and southwest of Birmingham heading towards shropshire.   Might be worth considering joining the Birmingham astronomical society - http://www.birmingham-astronomy.co.uk/.

All the best

Steve 

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Hi David

I have been going from total start up for about 18 months. With no help I have spent far more than needed on wrong equipment. Really big learning curve , but this forum is spot on . There are loads of very clever folk here (I am not one of them). In the last 6 months I have had some great astrophotography results from not so good sky's, there is equipment out there to help. This to me is the most frustrating , fascinating hobby I have ever had. ENJOY..

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Morning all. Thanks for the greetings and replies. I've had a look on the Birmingham astronomical website but haven't been in touch yet. In fact, I don't live far from their old observatory. I have the benefit of being a lot higher than the city and there are some good vantage points near here. Wasely Hills and Lickey Hills are a few minutes drive. I'm hoping for a cool clear night soon so I can have a drive round, take a little walk around Wasely Hill and see what the sky looks like from there. Of course, we all know what the weather is like in this country!

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So as its a clear night i decided to have a quick gander up at the local high spot, Wasely Hills. I have to say, its better than I expected. Obvious heavy light polution from the north (Birmingham City) as in the attached pics but the southern sky looks more promising. Excuse the quality of the pictures, I'm no photographer. Taken on a point and shoot Nikon P510 bridge camera. 2 northern pictures and 3 southern. Tonight, even the haze of the Milky Way was just, almost just visible to the naked eye up there. I've pretty much made up my mind now and treating myself to a telescope for Christmas! And Christmas to me means the next week or so! Heres hoping to clear skies!

 

 

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Hi David, and welcome from land down under

Will not comment on light pollution as will upset everyone here

Put it mildly, something do not have an issue with

Agree with also going along to local astronomy club, before rushing out and buying anything

Club I belong to, also has loan scopes for beginners

Cheers

John

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Hi David,

I'm in Coventry, on the southern edge overlooking town, and probably have similar skies to you. Depending on your interests, there are still plenty of things to look at even in light polluted areas, it is just easier and better with darker skies. 

At first, finding anything is a challenge, but you gradually learn to recognise one grey smudge from another and the sky starts to come together, and then when you join us at a star camp/star party in a dark sky site somewhere, you can really enjoy the darker skies.

Tim

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Hi David,

I lived in Quinton, then later in Bromsgrove.  Light pollution was a problem (especially in Quinton), but it didn't rule everything out and I learnt to observe up to the limitations.  For example, by concentrating my observing sessions in regions of the sky where the LP wasn't so bad (in my case away from the west, and straight up), or looking at the brighter objects like the moon and planets.

In the same way that people don't expect to see more than their scopes can provide, in light polluted areas we shouldn't expect to see faint deep sky objects - but that's not to say that many others are well within grasp!  I also found that star clusters stood out more against the washed-out  look of a light polluted sky than galaxies and nebulae.  Oddly enough, I found that once I knew what I was looking for / at, then it was easier to find again on successive attempts in worse sky conditions!

Some observers use filters specifically designed to strip out light from sodium based street lighting etc.  Personally I found that these didn't help me as they made everything darker, not just the background sky, but perhaps you might have better luck with them.

LP is restrictive, but it's 'only' one more thing which places a limitation on what we can observe.  It doesn't completely prohibit observing if you can find ways to work around it!

Good luck! :)

 

 

 

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Hi David,

 I’m from Bilston, heart of the Black Country.

I suffer from light pollution at every angle. I’ve decided to put my efforts into observing double stars, I only started last night and I’m already hooked. I’ve spent the last couple of winters trying to see the faint fuzzies, but my equipment combined with my area of sky isn’t the best way to go for me. Your skies are a lot better than mine!

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On 12/11/2017 at 11:02, david_taurus83 said:

Morning all. Thanks for the greetings and replies. I've had a look on the Birmingham astronomical website but haven't been in touch yet. In fact, I don't live far from their old observatory. I have the benefit of being a lot higher than the city and there are some good vantage points near here. Wasely Hills and Lickey Hills are a few minutes drive. I'm hoping for a cool clear night soon so I can have a drive round, take a little walk around Wasely Hill and see what the sky looks like from there. Of course, we all know what the weather is like in this country!

 

Birmingham Astro Society used to have an outreach programme that had events at the Lickey Hills twice a year. I've been to a couple in the past but looking on their website I'm not too sure if they still have events there.

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5 hours ago, leo82 said:

Hi David,

 I’m from Bilston, heart of the Black Country.

I suffer from light pollution at every angle. I’ve decided to put my efforts into observing double stars, I only started last night and I’m already hooked. I’ve spent the last couple of winters trying to see the faint fuzzies, but my equipment combined with my area of sky isn’t the best way to go for me. Your skies are a lot better than mine!

Occultations are fun too, weather permitting.

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Welcome.

I live near to Birmingham airport which throws a lot of light up.  I have a fairly seculded spot in my garden which is pitch black and find that viewing isn't too bad to be honest, even with all the light pollution.  Obviously further afield is better, but it generally suffices.  It's usually cloud that scuppers everything!

I have not hooked up with any local clubs, lack of time more than anything, but there is Knowle Astronomical Society by Solihull, that meet up once a month and have regular talks etc., I believe, and one over by Hams Hall.  I forget the name now, West Midlands Astronomical Club or something like that.

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