It's been a few years since I've put anything on here...back in approx 1990 when I asked about the ships that were sent to the moon and missed...where did they go? The response was, there was no misses or they never happened...in about 1998 NASA found a lost craft that was sent to the moon and missed - it's now a far orbit around earth...it's it strange...

 Please talk to me in this msg program...I'll like to discuss almost anything.

 Ed

Great forum. Glad to be a part. I just ordered a 12" Dobsonian from Orion. Can't wait. I've always had a passion for the night sky, but this is going to be my first scope. Hope it'll give me a respectable view of whats out there. Can't wait to be a part of this forum, already found some useful answers. Cheers everyone, happy viewing.

 Usman

Thanks and "Hi" from westcoast Vancouver Island, where the vast Pacific coast has very little light pollution. I grew up through the Gemini and Apollo era (remember Mike Mars?) and have recently purchased a used Celestron 80, partly in anticipation of the highly touted Mars perihelion in late August. I was surprised to see , or not see, in the Calendar of Events any mention of this. Is it so obvious as to not need mention or am I misinformed? Look forward to an informative relationship with you all and thanks again for your patience and guidance. skol, starpaddler

Welcome to the forums. Unfortunately I must let you know that the information you have on Mars won't be happening this year, it happened in August of 2003. Since then because a misunderstanding turned into misinformation is now turned into a hoax that resurfaces every year starting in early spring until August. .. Use the Search community feature on the right side to search for "Mars Hoax" and you will find more information on that.

 New to the forum,  with little self taught observation experience. Recently moved to the mountains of Colorado and anticipate some great seeing at 9000 feet. I look forward to reaping the benefits of the experience of others on the forum. Thanks for the welcome and thanks in advance for your help!

Hello all.

I am new to astronomy. Oh I had a brief look years ago with a Sears telescope, not the best. I have since retired and always enjoyed the night sky. I live in Timmins, ON, Canada and the nights are pretty dark here. I reciently ordered a new telescope and am waiting for it to arrive. It is a Celestron NexStar 8 SE. It should arrive next week and I also ordered the filter kit. (not sure if I needed it but was recommended by the guy at EfstonScience). If anyone in this forum has such a unit I would appreciat any tips on it. 

Thanks for the welcome.

Rick

Hello everyone, this is astro-bruja from Lima-Peru.I have been an avid sky watcher since childhood, not really understanding clearly what was what, besides the moon offcourse, but allways watching. Since I installed some astronomical software on my computer some months ago, I am finally beggining to understand the very basics. Nice to find this forum, really hope to be part of it.

Thanx so much !  I have always been a subscriber of "Astronomy" and also "Sky and Telescope".  This is the very first time I have engaged in an on-line forum.  I look forward to learning and sharing and comparing notes with others!

                           Wishing everyone Dark Skies and Optic Eyes;

                                      Espiritu

tkerr, you are a determined and good person to take the time to help all the "new guys" in this quiet avocation. 

I am far from new to amature astronomy, that is having been looking up with various optics for 40 years know my way around the Northern Hemisphere sky and have a good knowledge of telescopes, binoculars, and eyepieces.

A yearning for something more frustrating and expensive has been in mind over the years though, astrophotography is perfect for the above.  What finally determined this was on a dark and clear night in Deer Lodge, MT I got out my Fujinon binoculars and discovered a comet.  Sue French of Sky and Telescope magazine had suggested in one of her articles that Stock 111 was worthy of a look and while looking lowered the Fujions for a second, 70mm Fujinons are heavy, and discovered comet Blume.  This was one of those moments in observing when all the frustrations, mosquitoes, cold, and such all goes away.  Since comet Blume wasn't a dim fuzzy at the very edge of seeing, more like a searchlight, I knew that my discovery had already been posted, but found it independantly and that made all worth it.  I immediately set up my Stellarvue 90mm and the wow factor went up; it was at that instant that the descision of getting into astrophotography was made.  As you've probably figured this turned out to be the extraodinary brightning of comet Holmes, howerver I don't want to be caught without the means of photographing, if another opportunity like this presents itself.

My problem is time and technology has passed me by, and need some real help with the digital end of astrophotography.  I puchased a Mead Deep Sky Imager Pro III and can't even figure out the directions much less get it to work; all that I get is a grey and black static scanning and fooling around with the controls makes everything worse.  Not only that, the second step of aquiring, stacking, and making all pretty looks just as difficult on Meads second step Envision program; given that anything can eventually be imaged. I think that Mead could have made the directions a little simpler though.

If you could steer me to the right forum, such as a  group knowladgeable about the above or at least a group working at the same problems; it would be very much appreciated.

                                                                                                     Thank you;

                                                                                                     Pressing Time

 

 

Welcome to the forums.

I'm sure you will be able to find someone helpful with the Meade DSI III Pro within the astro imaging / CCD Cameras forum here. If not then I suggest looking to Yahoo where there are numerous discussion groups covering these products.

