International Space Station

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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 5:58 am

I've never used knockers for stargazing so M&L might be better at advising you, but I hear Celestron and Helios are decent makes. Something in the 10x50 range should get you up and running. Don't be tempted to skimp on the stand though, any scope is only as good as what it's mounted on.

Before you buy anything, I'd suggest you do some reading. You'll need some basic knowledge of the night sky or you will be spending a lot of time pushing your glasses one way then the other to find anything.

Something like: Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas is a good start.

Here is some fantastic free software to get you going too: Stellarium is totally brilliant. It's a map of the night sky that lets you tell it where you are, and it tracks the movement of the stars in real time from your position. It's like having a planetarium on your pc. Wink

Then this for the Moon: Virtual Moon Atlas

If I can tempt you into the world of scopes check out this: Skywatcher 130 Heritage It's a good starter kit that packs away when not in use and is very good value. I think Skywatcher are known as Orion in the US??

Have fun whatever you decide. Wink

Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 6:15 am

That's some cool software - thanks Windy! I'll look into the guide and the scope too.

Oh -

Quote:

I've never used knockers for stargazing

Is it bad that I giggled at this?

Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 6:19 am

Cougar wrote:

Is it bad that I giggled at this?

Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 8:03 am

Quote:

I've never used knockers for stargazing

I have. Louise gets them out for me so I can warm my hands on cold nights. Very useful items, if you can get ya hands on a pair.

As for binos, any make is good, the same with a scope, but remember that a pair of binos or a scope is only as good as the optics it has.

So the better the lens/mirror quality, the better the 'image' you will see.

Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 8:17 am

Heh... Set the scope up last night and got a good glimpse of Saturn in the south west. Even with the air and light pollution where I live.

When you see that for the first time with your own eyes Cougar, you'll be converted. Wink

Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 8:56 am

Cougar wrote:

Is it bad that I giggled at this?

I did too. Who wouldn't. Smile

Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 10:28 am

^ What windypops said about seeing Saturn for the first time, that is so true. It took my breath away, the first time I saw it through a telescope. A truly amazing moment. I've never forgotten the first time I saw the Moon either (through a telescope) - I was like a big kid, squealing with excitement. Seeing it so close made me feel as if I could reach out and touch it.

Reading this thread is making me want to go and get our telescope back down from the attic and get back into star/planet gazing.

Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 11:12 am

^ Do, and check out Albireo which is a double star. You need a reasonably good scope, 4" or so, but it is a well known treat for the eyes the first time too. It comes as a bit of a surprise.

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2628

We've had too much cloud cover the last few nights for any star gazing.
Hubby is very keen, the neighbours are getting used to him lying out in the garden late at night on a sun lounger.
Getting away from light pollution is a problem, he thought he'd found the perfect place a wee while back , dark, secluded and was wandering round binoculars in hand, amazed at the number of fellow stargazers around.
Went to introduce himself at the nearest car.
Thats when he realised he'd found the local dogging area.

Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 1:05 pm

^

@ windypops, thanks will have a look for Albireo. Am going to dust the cobwebs off at the weekend. Have remembered that we have one of those night vision monoscopey thingys (not good with techy stuff) as well - bought when I went through my phase of wanting to watch the hedgehogs beyond dusk, so that's going to get decobwebbed as well.

Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 1:21 pm

I still remember the first time I saw Saturn. I was still a newbie at astronomy and I thought it was a star.

It's only when I couldn't focus that 'oval' shaped point of light into a nice pin point that I knew something was up.
So I up'ed the magnification and discovered that it was Saturn and the oval shape I was seeing was it's rings.

Beautiful.

Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 4:38 pm

An astonishing picture of the ISS and shttle in front of the sun:

This is a crop, there is a full disc version, and details of how it was done in this article LINK

Still enjoying the webcam, I have passed the link to a few firends.

Posted: Fri May 21, 2010 9:03 am

There are dudes suited and booted being helped by guys in socks at the moment.

Either it's fancy dress night and they came as spacemen, or they're going out for a wander.

Posted: Fri May 21, 2010 9:37 am

Roycropper wrote:

There are dudes suited and booted being helped by guys in socks at the moment.

Either it's fancy dress night and they came as spacemen, or they're going out for a wander.

Yep they have done a space walk already.

Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 3:25 pm

The shuttle and the ISS have separated now. I missed the separation but I did get a great shot of the UK as the ISS passed just south of my house.

It's nice and sunny in southern England for a change lol.

I'm going to use this as my new desktop background image.

Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 10:35 am

Awesome timelapse of STS-131, from OPF to low earth orbit. That's one big garage where they hang the shuttle from the roof to attach it to the fuel tank.....

LINK

Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 6:31 am

Thanks M&L for starting this thread. Rolling Eyes

I have caved in and ordered a GOTO system for my scope, and am also eyeing up a ccd camera kit too before VAT goes up to 20%.

Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 8:35 am

You're welcome Very Happy

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