How and Why did you become an EAAer?

[OregonEAA]

Almost 6 years ago I had stopped doing visual astronomy due to two things: I had for 15 years using my C8 and LXD75 seen most objects I could see in my yard with it tree limited view and Magnitude Bortle 6 skies (used to be B5) and at 65 my night vision for driving long distances made me uncomfortable. At that time I had a C90 (my first scope, 1996 rubber coated), C5, and a C8. I sold the C5 as it had become my “club dark site” scope on an SLT mount which it shared with the C90. I just put my stuff in the basement (climate controlled) and never touched it for two years. Once night when the moon was extremely alluring when I was at my brother’s house watching his dog (B4 skies) I got out my Celestron 20 x 80 binoculars and “peeked” at the moon. Then after watching boats during the day time, I went M hunting the next night using my tripod with the head moved to the side of the mount and laid on a lawn chair, I realized how much I missed astronomy.

I did a lot of searching, mostly on the gear focused CN’s, and found the EAA forum (I also signed up for Slooh at this time). My wife gave me the Ok for an observatory, but in my yard, but I have three different locations on my acre with stream that have slightly different views which an observatory would have been limited to one spot. So, I developed a plan which I executed over 3 years to have what I thought would be the perfect “EAA system” for me. My main at home system is the Orion Sirius AZ-EQ (same as the SkyWatcher) with the C8 and an Explore Scientific ES102 and various reducers for each scope. I then have a C6/C8 SE mount on which I can use the C5 and C8 for quick setups or club events (once things open up will get a trailer so I can spend the night  at the local dark club site). My other items are Windows 10 PRO with Remote Desktop on the Laptop and Desktop for wifi at home in house view, SharpCap Pro and Both V4 of SkyTools for running the scope under ascom, ZWO224/294 cameras, Starsense for both mounts, GPS, and a 60mm guide/finder scope, and a Slooh subscription so during the 6 or 7 months of the year (maybe more in if fire season is bad) in Oregon that even quick looks are often not available.

Nothing I have is “premium” but it is very functional in the way I use the gear. Between my Equipment and my Slooh subscription I can now work on the Herschel 2500 almost every night on a 50” 4K screen in the comfort of my house or take the SE setup to be with club members.

At this stage in life (now 70) EAA has given me the opportunity to continue with astronomy which I had given up. Now I hunt the net for research articles on the object(s) I have on plan for the night. EAA is in my mind an opportunity for those who can’t travel or who live in heavy LP (including those who live in apartments and perhaps have a balcony or roof top) to have a path to exploring the night sky in a rewarding way.

How did you come to EAA?

[saac]

I'm "in waiting" , after seeing what can be done with NV equipment especially white phosphorus I can't wait. Or rather I am waiting, I need to wait  for prices to reach what I would consider attainable.

Jim 

 

[RobertI]

Sounds like you have a great setup there and a good location! Nice M51. EAA can be very liberating in so many ways. I got into EAA when I found myself living in the centre of a small light polluted town with no hope of visual observing from my back yard. I had already dabbled with astrophotography and had a very sensitive Lodestar guide cam. I read about some software (Lodestar Live) which allowed people to use the camera view objects in near real time on a laptop, so I downloaded it and set up. Although there were three very bright street lights within 100 feet I was amazed at the results. So simple and so effective. Not only was I observing from my heavily light polluted yard, but I could see REALLY faint stuff and keep a record for good measure. I now have reaonably dark garden and have been doing more visual observing lately so EAA has taken a back seat, but I will return to it in due course and it's reassuring to know I have it available if one of my neighbours decides to install a 1000 Watt security light and destroys my dark sky!!

 

 

Edited May 28, 2020 by RobertI

[shirva]

I started in 2011,, my partner was diagnosed with cancer,, bit of a body blow to anyone who has a loved one who has it,, I played in a pipe band and quit to be with her,, but she new I could not just sit around watching her all the time,,, she would have throttled me. 

