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  #21  
Old 04-06-2009, 09:57 AM
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lacad01 (Adam)
The sky is Messier here!

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This is a great list, thanks for sharing
Another resource to add to my growing list of charts, info, etc
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  #22  
Old 04-06-2009, 11:48 PM
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Bambo 600 -- Yeah!! :thumbsup:

Hi John & All,

Quote:
Originally Posted by ausastronomer View Post

I would be happy to have Mike post the list on IIS and call it "Bambos 600" and issue an IIS certificate to those that complete it. Computer GOTO should be allowed as its part of modern observing equipment IMO ...

... In terms of editing the list to create a target list for smaller scopes. There are a couple of ways to attack this.

eg. One could edit the list and eliminate the difficult targets, but difficulty often can be as much condition dependant, as scope dependant. Another option may be to award say a 'Bambos 600 4" certificate' for observing 400 of the targets on the list in a 4" or smaller telescope and a 'Bambos 600 10" certificate" for observing 500 of the targets on the list in a 10" or smaller telescope. This gives the observer a little more flexibility based on their conditions.
Couldn't agree more! It'd be impossible to "police" against DSC/GOTO anyway and I think it fair to say maybe half the people here now at least have DSC.

Good idea with the 4" & 10" 400 & 500 -- solves the problem nicely.

Moving a tad off topic, I proceed on the apparently well-founded assumption that you've seen all these in the 600 and from that also assume that your " observing log" -- should you keep one, must be a very impressive size.

I only bring it up because I dropped into BINTEL to pick up some eclipse shades for China today and Don Whiteman and I ended up discussing observing logs and were speculating on which Australian observers (and Kiwis I guess) would have a "really big observing log". Yours was one of the first names I thought of -- and just wondered ...


Best,

Les D
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  #23  
Old 05-06-2009, 10:20 AM
ausastronomer (John Bambury)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ngcles View Post

Moving a tad off topic, I proceed on the apparently well-founded assumption that you've seen all these in the 600
Yes !!

Quote:
Originally Posted by ngcles View Post

and from that also assume that your " observing log" -- should you keep one, must be a very impressive size.
No !!

We digress, but let me expand on those rather short answers a little, as some might find a humorous side to it

When I put the list together I hadn't observed all the targets. I had probably observed all of them except about 20 or 30 only, so I had in my head a fair idea of what I was likely to want to include.

I then used a conglomerate process to create a database. I combined countless other lists and source material into the database including what I thought was worth including and leaving out what I thought a waste of time. Some of the sources I consulted were Hartung, Burnham, OMeara and a host of other smaller specific target type lists put together by others. eg. With the double stars I combined several different peoples double star lists and included the targets I had observed and liked. I eliminated the targets I felt less worthy of inclusion and those I hadn't observed. The 20 or 30 targets I included in the overall list which I hadn't observed, were based on comments and advice from others, including Andrew Murrell. Once I had completed the list I made a point of observing everything on the list I hadn't previously looked at.

My Observing Logs. Hmmmmmmmmm, that is a long story in itself. I started observing on a casual basis in the early 70's whilst in high school, with a 70mm Tasco refractor. Didn't have time for observing notes in those days as my observing time was limited due to schoolwork. Had a hiatus from astronomy in the late 70's to early 80's due to women, alcohol, the racetrack and completing a university degree part time at night, in no specific order. With the pending arrival of Haleys' comment in 1986, I got keen again in 1985, having recently finished my studies. I built a 6" dob around a Parks mirror and got to some serious observing. Notwithstanding that I had completed a university degree without taking one single lecture note, I decided I should start taking observing notes as this was far more important than university. At the time I was living with an Irish woman (yes she was mad), who worked as a legal secretary. She suggested the taking of my observing notes would be infinitely easier using this wonderful piece of technology called a "dictaphone". She suggested that I could just hold the "dictaphone" and talk into it whilst standing at the eyepiece and she could type my notes up neatly in her spare time. Isn't love blind. I proceeded to make my observing notes on little magnetic dictaphone tapes for the next 3 or 4 years. I ended up making some brilliant observations all wonderfully recorded on these little magnetic tapes stored in a box in the cupboard. Unfortunately she never got much spare time and the boxfull of tapes expanded and the beautifully typed observing logs never appeared. In 1989 we decided love wasn't so blind and we parted company, me taking all my magnetic dictaphone tapes and my 6" dob, with me. Dissillusioned with life, I started pursuing other spare time pastimes outside astronomy like women, alcohol and the racetrack, all of which I was already familiar with, in no particular order. In early 1994 with the pending arrival and impact of Comet Shoemaker Levy 9, I decided that I really should get back to astronomy, and so I did. I consulted a secretarial service to see what it would cost me to get all my observing notes typed up. She said it will be free because all the tapes have deteriorated and are indecipherable. Well you can imagine how impressed I was ! I then observed for the next 4 years with my 6" reflector spanning the arrival of the two great 1990's comets Hyakutake (1996) and Hale-Bopp (1997). I never got around to making detailed observing notes because I was totally peeved at what had happened with my dictaphone tapes. However, I did make a record of all the targets I observed during each observing session. In the period 1998 to late 1999 I again had a hiatus from astronomy. In late 1999 I met my wife and again rekindled my interest in astronomy. I thought she would approve of that moreso than alcohol, women and the racetrack. When I started observing again in late 1999, computers and the internet had progressed to a higher level. I felt as I had made so many observations that had gone unrecorded, it was a bit late starting so late in the day. Having regard to the material that was now available online, I felt it was a little superfluos, at that time. In late 1999 I upgraded to an 8" dob, which I kept for a year, upgrading to a 10" in late 2000 and to the 18" in 2006. I had spent some time observing with Andrew Murrell using his 20" from late 2002. In about 2003 or 2004 with all the new astronomy software that was available I thought "maybe I should buy some of this software and use it to keep my observing notes". I had a play with Starry Night Pro and Megastar 6, but I never did get around to doing anything about my observing logs, until last week !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I returned from another weeks observing at Coonabarbran last Friday and decided I needed to do something about my observing logs, as my memory was not what it used to be. In my earlier years I had an unbelievable memory, but age and countless years of brain cell abuse catches up with everyone. Hence I actually ordered a copy of Sky Tools 3 when I arrived home from Coona. It should arrive in a week or two. This will enable me to interface the laptop with Argo Navis and Servocat and record my observations into the laptop at the telescope.

