Astronomy

[Yamaha2112]

Anyone into telescopes/ solar scopes?
Farms are great for such a hobby.




1st photo = M42 Orion Nebula - Vixen VMC110L/ T-Mount Pentax K-01 (a tad blurry, but did pull nice color)
2nd = Last lunar eclipse "artsy" style / same equipment

Best I can do with average equipment and amateur knowledge - but very fun.

 

[vvanders]

Man, that's awesome.

There's really something to be said about being out away from the city lights and getting to see a proper "dark sky". After about 11pm out here the milky way becomes visible with the naked eye, truly make you feel small.

I got a 8" Dobsonian a while back and even for something that size it's amazing what you can see. All sorts of Messier objects and galaxies that I had no clue were so easy to see.

You don't need a fancy scope to see a lot of this stuff, quite a few things are visible even with a decent set of binoculars.

 

[Yamaha2112]

Thank you, vvanders. Always wanted to look through a Dobsonian. Unfortunately, my sky isn't terribly dark, but FAR better than a city. I've read these things: Vixen 2.1x42 Super Wide Binocular for astronomy can propel you into another dimension under a very dark sky. Expensive hobby. I can only imagine what Saturn and Jupiter look like through your scope. I LOVE binos as well. Thinking of getting bino viewers for my scope.

 

[4570Man]

My sky isn't dark enough. I have some pretty good pictures from Nevada and Utah though. Unfortunately they're not on my phone. Probably the darkest sky in the continental US out there.

 

[Yamaha2112]

I've heard very dark skies appear VERY close when witnessing it. One of these days I want to vacation to see it 1st hand, 4570Man. No one who has ever seen it that I know found it boring. It's seems like one of those things you must do at least once during a lifetime.

 

[Kentuckyfarmer]

My sky isn't dark enough. I have some pretty good pictures from Nevada and Utah though. Unfortunately they're not on my phone. Probably the darkest sky in the continental US out there.

I had 40 acres in Wyoming I sold a couple years ago. I lived in a fifth wheel for a little while there and when I turned off the generator at night it was dark if the moon wasn't out. About 11 miles outside of hullet wy and no lights Orc any kind. No neighbors that could be seen. Quite and dark. It took a little getting use to but what a sky at night!!!

 

[vvanders]

Thank you, vvanders. Always wanted to look through a Dobsonian. Unfortunately, my sky isn't terribly dark, but FAR better than a city. I've read these things: Vixen 2.1x42 Super Wide Binocular for astronomy can propel you into another dimension under a very dark sky. Expensive hobby. I can only imagine what Saturn and Jupiter look like through your scope. I LOVE binos as well. Thinking of getting bino viewers for my scope.

Indeed it's an expensive hobby, I briefly looked into doing astrophotography and seeing what it would take to get setup "proper" was enough to make me stay with what I had(the Dobsonian was a lovely gift from my wife). I've got enough expensive hobbies as it is.

If you can, I highly recommend seeing if you can get to a dark sky on a new moon. You don't even need to get off the beaten path, we're less than a mile from I-5 here, but far away from the metro areas, which is the important bit. There's a bunch of great maps out there like this one that can give you a good idea of what places would be good.

There's also a some great clubs out there and people are always happy to share their scope and experience viewing the night sky.

 

[Yamaha2112]

Woah! What a cool/ useful map, vvanders! Light pollution map

Thank you!

 

[k0ua]

I would like to be, but Branson is a very light polluted place. Especially for its size. I live out of town, but if you have low clouds we can read a newspaper at night around here. All of those tourist signs along the strip really light up the place.

 

[rswyan]

Light pollution is bad but atmospheric pollution makes it even worse.

I remember camping up in Sierra Nevada about 35 years ago ... we were up around 8,000 feet ... the Milky Way was incredible ...