Friends, Family, and TELESCOPES!!

[Sunshine]

While looking through images on my phone just now, I ran into images of my two Nephews looking through my scope and thought it would make for a great thread subject. Most of us find ourselves out there in the dead of night all by ourselves but surely we have shared our love of the heavens with others, below is Noah, my 8yr old nephew being wowed by his first look at the moon. Have any images of friends, family, or even curious bystanders looking through your scopes? Post them here!.

[Kon]

There is my daughter looking at the moon through the Dob. That was last winter, when she was 4.5, before bed thus the setup through the sitting room doors. Second image is my son helping me to capture ISS last spring (7years old), but he also loves looking at nebulas.

Edited November 25, 2022 by Kon

[PeterStudz]

What a good idea for a thread! And it’s made me realise that even though I do around 75% of observing with my daughter I haven’t got many pictures of her at/with a telescope. In fact I have more pictures of the telescope(s) on its own

Here are a few that I have. It kind of illustrates our journey.

First is on Christmas Day 2020 when she was 8 yrs old and about to look at the moon. I’d hurriedly stuck the thing together. Eagle eyed observers might notice that the RDF is the wrong way around!

Second is our 200p in April 2021 which was give to us free from a member on here. No base and with a damaged primary.

Third & fourth is the 200p (1145p in the background) with part finished base. Pictures taken at 4am in the morning, June 2021 at the end of a 2 hour session on Jupiter & Saturn. First ever look at the GRS for both of us. 

Fifth & last picture is from July 2022 with finished 200p at the end of an all night session (4.55am) that included camping in the garden - looking for shooting stars plus scanning the sky with binoculars (no problem getting eyes use to the dark). At this point Alice had obviously just gone back to sleep but you can make out where she is so I’ve included it!

Really should make the effort to take some people with telescope pictures and not just telescope pics!

Edited November 25, 2022 by PeterStudz

[Mandy D]

@PeterStudz that is a lovely set of photos. I like the height comparison between Alice and the 200P OTA! But, the illuminated base with Moon, Ursa Major and Orion is awesome!

[PeterStudz]

@Mandy D Thanks again! It’s been and still is a lot of fun. I have a red cabinet light in the base. Especially handy when setting up and taking down. The moon also functions as a handle to carry the base around. 

[Mandy D]

54 minutes ago, PeterStudz said:

@Mandy D Thanks again! It’s been and still is a lot of fun. I have a red cabinet light in the base. Especially handy when setting up and taking down. The moon also functions as a handle to carry the base around. 

If I ever build a new base for my 200P or 250PX, i'm taking inspiration from your design. BTW, I just noticed that Alice appears to be striking an Orion pose in your first image!

With that red light, were you not tempted to drill a hole for Betelgeuse?