Quote:
Originally Posted by sil
Looks like you're really enjoying the universe, and as long as you're here to enjoy it, it'll be here to enjoy. There are no real rules besides get outside and look. When, how, at what, using what equipment is really up to you. Don't worry if you have modest gear, no astronomers telescope is EVER big enough. A comfy chair and pair of binoculars might be all you need for a lifetime of enjoyment.
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That's all very true!
One of the earliest things I read here was an article that pointed out that astronomy was largely a "conceptual" pastime - in other words, the hobby astronomer can only go so far by buying more expensive gear and seeing bigger and bigger white dots. So using your imagination, plus gaining more knowledge about what the dots represent is a vital part of the hobby. Which ties in with your very apt comment that no telescope is EVER big enough.
I’ve now also bought a Skywatcher 150/750 reflector on an EQ3 mount, and I definitely don’t need any more telescopes now! Although, if what Einstein says in the attached picture, I may have to reconsider at some stage… There's always next week.....
You're dead right about the chair and binoculars though. They were the last two things that I have added to my modest stock of observing gear - but they probably should have been the first (especially as I already had both of them. Doh....!). I'd always thought that I was too old and wobbly for binoculars to work for stars, but bracing myself in the comfy chair does the job. The great benefit of the binoculars is the field of vision. For instance, I can (just) get the all four corner stars of the Southern Cross in the same view (which my scopes can't). This helped me to identify which of the four I was looking at with the more powerful telescopes.
Things that I have also discovered so far include:
1. Astronomy seems to be a hobby that attracts people with good enquiring minds who are generous with their time and knowledge. That's not true of all hobbies. The friendly and helpful atmosphere here is much appreciated.
2. Equatorial mounts have impressive and intriguing geometry, but they can also be a pain in the backside to have to keep setting up. At some angles they can also be awkward and a little confusing when trying to change positions in the sky in a hurry. They're also not necessary for the sort of basic beginner viewing that I do.
3. By setting the latitude scale on the EQ mount to 0 degrees and making a few other small adjustments it can function more like an Alt/AZ mount. I now don't have to bother trying to align it every night, I can just point and view and the motions are more intuitive. I can also get back to using it "properly" if the need arises, and its extra weight and superior quality adjusting mechanisms are an improvement on my other mount (an AZ3)
4. The researching is just as important and rewarding than the viewing, if not more so. And I don't need cloudless skies for that either. So I've bought some books, including Cosmos by Carl Sagan, Turn Left at Orion, and The Southern Sky Guide. I've also downloaded the free Stellarium software, which was a great help.
Finally, I took your advice and bought Sky Safari. Less than $5 on the ipad for the basic app - and what an amazing resource for the price! I’ll be buying the version for the desktop computer as well. So thanks very much for that tip too.
Cheers,
Chris