observing - old skool style

[ian_d]

The last couple of lovely, clear (but very cold) nights gave me an opportunity to have a go at locating objects the old-fashioned way - i.e., finderscope, maps and manual setting circles. I have a CG-5 mount with GOTO which is great, but increasingly I'm finding myself just "pointing and clicking" to find stuff and it can feel a bit like dialling a pizza, rather than exploring the cosmos. So I resolved to see how I'd fare without the crutches of modern tech. (I did, however, leave the clock drive on!)

Once I'd done the polar alignment (using a polar finderscope and associated dials etc!) I was ready to have a go. I pointed at something obvious using the finderscope (Pollux) and dialled up the coordinates. I then selected my first target - sigma Orionis - moved the scope to the new coordinates and checked the finder to see where I was pointing....success!! Not bang on (although I didn't expect to be, not that good at polar aligning!), but close enough to see the target in the finder. A bit of finessing to centre it and I was there. Most satisfying!

I then managed to repeat this magic to find beta Monocerotis, the Eskimo Nebula (NGC2392), and a bunch of variables that I'm keeping observations on. To be honest it was the most fun I've had at the eyepiece for some time - I really felt like I was having to think about where things were supposed to be, use my star charts properly, and actually appreciate what I was seeing once I'd found it. I even went to to the trouble of sketching the view!

So, if you ever feel like your astronomy is getting a little too much like learning to fly the Starship Enterprise rather than understanding and appreciating the Universe, I can thoroughly recommend turning the damn computerised database off and getting back to basics.

Keep it real y'all

Ian

[Mark at Beaufort]

Well done Ian - I agree that doing things the 'old way' improves your knowledge of the night sky. A goto is handy and useful on occasions but star hopping is far more satisfying. I noticed your lat/long position - are you close to Hereford?

Mark

[ian_d]

I noticed your lat/long position - are you close to Hereford?

Mark

Not too far away - Cheltenham. May well have my lat/long a bit off :-)

[lunator]

Ian

Congrats on observing.

Beta Mon is a fantastic sight

Cheers

Ian

[Helen]

Nice report Ian. I've decided to do the same this year sort of like ding an apprenticeship. I started small last night, by encouraging a friend to find Messiers with her 15x70 binos. So we found M42, M45, M36, M37, M38 and the Double Cluster, and all without even a finder. She was really chuffed - and I think its as much fun helping someone to do this and seeing their reaction, as it is doing it yourself!

Helen

[Doc]

Have never used a go-to scope. Spent a few years just star hopping using a telrad and laptop. Found loads of stuff.

Am designing a push to system for my dob in the hope to find more elusive stuff but we will see.

[Talitha]

Great report, Ian.

No argument from me about going back to basics. I started out with charts and an ETX 90RA and loved every minute of it. Star-hopping was/is fun, too.

When the time came to get a 'big girl' scope I decided to move up to goto and bought a CU2K (Celestron Ultima 2000). The goto didn't really appeal to me though, so I got rid of it and bought an 8" LX-10 which has manual setting circles and a worm gear just like the ETX. When properly polarized, the circles get me on target just about as quickly as punching button after button on the CU2K's hand paddle. And as an added bonus: Look Ma, no computer glitches!

[GazOC]

I agree Ian, due to changing shifts at work I'm getting less chance to have long observing sessions so I've starting using the GOTO on my EQ6 a lot more then usual and theres def. a feeling of dialing in the numbers and onto the next object rather than spending time and taking in the views as I would if I'd have taken a few minutes to hunt down the object myself. I'm very aware of doing this with the GOTO but its still hard to stop myself.

[russ]

Great report Ian, good to hear you have found a way of enjoying the hobby more.

I'm another back to basics convert. It's great to ditch all the tech and be at one with the night sky. Being back with a dob is so much fun, a real joy. I have a push-to system on it but haven't used yet. Actually thinking about letting it go. Only bought it for the challenging stuff but i can't be bothered.

Russ