It will take a little time, but with patience and determination you'll get there. Keep at it and good luck.

 Hi,

This is an excellent place to find astronomy related stuff and get some advice. 

Unfortunately, astronomy is one of my hobbies but due to other high priority hobbies I have very little time that I can dedicate to it. I enjoy very much reading about space exploration and astronomy. This website seems an excellent place for astronomy resources.

I am also new here. I have no idea about astronomy but it just happened that I have to write articles about it. I think this forum will help me a lot

Hi all.

 After some sixteen years break Iam starting the star gazing back up again. Some of it is moving out to the countryside so great night sky. And my seven yr old Son is getting into astronomy and we can both start this hobby up together, even my better half has a keen intrest. Add this website has been the best find whilst I have been researching tonight.

 Myself and the family all live in the UK and are based in a small village in Suffolk.

  Hope everyone out there have clear skys above their heads.

Okay newbie here.  After reading through all these posts I'm not sure why I'm bothering to add this. I know very little about astronomy but picked a couple of telescopes at a garage sale and thought I'd give it a try. So go ahead and laugh, I bought a Jason rotary power 540 and a Sears Discoverer Model 4 6333 Equatorial refactor f900mm d60mm, Okay, the reason I bother is I'm interested in getting owners manuals for them. Any assistance (after you stop laughing) would be greatly appreciated.  Is there an area of this forum that would be a better place to ask such a question?  Thanx!

Thank you for the nice welcome.  I am from Central PA, but do a lot of traveling in my motorhome to view the dark skies .

I don't have the instruction manuals, but just HAD to let you know...my very first 'scope was a "Jason" and I loved it with all my heart !!!  In fact, I actually named him "Jason" and he became a part of the family.  "Jason" was the telescope which I set up and allowed lines and lines and lines of folks to catch a very faint glimpse of Haley's Comet (and of course, the planets..).  This was along time ago in the 80's, but the memory of Jason and all the joy he gave will forever remain !  Keep looking' up !

        Wishing you dark skies and clear nights.

                     Astrogal in Arizona

Hello,

I've just joined.

I am currently living in the Allentown Pennsylvania area where we get some good clear dry nights for observing in the winter. 

I purchased a 3 inch Tasco refractor in 1957 (or therabouts), with my paper route money, saw Jupiter the first night out and have been hooked on astronomy ever since.  I have a lot better equimpent now, (in fairness I should say that early Tasco was a quality scope for the price), but less time for observing.  It is a great hobby as I am sure you all agree. 

 

 

 

 

 

Denebdude here,

Just got back into astronomy as well, after a 15 year absence.  Rebuilt an 8" scope

project that had been lying around for all this time, and I am having great fun rediscovering

the sky ;-)  Unfortunately, the dreaded Aperture Fever is creeping on me and I am thinking

of obtaining a 16" mirror blank and going for another long-term project!  Good luck to all

newbies and the only advice I have is to take it slow.  Go to astro group meetings, star

parties, etc. before you blow a wad of dough.  Astronomy is a hobby that takes years to

cultivate, but you NEVER run out of new things to experience and discover.

DD

GARRYOWEN:

Hello,

I've just joined.

I am currently living in the Allentown Pennsylvania area where we get some good clear dry nights for observing in the winter. 

Gary,

If you're not already a member, you might want to consider joining the Lehigh Valley Astronomical Society.  This club has an observatory and a planetarium on South Mountain and a very impressive observatory at Pulpit Rock, near Hamburg.  MegaMeet, a regional star party open to local astronomy club members, is held yearly at Pulpit Rock.

http://www.lvaas.org/

http://lvaas.org/staticpages/index.php?page=megameet

Dave Mitsky

I took an astronomy class 25 years ago.  If that is when I was 'bitten', it lay dormant until about a few years back.  I bought my telescope (Celestron Nexstar 4" reflector) when Mars was closest to Earth a few years back.  I was greatly disappointed with the experience.  I put the scope away and was nearly done with it.  Then last year I was visiting my brother in Texas.  He has a 3" reflector (Bushnell iirc).  I pointed it towards Jupiter.  I saw a white dot, with 3, no, 4 smaller dots all in a line!!!  I was giddy.  When I returned home I broke my scope out and saw the same thing.  I don't know why I wasn't able to see Mars before, maybe I did and it just was as impressive as I thought it might be. 

 Since then, I have seen Saturn, double stars, Andromeda galaxy, and lots of star clusters.  I feel like I'm still in the shallow end of the pool with one foot feeling the slope to the deep end.  I've watched scores of youtube videos on how-to grind and polish mirrors.  I'm going to make a barn door mount for my SLR this weekend.  I'm resolved to the fact that a good digital camera, able to take deep space photos looms in my future.

 I feel like registering on this site is akin to joining a 12 step program.  Hello, my name is John.  I am a stargazer.