I thought what can I do,, and astronomy came in to the picture,,  I thought wouldn't it be good if you could get a computer one,,, lol,,, somebody beat me to it,, was totally new at this 😁. I bought an etx 80 and after finding Sgl and cloudy nights,, I learned more, bought piles of books and e books,, finally got a webcam and was blown Away with what could be achieved,, I got aperture fever and wanted to try astrophotography,, so ended up with an eq3 Pro and a Canon 400d, but weather and clouds are bad in my area,, and I then looked at video astronomy,, got a Samsung scb2000, modded it and been doing video astronomy ever since,, mainly do live/near live viewing,, I like looking at the moon,, nice way to relax.. 

 

But I like annoying old stash as well about raspberry pi 😂

[stash_old]

35 minutes ago, shirva said:

I started in 2011,, my partner was diagnosed with cancer,, bit of a body blow to anyone who has a loved one who has it,, I played in a pipe band and quit to be with her,, but she new I could not just sit around watching her all the time,,, she would have throttled me. 

I thought what can I do,, and astronomy came in to the picture,,  I thought wouldn't it be good if you could get a computer one,,, lol,,, somebody beat me to it,, was totally new at this 😁. I bought an etx 80 and after finding Sgl and cloudy nights,, I learned more, bought piles of books and e books,, finally got a webcam and was blown Away with what could be achieved,, I got aperture fever and wanted to try astrophotography,, so ended up with an eq3 Pro and a Canon 400d, but weather and clouds are bad in my area,, and I then looked at video astronomy,, got a Samsung scb2000, modded it and been doing video astronomy ever since,, mainly do live/near live viewing,, I like looking at the moon,, nice way to relax.. 

 

But I like annoying old stash as well about raspberry pi 😂

You getting more like my wife everyday - scary -She annoy's me too LOL - ouch only joking dear !

EAA - simple I want to see the Sky and I dont have years to wait (or many clear skies ) doing pictures that justify the effort of hours upon hours of collecting data - even though I do like looking at them and appreciate how much skill and effort goes into them. Same as fishing I would rather catch 1 fish than sit for days waiting for the "big un". Everyone to their own 🙂

 

[Gmx76]

I've always been interested in looking at the stars and constellations, but now in my forties I have just started out in astronomy,  and so far enjoying it a lot. When I visualized what I might like to do, i realised I wasn't going to be able to see Hubble like images on my £200 scope from my back garden in Hampshire, but did want to give it a try with not too much outlay! I like visual observing, as it seems more pure, but also want to see more than my cheap gear and human eyes will allow. I read quite a lot on AP, and there are some fantastic images out there, really wonderful stuff. But I don't want to spend hours outside recording video and hours more processing. So it seemed what I wanted to do was actually EEVA, I just didn't know it!

So my SW Starquest 130p and GPCAM2 290C is good for me right now as they can give me an enhanced view of what I can see direct through the EP - plus I am hoping it will help get the wife and kids more interested if we can stand around a decent size screen and see objects in a remote cluster instead of taking turns to look down an EP at a distant smudge you can barely make out, without breaking the bank.

I do however want a new mount ... with wifi/goto ..... and a guide scope ... and some BST Starguiders ... and an APO refractor ... and .... and ... and ....

Edited June 25, 2020 by Gmx76

[London_David]

Light pollution. 

I was always interested in getting a telescope but didn't think it there was any point until I realised what you could see with new cameras.

[noah4x4]

I spent £££££'s on upgrading eyepieces,  diagonals and similar visual paraphernalia before buying 'Turn left at Orion.  This was the point I realised faint fuzzies would never satisfy me. I had spent even more £££££'s on travel and hotels to Dark Sky sites only to be frustrated by cloud. Then a pal showed me what he could see with a camera from his light polluted back yard.  I can now set up with full remote control and be  observing from indoors in under ten minutes. I leave my scope fully assembled (excluding camera/Hyperstar)  and carry it outdoors.

I bolt mini-computer and focuser controller to an ABS Plastic Box that slides onto my tripod rod and sits on the leg spreader. Surplus cables are hidden in the box.  Because this lowers the centre of gravity, my 8" Evolution is now easier to carry, caber tossing style. I discarded wedge, as it proved unnecessary with short stacked exposures and added 16lbs weight. I challenge anybody to devise a more cable tidy and convenient to set up rig where near live observations are made indoors in glorious 4K UHD resolution. 

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by noah4x4
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