Star gazing ?

[Granite.Glasser]

That's right. And you know you're going to NEED to go out and buy an extremely sophisticated and expensive telescope that will allow you to see at least 300 trillion miles away. And all the gadgets and filters that go with that so you can see stuff at any time of day.

Shhhhhhh! I told my wife that I really NEED all the astro-observing stuff I buy!!!
For instance, this soon to be released, limited-edition TeleVue Apollo 11 commemorative eyepiece!

http://televue.com/notamnomen/wp-content/uploads/TV_Handout_Apollo-11_WorldSciFest2019.pdf
...for only $1,245.00

 

[bray144k]

Shhhhhhh! I told my wife that I really NEED all the astro-observing stuff I buy!!!
For instance, this soon to be released, limited-edition TeleVue Apollo 11 commemorative eyepiece!

http://televue.com/notamnomen/wp-content/uploads/TV_Handout_Apollo-11_WorldSciFest2019.pdf
...for only $1,245.00

Just saw on one of the websites above that if I look directly south between a certain set of stars tonight I can see out of our galaxy. What type of telescope do I need for that? LOL

 

[MntnMan62]

Shhhhhhh! I told my wife that I really NEED all the astro-observing stuff I buy!!!
For instance, this soon to be released, limited-edition TeleVue Apollo 11 commemorative eyepiece!

http://televue.com/notamnomen/wp-content/uploads/TV_Handout_Apollo-11_WorldSciFest2019.pdf
...for only $1,245.00

You need to realize that what they understand is not how bad you need it or how great it is. Explain to her that this is a pre release offering price and that after it is officially released it will go up 20%. So in reality by you buying this nice shiny object you are actually SAVING $250. Not bad for a day's work, right? That's how they think. How do I know this? Because all I ever hear is how much she saved on this, that or the other thing. I've also learned that the same thought process doesn't apply to me. So, maybe it's not a great idea to listen to me.

 

[Bhugo]

Totally agree with the binoculars. They are very multifunctional for me and my other outdoor hobbies. Spend what you can afford and then a little more on optics!

 

[Ad Astra]

Just saw on one of the websites above that if I look directly south between a certain set of stars tonight I can see out of our galaxy. What type of telescope do I need for that? LOL

None at all! Just dark skies and two eyes.


AA

 

[bluesman 7]

Does anyone here grind their own mirrors or lenses?

 

[Granite.Glasser]

Does anyone here grind their own mirrors or lenses?

I know some local Astro-Society folks who have ground their own mirrors and have incorporated them into home-built Dobs. Way beyond my abilities! I like when Al Nagler of TeleVue designs and builds diffraction-limited scopes and eyepieces and we get to reap the benefits!

 

[njpaddy]

I was into it in the 70's, living in Florida, when I could actually see stars and would use a camera to do star trails. I have an old telescope, but living in NJ it's useless any night I'd like to use it.

 

[bluesman 7]

I know some local Astro-Society folks who have ground their own mirrors and have incorporated them into home-built Dobs. Way beyond my abilities! I like when Al Nagler of TeleVue designs and builds diffraction-limited scopes and eyepieces and we get to reap the benefits!

Cool. Thanks for your response. My question is related to the techniques for lapping similar concave/convex pairs. I have read about doing this and have a good understanding of the principals, but I'm interested in conversing with someone who has actually done it.

 

[Granite.Glasser]

Cool. Thanks for your response. My question is related to the techniques for lapping similar concave/convex pairs. I have read about doing this and have a good understanding of the principals, but I'm interested in conversing with someone who has actually done it.

If there is a local or nearby Astronomical Society in your area, chances are there are folks who have done this and can coach you in the process. I learn so much from these talented people!

By the way, that rock sample that shows up in your photos appears to have some opal qualities to it. Hard to tell from just a small pic, but I am a geologist and it caught my eye!

 

[bluesman 7]

Good idea on the local Astronomical Society. In person discussion would be excellent if I can find someone locally.

The rock pretty but is really nothing special. There is a lot of it just lying around in the Rockies. I think that this piece came from the front range near Boulder in an area of granite outcroppings. Quartz intrusions are common in the granite around here. My nephew was out here a while ago, and while hiking he picked up a few pieces as if it was something special. After hiking a bit further he started seeing how common it was and ended up just dropping the pieces that he had picked up, realizing that if he changed his mind he could easily find more. The opelesk appearance is most likely an artifact of my poor photography. I am an amateur geologist and find it has added a whole new dimension to my hiking and traveling.

 

[Mike H]

I don't think I have ever had the opportunity to look at the stars with out a considerable amount of light pollution.

Light pollution map

Interactive world light pollution map. The map uses NASA VIIRS, World Atlas 2015, Aurora prediction, observatories, clouds and SQM/SQC overlay contributed by users.

www.lightpollutionmap.info

 

[bluesman 7]

Even out here in Colorado getting to an area of low light pollution is special. The Milky Way on a clear moonless night never fails to put me in awe.

 

[MHBru]

I'm into all aspects of Astronomy and only wished i lived in an area with darker skies.

 

[bluesman 7]

2-5 hours driving time will get me into a multitude of dark sky viewing areas.

 

[Granite.Glasser]

I can see the ghostly lights from Flight 19 over Bermuda in the Atlantic on that map!

 

[martym]

A couple of weeks ago we spent the weekend at the JW Marriott Hill Country Spa and Resort. On a Friday night they had stargazing. We had never done it. The telescope was probably a bit over a foot in diameter and nearly 4 feet tall.
Looking nearly due South I believe the “guide” focused on what he said was Saturn and it was about 6 million miles away. I was skeptical but gave it a look.
There was a big white ball with rings around it. I stood there with my jaw open. I have never seen anything like it before and may never again.
Simply amazing!!

 

[Ad Astra]

A couple of weeks ago we spent the weekend at the JW Marriott Hill Country Spa and Resort. On a Friday night they had stargazing. We had never done it. The telescope was probably a bit over a foot in diameter and nearly 4 feet tall.
Looking nearly due South I believe the “guide” focused on what he said was Saturn and it was about 6 million miles away. I was skeptical but gave it a look.
There was a big white ball with rings around it. I stood there with my jaw open. I have never seen anything like it before and may never again.
Simply amazing!!

I hear you! First time I saw Saturn was with a 60mm cheapie, but saw the rings and was hooked.

Galileo thought them to be "ears" for a while!


AA

 

[Raissermesser]

I don't think I have ever had the opportunity to look at the stars with out a considerable amount of light pollution.

Light pollution map

Interactive world light pollution map. The map uses NASA VIIRS, World Atlas 2015, Aurora prediction, observatories, clouds and SQM/SQC overlay contributed by users.

www.lightpollutionmap.info

View attachment 1042097

Interesting. I'm in an area with low light pollution, and you can still see glow from downs in the distance. Got lost one night decades ago, didn't want my wife to know it, and drove toward the brightest glow.

When I see a perfectly dark sky here, I know it's an extensive power outage. That, and no cell service and no FM radio means it's really bad.

I'm interested in how the move to LED fixtures has changed this. Same lumens, but the fixtures are close to the cobra-head type, which has less horizontal light.

 

[martym]

Years ago I was at the ranch sitting in a blind hunting hogs. It was a Friday night and we are 6 miles off the main road. Way off in the distance I could see the lights from the nearest town’s football stadium. I didn’t really think much of it until they turned off those lights. It made a huge difference. Man was it ever dark now.