So there you have the tale of a long time astronomer who used to have a very good memory and very poor notes

Cheers,
John B
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  #24  
Old 05-06-2009, 10:36 AM
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erick (Eric)
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With apologies to George Best:-

"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered (on telescopes)."
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  #25  
Old 05-06-2009, 11:26 AM
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Parallels ...

Hi John,

An interesting tale and it is curious the number of parallels between yours and my "career" in amateur astronomy.

My Tasco was a 60mm -- not 70. My distractions didn't involve the gee gee's, but did involve an irish-woman. I married her.

My first log that I kept with the 60mm refractor and observing through telescopes borrowed from the Sutherland Astronomical Society in the 1970s and early 80s is now lost. It was in an exercise book but probably contained about 100 different objects and a few sketches. I completed an 8" f/5.5 mirror in 1978-79 but didn't have the money to finish the telescope

During most of the early 80s I did some casual observing with binos but it was Halley in 1986 and then 1987A that really got me going again. I competed the 8" 'scope in 1988 (I think), went to 10" in 1994 and it was not long after I moved to 10" that I started to keep a formal log in hard-copy A4 paper in Lever-Arch binders. Moved to 12" in 1999. I used to faithfully transcribe my tape-recorded notes by hand onto purpose-made forms. I used to file reference material with the observations as well.

Consequently, by the time I got to 2002, the log needed 4 Lever-Arch files and was in danger of undergoing gravitational collapse. I needed a milk-crate to carry it round. When I started on a 5th folder, that was the break-point. I realised it was now or never electronic -v- hard-copy.

In 2002 during a hiatus from work, I bit the bullet and purchased some appropriate astro-software and started typing. It took 3 months on and off but boy I'm glad I did it. Now in 2009 it is 75% bigger again than when I typed it out.

I'm interested to hear how Skytools 3 goes because I am thinking about swapping to that one.


Best,

Les D
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  #26  
Old 05-06-2009, 12:25 PM
sally1jack (Phil)
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Almost a mini series there John "The Rise & Fall & Rise again of Rambo 00ps i mean Bambo
Cheers Mate
Phil
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  #27  
Old 05-06-2009, 02:06 PM
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glenc (Glen)
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Map

Attached is a "map" of the 501 deep sky objects (DSO) in John's list.
143 Open Clusters are yellow
87 Globular Clusters are orange
55 Nebulae are green (incl dark neb)
52 Planetary Neb are blue
164 Galaxies are purple triangles
Attached Files
File Type: zip Bambos DSO.zip (53.0 KB, 208 views)
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  #28  
Old 05-06-2009, 09:03 PM
ausastronomer (John Bambury)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sally1jack View Post
Almost a mini series there John "The Rise & Fall & Rise again of Rambo 00ps i mean Bambo
Cheers Mate
Phil
Well Phil its probably safe to say that I have financed more fast women and slow race horses than your average astronomer

Cheers,
John B
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  #29  
Old 11-06-2009, 03:47 PM
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koputai (Jason)
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I've been attempting to mod the xls file, sorted it by month, then
reformating to print nicely.
Unfortunately my excel skills aren't that hot.
Once you have finalised your list John, any chance of formating it
on a month by month basis in a pdf so we can print a monthly hit
list?

Cheers,
Jason.
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  #30  
Old 11-06-2009, 06:55 PM
ausastronomer (John Bambury)
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Hi Jason,

I can do that no problems. I am still a few days off finalising the list as I have been away on a business conference but will post it here as soon as its done. Sorting the targets by month will help you to some degree in planning but keep in mind that as the targets get close to the SCP they become circumpolar and are visible during almost any month.

Cheers,
John B
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  #31  
Old 11-06-2009, 08:03 PM
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koputai (Jason)
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[QUOTE=ausastronomer;453798]
I can do that no problems.[\quote]

Excellent, that'll make life easy!

Quote:
keep in mind that as the targets get close to the SCP they become circumpolar and are visible during almost any month.
Unless you live on the Northern Beaches, where everything below the SCP (and a fair bit above) is lost in Sydney's muck.

Cheers,
Jason.
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  #32  
Old 20-06-2009, 09:14 PM
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DavidTrap (David)
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Thanks for compiling this - should keep my occupied for years... I am trying to import the list into "AstroPlanner", but don't seem to understand how it works... Has anyone done this already?

Regards
DT
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  #33  
Old 21-06-2009, 02:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidTrap View Post
Thanks for compiling this - should keep my occupied for years... I am trying to import the list into "AstroPlanner", but don't seem to understand how it works... Has anyone done this already?
I have had a preliminary go, but it needs a little cross checking. I'll post something shortly.
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  #34  
Old 21-06-2009, 03:15 PM
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Quote:
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I have had a preliminary go, but it needs a little cross checking. I'll post something shortly.
Thanks for that.

I've decided overnight to bite the bullet and download TheSky X SAE, rather than pay for Astroplanner (to get the complete catalogues) and then ultimately upgrade to TheSky.

I'll see how I go importing the list into TheSky, unless someone has done that already...

Regards
David T
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  #35  
Old 21-06-2009, 03:16 PM
ausastronomer (John Bambury)
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The revised list is coming

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sentinel View Post
I have had a preliminary go, but it needs a little cross checking. I'll post something shortly.
Hi Paul and all,

I am in the process of making some corrections to the data in the list. I have also deleted a couple of duplications and rounded the list out to exactly "600" targets. I am also adding a lot of target information that was not included in the original list. So far it has taken me about 2 weeks to check and update the data for 400 of the 600 targets. I have added quite a bit of additional data on a lot of the targets. The updated list will be a lot more accurate, contain a lot more information and be more useful.

I will have this finished in a week or two. Those corrections will make it easier to import the list into everything, including Astro Planner, Sky Tools and Argo Navis. The finalised revised list, with appropriate files for Argo Navis, Sky Tools and Astroplanner will then be uploaded as an observing resource and an observing challenge to the IIS forum. If you could all be patient for a week or two, everyone will then have a correct revised version of the list to work with and available for downloading in the resources section of IIS, including all the observing software files.

Cheers,
John B
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  #36  
Old 21-06-2009, 04:26 PM
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astroron (Ron)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ausastronomer View Post
Hi Paul and all,

I am in the process of making some corrections to the data in the list. I have also deleted a couple of duplications and rounded the list out to exactly "600" targets. I am also adding a lot of target information that was not included in the original list. So far it has taken me about 2 weeks to check and update the data for 400 of the 600 targets. I have added quite a bit of additional data on a lot of the targets. The updated list will be a lot more accurate, contain a lot more information and be more useful.

I will have this finished in a week or two. Those corrections will make it easier to import the list into everything, including Astro Planner, Sky Tools and Argo Navis. The finalised revised list, with appropriate files for Argo Navis, Sky Tools and Astroplanner will then be uploaded as an observing resource and an observing challenge to the IIS forum. If you could all be patient for a week or two, everyone will then have a correct revised version of the list to work with and available for downloading in the resources section of IIS, including all the observing software files.

Cheers,
John B
Thanks for the update John
Look forward to it when it arrives
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  #37  
Old 21-06-2009, 09:16 PM
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Thanks John,

Look forward to the revision - any chance of a version for The Sky?? (read I'm very new at driving this software and would appreciate all the help I can get!)

ta
David T
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  #38  
Old 17-07-2009, 08:10 AM
ausastronomer (John Bambury)
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Revision almost ready

Hi all,

My apologies for not having the revised and updated target list ready for upload a couple of weeks back, as I indicated I would.

Unfortunately I got quite ill about a month back with a middle ear virus that gives you a constant feeling of vertigo/seasickness (Vestibular Neuritis). I can tell you it isn't much fun. I am still getting over it and slowly coming right. I hope to have the revision completed and posted to the forum within the next week, or so.

Cheers,
John B
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  #39  
Old 17-07-2009, 10:13 AM
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DavidTrap (David)
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Whilst I've never had what you're recovering from, I've seen patients with it - my sympathies.

Hope your recovery continues swiftly.

Looking forward to the list.

Regards
DavidT
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  #40  
Old 17-07-2009, 05:04 PM
Paul Hatchman
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Quote:
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My apologies for not having the revised and updated target list ready for upload a couple of weeks back, as I indicated I would.
John,

Please don't worry about it. Look after yourself!!
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